Fact Sheets on the European Union
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Tourism

The Lisbon Treaty, effective since December 2009, granted the Union competence to support, coordinate or supplement the actions of the Member States in tourism policy. Although the 2021-2027 multiannual financial framework does not provide for a separate budget line for tourism policy, tourism activities are largely supported under the Single Market Programme and various other EU programmes and funds.

Legal basis

Article 6(d) and Title XXII, Article 195, of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).

Objectives

The EU’s core tourism industry, comprising traditional holiday and tourism service providers, consists of 2.3 million businesses, mainly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), employing approximately 12.3 million people.

Contributing 10% of the EU’s GDP, tourism is a vital economic driver, significantly impacting growth, employment and social development, which makes it a valuable asset in addressing economic downturns and unemployment.

EU policy aims to preserve Europe’s position as a top tourist destination, while maximising the industry’s contribution to growth and employment, and fostering collaboration among the EU countries, particularly through the exchange of good practice.

Results

A. General policy

Since 2001, the Commission has published several communications, outlining its policy guidelines for the development of the tourism sector:

B. Special measures

1. Measures benefiting tourists (travellers and/or holidaymakers)

Other measures:

  • The EDEN initiative promotes European ‘destinations of excellence’ – lesser-known or emerging tourist destinations committed to sustainability.
  • European Green Belt is a 6 800 km network from the Barents Sea to the Black Sea, designed to convert the former Iron Curtain into a cross-border walking and cycling route. In an effort to diversify tourism across Europe, the EU also co-finances cross-border sustainable tourism projects.
  • The DiscoverEU programme, along with other tourism promotion programmes, allows 18-year-old Europeans to explore the EU and experience its diverse cultures.

2. Responsible tourism measures designed to benefit the tourism industry and regions

The Commission facilitates the creation of networks among the main European tourist regions, with the EU offering a range of funding sources to support tourism’s role in regional development and job creation:

In 2022, the Commission proposed creating an EU-wide system for protecting geographical indications of non-agricultural products, including handicrafts (COM(2022)0174). Often deeply rooted in local identity, these products are also a significant draw for tourists. One of the aims of the initiative is to boost regional economies and tourism in the areas concerned. As a result, Regulation (EU) 2023/2411 was adopted.

In 2024, Regulation (EU) 2024/1028 on data collection and sharing related to short-term accommodation rental services was adopted. With a focus on SMEs in particular, this initiative seeks to develop responsible, transparent and fair growth in short-term rentals as part of a well-balanced tourist ecosystem, allowing cities affected by tourism to work towards sustainability and to ensure a good quality of life for their residents.

Harmonised statistics on tourism have been gathered in the EU since 1996.

Regulation (EU) No 692/2011 established a common framework for the systematic development, production and dissemination of European tourism statistics collected in the Member States.

In 2013, the Commission established a Virtual Tourism Monitoring Centre for the collection and storage of tourism data, to improve data coordination and policy synergy.

In 2022, the Commission launched the EU tourism dashboard, one of the measures proposed in the Commission’s 2022 Transition pathway for tourism. This tool enhances access to tourism statistics and helps monitor progress in green and digital transitions, ultimately supporting regional and national policymakers in shaping tourism policies and strategies.

In 2023, the Commission published its proposal Towards a Common European Tourism Data Space: boosting data sharing and innovation across the tourism ecosystem (COM(2023)4787), aiming to create a centralised tourism data sharing environment and drive digitalisation in tourism further, ultimately enhancing the competitiveness and sustainability of the sector.

3. Other focused measures

In March 2019, the Commission organised a Showcase Conference on Tourism.

In 2024, the Commission published a proposal on an EU Digital Travel application (COM(2024)0670) to digitalise travel documents, which is expected to streamline travel and positively impact the tourism industry.

Role of the European Parliament

Parliament was active in adopting resolutions on Commission guidelines and initiatives on tourism well before the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon.

Following the Treaty’s entry into force in 2009, Parliament adopted, in 2011, its resolution on Europe, the world’s No 1 tourism destination – a new political framework for tourism in Europe.

In 2015, Parliament adopted its position at second reading on a new Directive (EU) 2015/2302, aimed at improving the protection of package tour travellers. This directive is currently being revised with a view to enhancing such protection. In the same year, Parliament adopted its resolution on new challenges and concepts for the promotion of tourism in Europe, which addresses digitisation of distribution channels, changing consumer behaviour, the need to attract and retain skilled staff, demographic change and seasonality.

