Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the Communication from the Commission: Agenda for a sustainable and competitive European tourism COM(2007) 621 final
Date: 2008-07-10
Institutions: European Economic and Social Committee
Subjects: ESC opinion, competitiveness, ecological tourism, environmental protection, tourism

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Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the ‘Communication from the
Commission: Agenda for a sustainable and competitive European tourism’

COM(2007) 621 final

(2009/C 27/03)

On 19 October 2007, the European Commission decided to consult the European Economic and Social
Committee, under Article 262 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on the

Communication from the Commission — Agenda for a sustainable and competitive European tourism.

The Section for the Single Market, Production and Consumption, which was responsible for preparing the
Committee's work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 13 June 2008. The rapporteur was
Mr Mendoza Castro.

At its 446th plenary session, held on 9 and 10 July 2008 (meeting of 10 July), the European Economic and
Social Committee adopted the following opinion by 108 votes in favour, with five abstentions.

1. Conclusions and recommendations

The European Economic and Social Committee welcomes
1.1
and commends
the Commission communication entitled
‘Agenda for a sustainable and competitive European
tourism’. It supports the Commission's pledge to consolidate
tourism policy and strategy for the next few years in a coherent
manner by means of the Agenda, thereby enabling them to be
put into practice on a daily basis. This new policy has already
been set out previously,
in the Commission communication
entitled ‘A renewed EU Tourism Policy — Towards a
stronger partnership for European Tourism’.

1.2
The Committee appreciates the Commission's effort to
summarise briefly a large number of documents, opinions and
debates. The result is a satisfactory and clear description for the
general public of the outcome of the work of the Tourism
Sustainability Group, of the experts who drew up the report
and the results of the ensuing public consultation exercise.

The Commission is correct to tie this new tourism policy
1.3
in with the renewed Lisbon strategy and to set
improving
competitiveness and sustainability as its general objectives, as
well as the more specific objectives of economic prosperity,
social equity and cohesion, and environmental and cultural
protection.

1.4 We also endorse the challenges identified in the Commis-
sion communication and the proposed means of addressing
them. The proposed approach is for all players to be involved
through various means of collaboration and competitive colla-
boration, and this involvement is considered the cornerstone of
the new tourism policy and of its implementing Agenda. The
scale of the challenges referred to in the Commission communi-
cation is clear and the ongoing study of greenhouse gases' impli-
cations for sustainability should in future be used as a key
element for the Agenda.

The Committee considers the Commission's undertaking
1.5
to implement this new policy through dialogue, collaboration,
new support measures and coordination between stakeholders
to be appropriate. The ‘Agenda for a sustainable and competi-
tive European tourism’
the concrete
approach and implementing measures proposed for all stake-
holders in European tourism. Nevertheless,
the Committee
believes that the Commission, in the shape of DG Enterprise,
can and must play a more active role and must take the lead in

is the extension of

tourism,

introducing a large number of Europe-wide initiatives, such as
social
tourism for all and training in the field of
tourism, for example. In particular, the Commission and the
other institutions should make greater efforts to involve small,
medium-sized and micro businesses in the task of making
tourism sustainable and in the Agenda for implementing and
achieving this goal. The EESC welcomes the Commission initia-
tive to establish ‘European destinations of excellence’ as exam-
ples of good practice and of what can be achieved.

The Committee once again proposes and recommends
1.6
boosting the European Tourism Forum and pushing forwards
with discussions and a study on setting up a European
Tourism Board and a European Tourism Agency. These two
bodies could perhaps provide forums in which the tourism
authorities and the different stakeholders in the tourism industry
could come together to improve and distribute information on
sustainable and competitive tourism, to monitor compliance
with the policy and the European tourism agenda and in par-
ticular to attempt to discern trends in tourism and draw up the
measures that need to be taken. In particular, climate change, its
implications for tourism and the corresponding steps to be
taken could form goals for the two bodies referred to above.

