EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 88/343

(2004/C 88 E/0350)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1251/03

by Carlos Bautista Ojeda (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(26 March 2003)

Subject: Crisis in the European tourist industry

At the end of 2002 the possibility that an armed conflict might break out in Iraq put a freeze on the reserves for summer 2003 and this brought to a halt the tentative recovery which the tourist industry had been experiencing since the middle of 2002. The outbreak of war in Iraq has only made matters worse.

This state of uncertainty may have a damaging effect on the European tourist industry and, consequently, on the EU's economy.

Has the Commission done anything to alleviate this state of affairs and if so, what? If not, is it intending to take any action?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(23 April 2003)

The Commission has no evidence that the ongoing armed conflict in Iraq would result in a general crisis of the European tourism sector. It is aware of difficulties increasingly noticed for certain segments of the tourism industry in particular big tour operators and their mainstream package travel product. There is, however, uncertainty as to what extent these phenomena should be attributed to the Iraq conflict, or to general problems of national economies or rapid changes in tourist consumer preferences and in the way that tourists appraise and buy the product. The Commission would also not exclude that any potential impact of the Iraq conflict on the tourist consumer choice could effect certain regional destinations in Europe more than others. The situation can therefore not be faced with general measures, but would require a differentiated and fine-tuned response.

Prior to the military intervention in Iraq, the Commission consulted with the European tourism industry on what measures in respect of tourism the Commission should undertake in the case of such event. It raised this issue also in the framework of the World Tourism Organisation's Recovery Committee, early in March 2003.

The reaction received from tourism professionals indicated that no specific action should be taken as long as the armed conflict in Iraq was underway. The sector felt that the support they would need during that time was travel advice, messages that the sector is prepared for the situation, national contingency plans etc., which however do not fall under Community competence. However, the European tourism industry and the international sector bodies indicated that significant measures should be envisaged after the military actions have come to an end. Nevertheless, it also considers that these measures should largely focus on marketing and promotion of European tourism, which is a sphere for which the Commission had until now, neither a mandate nor the specific means.

Given the current uncertainty as to how long the armed conflict in Iraq will last, the Commission and the European tourism industry agreed to look in detail at the issues in due time. However, the Commission will carefully observe the developments in the tourism industry and is prepared for more careful analysis as it had done after the 11 September 2001.