In 2019, Parliament adopted a resolution on the negative impact of the bankruptcy of Thomas Cook on EU tourism. In 2021, it adopted a resolution on establishing an EU strategy for sustainable tourism, which called for a rebuilding of the EU tourism sector in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and strengthening its transition to sustainable, responsible and smart tourism. In 2022, Parliament endorsed its resolution on the impact of the Russian illegal war of aggression against Ukraine on the EU transport and tourism sectors. In 2023, Parliament continued adopting other relevant resolutions including on the implementation of the updated new industrial strategy for Europe: aligning spending to policy and on the assessment of the new Commission communication on outermost regions.

Parliament’s Committee on Transport and Tourism and its Tourism Task Force (TTF) holds regular discussions with representatives of international tourism bodies and key stakeholders of the tourism industry. The TTF has also called for a more consistent tourism policy and repeatedly raised the issue of a separate EU budget line for tourism.

Measures in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak

Recognising Europe’s status as the world’s top tourist destination and the economic significance of tourism, the EU is committed to the sector’s revitalisation.

During the first four months of 2020, Europe saw a staggering 44% decline in international tourist arrivals as compared with the same period in 2019, mirroring the global downturn. Job losses in the European tourism industry in 2020 were monumental.

The Commission deployed different rapid response tools: a proposal to suspend the rules obliging airlines to use their allocated slots at EU airports (COM(2020)0111), guidelines on EU passenger rights (C(2020)1830) and border checks (C(2020)1753), and assistance in the repatriation of EU travellers during the lockdown of March to May 2020.

In May 2020, the Commission issued its communication entitled ‘Tourism and transport in 2020 and beyond’ (COM(2020)0550), which provided guidance and recommendations to safely restore free movement and reopen internal borders, to revive transport, connectivity and tourism services, in particular hospitality, and to address the liquidity crunch and rebuild consumer confidence, including recommendations on vouchers. For its part Parliament debated the COVID-19 outbreak during its plenary sessions of March and June 2020. During its extraordinary plenary session of 26 March 2020, Parliament adopted its position on three legislative proposals: on launching the Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative, on extending the EU Solidarity Fund to cover public health emergencies, and on temporary suspension of airport slot rules. Moreover, at its plenary session of 19 June 2020, Parliament adopted a resolution on tourism and transport in 2020 and beyond, calling for rapid, short- and long-term support for the transport and tourism sectors to ensure their survival and competitiveness.

In July 2020, the Commission adopted an Action plan for fair and simple taxation supporting the recovery strategy (COM(2020)0312). In this plan, the Commission outlined its goal to revise the VAT Directive, with the initiative to revise the special VAT scheme for travel agents, VAT rules on passenger transport and the VAT exemption regime for non-EU travellers.

In March 2021, Parliament adopted its resolution on establishing an EU strategy for sustainable tourism, which urged Member States to promptly implement common, coordinated criteria for safe travel. This included a common vaccination certificate and mutual recognition of vaccination procedures for medical purposes, while facilitating the deployment of the EU Passenger Locator Form, digitally where possible, in full compliance with data protection rules.

The resolution on the challenges for urban areas in the post-COVID-19 era, adopted by Parliament in February 2022, recalled that urban tourism plays an essential part in devising urban policies and noted that the pandemic’s impact on urban tourism necessitated a more sustainable tourism recovery.

The Member States were called on to establish a common, non-discriminatory reliable and affordable EU Health Safety Protocol for pre-departure testing, including rapid testing technologies and PCR tests.

In March 2021, the Commission issued a communication entitled ‘A common path to safe and sustained re-opening’ (COM(2021)0129), a proposal for a regulation on a framework for the issuance, verification and acceptance of interoperable certificates on vaccination, testing and recovery to facilitate free movement during the COVID-19 pandemic (Digital Green Certificate) (COM(2021)0130), and a similar framework applying to third-country nationals staying or residing legally in the territories of the Member States (COM(2021)0140).

The EU Digital COVID Certificate was accepted in all Member States, helping to ensure the right to freedom of movement for all EU residents. Following a revision of the above-mentioned regulation and its adoption by Parliament and the Council, the Digital COVID Certificate Scheme was extended until June 2023.

In February 2022, the Commission adopted its plan entitled ‘Transition pathway for Tourism’. The updated EU industrial strategy stressed the need to strengthen the tourism sector’s resilience and to accelerate digital and green transitions in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The transition pathway identified 27 areas for action to facilitate green and digital transitions and to enhance the EU tourism industry. Thereafter, in December 2022, the Council adopted the EU agenda for tourism 2030, which focused on green and digital transitions, resilience and inclusion, skills and support, and a governance and policy-enabling framework.

 

Davide Pernice