1.7
The Committee warmly welcomes the Commission's
intention to improve use of the available financial instruments.
One specific example is social tourism where the Committee
feels that there is already sufficient scope for initiating some
cross-border pooling of experience in the form of a pilot
project. Examples of such measures include social tourism and
‘tourism for all’, better human resources, product development
and market penetration. The Committee considers that there is
already sufficient scope to bring together cross-border experi-
ences in the form of pilot projects in these fields.

1.8
The EESC is pleased to note the culmination of the work
carried out on Agenda 21 for tourism, the results of which, set
out in the Commission communication entitled ‘Agenda for a
sustainable and competitive European tourism’, complete
and consolidate the general policy of sustainability in European
tourism. In fact, the technical document drawn up by the body
created for this purpose forms the basis for and complements
the Commission communication, and these two documents
should,
therefore, be considered in conjunction with one
another.

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1.9 With respect to statistics, the Committee welcomes the
call for proposals launched by the Commission — and also
requested by the European Economic and Social Committee —
with regard to setting up a network of tourism observatories
that would provide not only sectoral data, but also a strategic
and forward-looking vision, anticipating and shaping future
action.

1.10
The Committee is prepared to continue working on
tourism along the lines set out in the Commission communica-
tion on the Agenda, and invites the other European institutions,
the Member States, local and regional authorities, and sectoral
stakeholders — businesses and trade unions — and the general
public to be involved in understanding and supporting tourism
as a universal right and economic activity with strategic impor-
tance for Europe's future. What is also needed is for stakeholders
in order to make tourism
and consumers to act responsibly,
more sustainable and competitive.

Although

the Commission

1.11
communication takes
account of the social factors that shape tourism, the Committee
regrets the absence of any reference to the concept and reality
of European citizenship; in fact tourism could go much further
than it already does to help different cultures and social groups
to cohere around the notion of European citizenship, which it is
everyone's duty to promote and build on. The variety and diver-
sity of cultures, languages and natural and cultural heritage in
Europe's different Member States constitutes an enormous asset
that can and should be used and enjoyed as a means of under-
standing one another and of acknowledging our rights as Euro-
pean citizens. Another aspect to which considerable importance
should be attached in European-level discussions and documents
on tourism is that of culture, given the synergies that can exist
between tourism and culture, as was stated in an earlier
EESC opinion.

1.12
In the process of making tourism more competitive and
sustainable, account should be taken of destinations' specific
features. The Committee recommends that attention be paid to
the specific features of those Member States that are heavily
dependent on tourism. Appropriate account should be taken of
the needs of the different regions when drawing up tourism-
related policies and proposals. It is recommended that that the
Commission's impact assessments take into consideration the
potential disproportionate impact on different
regions and
sectors, for example, on destinations such as islands, which are
heavily dependent on air transport and have no other means of
transport or depend almost exclusively on air transport.

1.13
The EESC considers that the set of principles and values
detailed in the Commission communication, covering sustain-
ability, social welfare, competitiveness, cooperation, partnership,
security, quality of employment, etc., actually
profitability,
constitute a European Tourism Model, not because they form a
set of rules but because these principles and values are widely
implemented throughout the European Union.

1.14
The Committee wishes to encourage the Commission
to forge ahead in conjunction with other organisations on the
European-level certification of knowledge and skills in the field
of tourism in order to improve the quantity and quality of jobs
in the industry. Support should be given to the Europe-wide
(covering the EU, EFTA/EEA and the candidate
Europass
countries), which is a means of presenting,
in a simple and
easy-to-understand way, the personal skills and qualities of hard-

working job-seekers who are willing to move elsewhere in
Europe for the purpose of work.

2. Commission communication

To better appreciate and understand what
the Commission
wishes to communicate to all European actors and institutions,
we will briefly summarise the text of the communication and
its main points.

2.1 Introduction to the communication

The challenge of

2.1.1
striking a balance between
sustainability and competitiveness. Section 1 of the Commis-
sion communication acknowledges first of all the key role of
tourism in Europe's economy and its strategic importance,
based not only on quantitative data but also on tourism's ability
to create jobs and thus meet the objective of
the renewed
Lisbon strategy. It is worth mentioning the predicted growth
rate of above 3 %, which clearly makes a sound contribution to
the aims for employment, but which — in some cases and in
the long term — could also lead to the limits imposed by
sustainability requirements being exceeded.

