Brussels, 31/10/2007 (Agence Europe) - The Vice-President of the European Commission, Gunter Verheugen, who is responsible for EU enterprise policy and industry, presented the European Destinations of Excellence (EDEN) awards to the ten best emerging rural tourist destinations at the European Tourism Forum in Portimao on the Algarve in Portugal on 26 October 2007. The winners were Pielachtal Valley in Austria, Durbuy, 'the smallest city in the world' located in Belgium, the Sveti Martin na Muri district in Croatia, the Troodos mountainous area in Cyprus, the Florina region in Greece, the Orseg region in Hungary, Clonakilty District in Ireland, Specchia in Southern Italy, the town of Kuldiga in Latvia, and the Nadur region of Malta. The EDEN awards have a two-fold aim - to draw attention to the value, diversity and shared characteristics of European tourist destinations and to promote destinations where commercial success goes hand in hand with social, cultural and environmental sustainability. They raise awareness of Europe's tourism diversity and quality, besides promoting Europe as the foremost tourist destination in the world. Ten countries and around 400 tourist destinations entered the competition, for which national juries made the selection. Next year, seven additional EU member states will participate in the EDEN awards, namely Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, France, Lithuania, Spain and Romania. Turkey will also participate.
The central theme of the Portimao European Tourism Forum was strategies to make EU tourist destinations competitive and sustainable. At the Forum, the European Commission unveiled the 'Agenda for a Sustainable and Competition European Tourism' (see EUROPE 9530), following on from the renewed EU Tourism Policy unveiled in Vienna, Austria, in March 2006 (see EUROPE 9157). The Commission invites all players to introduce sustainable practices to make Europe the most attractive tourist destination in the world. Commissioner Verheugen commented: 'The success and growth potential of Europe as a tourist destination of the future will depend on our capacity to preserve and reinforce the assets of Europe through a combination of reasonable development and innovation of the tourism product'. Member states' tourism ministers and Portuguese and European tourist authorities discussed the following at the Forum: management and conservation of the natural and cultural heritage; management of resources and waste; and sustainable management - corporate responsibility for competitiveness and job creation. The Commission says its Agenda 'aims at strengthening a voluntary and continuous process. It should be promoted by all tourism stakeholders in Europe - the various levels of government, businesses, tourists and other agencies that can stimulate (trade unions, universities, research establishments, etc.).' The EU does not have powers with regard to tourism and the Agenda can only outline suggested action, explained Verheugen during the Forum. The Portuguese Presidency, represented by Portuguese economy minister Manuel Pinho, welcomed the fact that tourism was on the EU agenda at last. He said that tourism profit margins had hugely increased in 2006 and Europe should now confirm this trend. Tourism currently accounts for 4% of EU GDP, with the figures ranging between around 2% in several new member states and 12% in Malta. Indirectly, tourism contributes far more to GDP, indirectly generating more than 10% of the EU's GDP, and 12% of total employment, according to Commission figures. (I.L.)