Launch of campaign More EU budget for Tourism

The supporting organisations of the European Tourism Manifesto for Growth and Jobs declared the urgent need for effective European tourism policy which shall exploit the potential of the industry as a key driver for economic growth and jobs creation, as well as support and celebrate Europe’s diverse natural and cultural heritage.

 

In their latest campaign More EU Budget for Tourism, the tourism stakeholders call upon the European Commission to include tourism among its priorities in the Multiannual Financial Framework post 2020 to properly support this industry and its host destinations.

To avoid further slowdown, to capitalise on the potential of tourism to create jobs and to facilitate the industry growth, both destinations and industry need coordinated, cross-sectoral regulatory interventions and increased financial support from the European Union, reflecting the eight priorities and actions outlined by the Tourism Manifesto.

The tourism stakeholders call for better coordination of the several instruments affecting tourism, which should be managed at all governance levels in a systematic and coordinated way, for a long-term European tourism strategy and for tourism to be prominent in two MFF strategic priorities – Single Market and Investing in People, Social Cohesion and Values. Besides the explicit European-level tourism priorities and dedicated budget within the programmes and headings mentioned above, they call for specific tourism actions within the following MFF priorities:

  • Research and Innovation, namely in the Horizon Europe
  • European Strategic Investments, namely in the Connecting Europe Facility, Digital Europe Programme and InvestEU Fund
  • Regional Development and Cohesion
  • Agriculture and Maritime Policy, namely in the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and European maritime and Fisheries fund
  • Agriculture and Maritime Policy, namely in the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and European maritime and Fisheries fund.