2.1.2
Competitiveness and sustainability: two compatible
requirements. The Commission communication clearly states
that competitiveness depends on the sustainability and quality
of the tourism experience and makes an explicit reference to the
demands that climate change is making on the tourism industry.
Corporate social responsibility can make a decisive contribution,
by adopting measures to adapt to and combat climate change
whilst promoting innovation and the value of tourism products
for a world facing major challenges at the global level.

Substance of the Agenda. With its communication, the
2.2
Commission proposes to strike a new balance between the
welfare of tourists, the environment and the competitiveness of
companies and destinations. This is a balance that needs to be
achieved by all the stakeholders concerned.

2.2.1 Objectives and challenges. As a guideline for the
action of all stakeholders concerned, the communication puts
forward three basic objectives for the Agenda: economic pros-
perity,
environmental
protection.

cohesion,

equity

social

and

and

The communication lists some of the major challenges that will
have to be addressed if these aims are to be achieved:

— sustainable management of natural and cultural resources;

— minimising resource use and pollution;

— managing change in the interests of the well-being of the

community;

— reducing the seasonality of demand;

— addressing the environmental impact of transport;

— making tourism accessible to all;

— improving the quality of jobs in tourism;

— ensuring the safety of

tourists and of

the communities

where tourism services are offered.

This list of challenges is open and fluid and should be continu-
ally updated, prioritised and managed by the various stake-
holders in a spirit of cooperation.

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action. The

A framework for

2.2.2
communication
suggests that coherent measures to meet the aims and challenges
will involve securing the collaboration and responsible manage-
ment of destinations, businesses and tourists and sets out the
conditions for achieving this coherence.

2.2.3
Principles. The communication puts forward a total of
nine principles that need to be complied with if this sustainable
and competitive tourism is to be achieved. Three of
them
should be highlighted:

— Respect the limits that can be set for carrying capacity, facil-

ities and the volume of tourist flows.

— Achieve a pace and rhythm of development that is appro-
priate to the natural, cultural and social resources available
at any given time.

— Implement long-term planning as a prerequisite for striking

a balance between sustainability and competitiveness.

2.3 Moving forward together. In this section, the Commis-
sion underlines the need for all stakeholders in the sector to
unite their efforts and work on a voluntary and continuous
basis. The model proposed is based on respecting the principle
of subsidiarity, with action ideally being taken by the destina-
tions themselves but with support
from the national and
European levels. The communication therefore highlights both
the role of the different stakeholders in the sector and that of
the European Commission, in light of the Treaty.

The

role of

Following

stakeholders.

2.3.1
the
conclusions of the Tourism Sustainability Group, the communi-
cation assigns broad responsibilities and specific roles for the
three areas of action: destinations, businesses and tourists. Par-
ticular reference is made to the need to express and convey to
micro-businesses
the core message of achieving a balance
between sustainability and competitiveness.

up

The role of

2.3.2
the European Commission. The
Commission acknowledges its responsibilities to act in accord-
ance with the Treaty and undertakes to launch and boost a
number of different initiatives at Community level within the
framework provided by the Agenda and beyond. Amongst these
initiatives, four groups of action warrant special attention:

— Mobilising actors to produce and share knowledge, with the
aim of striking a balance between sustainability and compe-
titiveness. The European Tourism Forum is a good example
of how ideas and experiences can be exchanged.

— Promoting and supporting European destinations of excel-
lence as examples of good practice and publicising these as
networks of destinations committed to sustainability and
competitiveness.

— Making use of the EU's highly diverse financial instruments.
The Commission undertakes to disseminate information on
improving their use in the field of tourism.

— Mainstreaming

sustainability

into
Commission policies and applying these to the wide range
of regions with very different concerns and needs: coastal
regions, mountainous regions, rural areas and urban zones.

and competitiveness

2.4 Conclusion of the communication

The communication concludes by calling for full collaboration
between all public and private players in the adoption and prac-
tical implementation of the Agenda. Once more, the recommen-
dation that collaboration should be established at every level is
a precondition for improving competitiveness, which will ensure
an attractive and sustainable European tourism sector in the
long term. The Commission recommends 2011 as the date for
evaluating the action plan set out in the Agenda. The Commis-
sion's objective in presenting the communication is thus quite
clear.

3. General comments

3.1
Tourism and its strategic importance for the European
economy have been recognised by all the European institutions
in both formal and informal statements on the subject, thus
strengthening its role, conveying the message to all stakeholders
and providing a major boost to the sector. Tourism's importance
transcends purely economic considerations because it is central
in social terms to constructing a citizens' Europe. Whilst recog-
nising the boost provided by the communication, much remains
to be done to ensure that tourism takes on this key role in
European policy, both now and in the future.

3.2
It is particularly crucial to point out that the new Lisbon
Treaty acknowledges tourism's importance to Europe and gives
the European Union further options to help develop the sector.
This Treaty confers on the EU the authority and the duty to
support, coordinate or complement the action of the Member
States and the objectives of encouraging the creation of a
favourable environment for the development of undertakings in
this sector and of promoting the exchange of good practice.

Tourism has been addressed in the different European

3.3
institutions as follows.

— The European Parliament has adopted a series of very
different resolutions on tourism and its impact on employ-
ment and the economy,
for instance the Resolution on
‘Tourism and Development’ and the Resolution on ‘Prospects
and new challenges for sustainable European tourism’.

— The Council of

the European Union has addressed
tourism on a number of occasions in conclusions and action
plans, basically to emphasise the need for sustainability,
and job creation in tourism. Special
competitiveness
mention should be made of
the Council conclusions of
7 July 2006 on the Commission communication on the
new EU tourism policy; the Council welcomes this policy
and calls on the Commission to play an active role in coor-
dinating various policies.

— The European Commission has published various commu-
nications, especially the communication of March 2006
outlining the new EU tourism policy; set up, consolidated
and managed the European Tourism Forums; held confer-
ences on various topics, such as social tourism and the
Agenda 21 for European Tourism; and organised many
other activities, such as the pilot project entitled ‘European
Destinations of Excellence’, which recognises and promotes
good practices carried out in EU Member States and in the
candidate countries.

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— The Committee of the Regions has presented opinions, for
example on the Commission communications ‘Working
together for the future of European tourism’ and ‘Basic
orientations for the sustainability of European tourism’.

— The European Economic and Social Committee has
always taken and continues to take a particular interest in
tourism-related matters, as evidenced by some 11 opinions
adopted on tourism since 1999,
the Committee's active
participation in various European Tourism Forums convened
by the Commission, and its involvement and promotion of
numerous events on various aspects of tourism. Of particu-
lar interest is the cooperation between the EESC and other
bodies on all the initiatives that they have launched in rela-
tion to tourism.

3.4
The present EESC opinion is intended to be an evaluation
of the communication's contributions to policy and the way in
which it is managed; it also aims to make proposals that enrich
if not the text itself, then at least the debate on it.

Similarly to the EESC opinion INT/317 on the Commis-
this

3.5
sion communication on the renewed tourism policy,
opinion wishes once again to state that:

— tourism is a right of every citizen, as set out in the Global
Code of Ethics for Tourism, and brings with it an obligation
to conform to good practice;

— it is a right that also generates direct and indirect wealth and
profitability, in particular for small and medium-sized busi-
nesses, and is thus a strategic industry for Europe which has
proved sound;

— the quality of services provided by operators in the sector
and the responsibility of users towards local communities
are values that we must maintain as the basis for its conti-
nuing existence;

— tourism has, or should have, a positive impact on local and
regional economies, as well as on social, cultural and envir-
onmental conditions and the urban environment, and thus
provides a means of understanding other cultures and
different ways of being and behaving;
it also acts as an
instrument for interregional cooperation;

— tourism is a dynamic sector and major source of employ-
ment now and for the future, with the potential to create
good quality, stable jobs with social rights;

— tourism is not

immune from problems such as over-
crowding and seasonality, which lead to a loss of competi-
tiveness;

— we believe in the practical importance of an Agenda for a
sustainable and competitive European tourism that is clear-
sighted and has ambitious objectives;

— the European tourism model

is an internal necessity and
could serve as a global point of reference if it is based not
on rules but on values of quality, sustainability, accessibility,
etc., which are freely taken on board by tourist destinations
and all stakeholders;

— the European tourism model is based on and enriched by
the variety of destinations, by the different approaches to
tourism, and by the diverse forms of tourism;

— this European tourism model that we are advocating is an
effective instrument for promoting peace and understanding
between peoples.

4. Specific comments

4.1
The Commission communication gives a clear explana-
tion of the proposal regarding the need for balance between
sustainability and competitiveness and of how to achieve this in
practice. Incorporating all this into a rather short communica-
tion certainly involved considerable work to summarise the
material and required analysis of many documents, opinions
and debates. It should be emphasised that the ultimate aim of
clearly informing society about the Commission's basic views
on the future of the sector and about the measures to be carried
out in this complex industry has been achieved.

The arguments presented in the communication in
4.2
support of the Agenda seem appropriate,
in that they assess
both the economic impact of tourism and its ability to create
jobs for young people and also the necessary balance between
sustainability and competitiveness which, in the long term, are
of mutual benefit to one another. Impact assessments of matters
such as the carbon footprint of different activities and regions
restrictions on carrying and reception capacity are key
or
aspects of striking and maintaining a balance between these
variables. Universal acceptance that there are limits to the scale
and pace of tourism is essential to achieving balance between
sustainability and competitiveness.

4.3
Perhaps it would have been useful for the communica-
tion also to analyse the new Lisbon Treaty in greater detail,
trying to see how it ties in with the Agenda and what its signifi-
cance for implementing the new European tourism policy is. It
should not be forgotten that the Member States and the regions
have repeatedly indicated that
they wish to maintain their
responsibility for tourism, but still allow the European Union to
play a catalytic and coordinating role in certain areas of joint
interest so as to improve the competitiveness of Europe's
tourism sector. One example is the setting-up and management
of an internet portal to promote Europe as a tourism destina-
tion, which has already become a valuable tool that can show-
case all EU countries together as forming a diverse and special
tourist destination.

4.4
The challenges and aims mentioned in the communica-
tion are certainly the most important ones that will be faced by
tourism in the coming decades. Certainly the key challenges of
sustainability and improving competitiveness are broad enough
to serve as the basis for addressing other major challenges, such
as enhancing quality, reducing seasonality or improving the
skills of people working in the tourism industry. These chal-
lenges are also set out in the Agenda.

to emphasise the role of

The communication repeatedly calls for collaboration,
4.5
in line with the new tourism policy, strengthening
because,
It is
collaboration is proposed as its linchpin and hallmark.
particularly important
the trades
unions and employers' organisations, which must be included in
cooperation arrangements, and asked to take part in all debates
and forums, and in the implementation of general measures
to improve the tourism sector. By the same token,
it would
be useful to promote permanent networks of tourist destina-
improving
tions and cities, motivated by the joint aim of

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competitiveness and sustainability. The Committee welcomes
the promotion of the ‘European Destinations of Excellence’ and
urges that this idea should include proper management of social
trades unions and
and labour relations and participation of
employers' organisations at the selected destination, as a means
of making
and
competitive.

destinations more

sustainable

tourist

Within their remit, consumers' organisations have an extremely
important role to play.

The Commission undertakes to implement

4.6
this new
policy on the basis of cooperation, specific new specific support
measures and coordination between actors. The Agenda clearly
wishes to see all stakeholders in the sector taking on greater
responsibility. Into the Committee's view, the Enterprise DG has
a key role to play in this task of coordinating all European poli-
cies that directly or indirectly affect tourism and which affect
types of destination that also have their own
the different
specific features.

The Committee also considers that

4.7
the Commission
should play a more active role in introducing Europe-wide
initiatives, including cross-border social tourism in Europe. Here
in particular, the EESC has on several occasions proposed —
and now proposes once again — boosting the European
Tourism Forum and pushing forwards with discussions and, if
necessary, a study on setting up a European Tourism Board
and a European Tourism Agency, which would provide infor-
mation and action on policies and measures adopted in the field
of European tourism. It is also proposed that the Commission
promote research into setting up technology platforms in the
tourism sector, in order to improve the ways in which tourism
is marketed, especially given the opportunities to boost internal
tourism in Europe and potential sources of new tourists, such as
China, Russia, India, etc.

The Committee considers that the communication does
4.8
Information and
not pay adequate attention to the role of
Communication Technologies (ICTs)
in the new scenario for
tourism, both from the perspective of consumers and of busi-
nesses and stakeholders in the sector. Research and development
work in the tourism industry to improve the use of such tech-
nologies must be a priority in the next few years. This work will
undoubtedly lead to improved management of destinations,
businesses and tourists, gradually achieving the sought-after
balance.

4.9
The evident willingness to adopt concrete measures and
in particular to improve the use of the available European finan-
cial
there is a need for a
programme to be proposed for the precise purpose of imple-
menting the major European tourism objectives, which the

important, but

instruments is

Brussels, 10 July 2008.

communication accurately identifies. It must be ensured that all
the funds directly or indirectly allocated to tourism are used
effectively and efficiently to achieve the objectives.

4.10
This communication should be viewed in the context of
the major contributions made by the report by the Tourism
Sustainability Group — a document that has provided signifi-
cant ideas for the Agenda, in particular with regard to assigning
roles to all of the sector's stakeholders. The efforts made by
renowned experts over several months have clearly been very
productive
practical
approaches to a number of questions relating to sustainability
and competitiveness.

complementary

provide

and

and

4.11
The communication does not clearly indicate the role it
assigns to tourism statistics. There is a need for clear collabora-
tion on tourism statistics in order to monitor the Agenda's
implementation and in particular for greater attention to be
paid to the variables of sustainability, competitiveness and
employment.

4.12
The communication clearly states the need to main-
stream tourism policies for sustainability and competitiveness
into all Commission and EU policies in order to ensure that the
aims set out in the Agenda are met.

4.13
As already observed in the EESC opinion entitled the
Katowice Declaration, and in the opinion on ‘Tourism and
culture: two forces for growth’, in the opinion on ‘The renewed
tourism policy’ and other EESC documents, communication
campaigns are also called for
to inform and motivate all
European citizens, in particular young people.

The Committee considers it to be crucial that training,
4.14
both formal and ‘on-the-job’, meets the needs of businesses and
makes people more employable. European-level certification and
recognition of knowledge and skills should be an instrument
that helps to generate more jobs and better working conditions
in the tourism industry.

In order

4.15
to make tourism more competitive and
sustainable, account should be taken of destinations' specific
features. The EESC recommends
that, when drawing up
tourism-related policies and proposals, attention be paid to the
specific features of those Member States that are heavily depen-
dent on tourism and that appropriate account be taken of the
needs of the different regions. At the same time it should be
noted that tourism to remote destinations may have a particu-
larly strong impact on climate change through the impacts and
emissions from long distance travel. Greater emphasis may need
to be placed in future on the advantages of seeking destinations
nearer to one's starting point, which can be reached with less
carbon emissions.

The President

of the European Economic and Social Committee

Dimitris DIMITRIADIS

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APPENDIX

to the Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee

The following text from point 4.15 of the Section Opinion received at least 25 % of the votes cast but was adopted in a
modified form by the plenary:

‘4.15 In order to make tourism more competitive and sustainable, account should be taken of destinations' specific features. The
EESC recommends that, when drawing up tourism-related policies and proposals, attention be paid to the specific features
of those Member States that are heavily dependent on tourism and that appropriate account be taken of the needs of the
different regions.’

Outcome of the vote:

In favour of adding a new sentence: 48 Against: 43 Abstentions: 16