COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Tourism and transport in 2020 and beyond
Date: 2020-05-13
Institutions: Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, European Commission
Subjects: EU aid, European cooperation, disease prevention, epidemic, free movement of persons, infectious disease, internal border of the EU, organisation of transport, public health, tourism

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 13.5.2020  COM(2020) 550 final  COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Tourism and transport in 2020 and beyond  
 
 
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 

Tourism and transport in 2020 and beyond 

I. 

INTRODUCTION 

The last months of the COVID-19 crisis have not only deeply affected those infected and 
their families, and taken a financial toll on businesses, entrepreneurs and the workforce. 
They  have  also  required  sacrifices  from  almost  everyone.  Those  in  the  healthcare 
frontline or in more intense forms of physical confinement have particularly suffered.  

Handled  correctly,  safely  and  in  a  coordinated  manner,  the  months  to  come  could 
offer  Europeans  the  chance  to  get  some  well-needed  rest,  relaxation  and  fresh  air, 
and  to  catch  up  with  friends  and  family,  in  their  own  Member  States  or  across 
borders.  Many  have  kept  themselves  going  with  just  that  thought  but  want  to  be 
reassured that there will be hotels, camping sites and restaurants, bars and cafes to go to, 
trekking paths, waterfronts and cycling trails accessible, cultural attractions open to visit, 
transport to get there without restrictions and above all that everything possible has been 
done to ensure that they will be as safe as possible from infection.  

The months to come should not be lost for the vibrant European tourism ecosystem 
covering  a  range  of  activities  such  as  travel,  transport,  accommodation,  food, 
recreation on land and water, culture or nature. Directly and indirectly, it contributes 
close to 10% to EU GDP and has made the EU the world’s leading tourism destination, 
with 563 million international arrivals and 30% of global receipts in 20181.  

For many Member States, European regions and cities, tourism is a key contributor to the 
economic  and  social  fabric.  More  than  that,  it  provides  much  needed  jobs  and  income, 
often  concentrated  in  regions  with  no  alternative  sources  of  employment  and  involving 
low-skilled  workers.  But  this  ecosystem  has  been  hit  hard.  The  World  Tourism 
Organisation  (UNWTO)  foresees  a  decline  of  international  tourism  of  60%  to  80% 
compared  to  last  year,  amounting  to  losses  of  between  EUR  840  billion  to  EUR  1.100 
billion in export revenues worldwide. And the next months are crucial: during an average 
summer  season  (June-August)  residents  of  the  EU  make  385  million  tourism  trips  and 
spend EUR190 billion.2   

This Communication and the accompanying initiatives set a coordinated framework to 
enable  all  Europe  to  benefit  from  a  restful  and  above  all,  safe  tourism  season, 
gradually  this  summer  and  into  the  subsequent  winter  and  beyond.  In  doing  so,  it  also 
aims  to  support  the  sustainability  of  our  valuable  tourism  ecosystem  for  generations  to 
come.  

It  is  about  helping  Member  States  to  lift  confinement  measures  and  resume  businesses, 
work and social life, in line with epidemiological and public health criteria.  

1 UNWTO  
2 Eurostat - Arrivals at tourist accommodation establishments - monthly data (2019) 

1 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
Building  on  the  Joint  European  Roadmap  towards  lifting  coronavirus  containment 
measures3,  this  coordinated  framework  is  based  on  common,  objective  and  non-
discriminatory  principles,  criteria  and  recommendations  to  guide  Member  States, 
competent authorities, industry bodies, economic operators and citizens through the next 
steps of the de-confinement process.  

However,  lifting  measures  too  quickly  could  cause  a  sudden  resurgence  of  infections. 
Until a vaccine or treatment is available, the needs and benefits of travel and tourism must 
be  weighed  against  the  risks  of  facilitating  the  spread  of  the  virus  and  a  resurgence  of 
cases,  which  could  require  a  reintroduction  of  confinement  measures.  For  this  reason, 
preparedness plans should be in place at all levels – from the EU and national levels down 
to  the  level  of  individual  establishments,  transport  operators,  and  other  segments  of  the 
tourism  sector  –  so  that  appropriate  action  can  be  taken  swiftly  and  in  a  coordinated 
manner, on the basis of explicit criteria. 

This Communication is accompanied by a package that provides reassurances and clarity 
for  people  and  a  pathway  to  recovery  for  tourism  and  transport,  to  ensure  that  the  EU 
retains its position as the world leader for sustainable and innovative tourism.  

The package brings together guidance and recommendations to: 

-  Safely restore unrestricted free movement and reopen internal borders: Guidance 

on restoring freedom of movement and lifting of internal border controls  

-  Safely restore transport and connectivity: Guidance on transport 
-  Safely resume tourism services: Guidance on tourism, in particular hospitality 
-  Address the liquidity crunch and rebuild consumer confidence: Recommendation 

on vouchers 

II.  GIVING  PEOPLE THE ABILITY, CONFIDENCE AND SAFETY TO 

TRAVEL AGAIN 

Many Europeans are keen to get away and have a break over the summer months but they 
also want to be sure that they can travel and spend their holidays safely.  

a.  Safely restoring unrestricted free movement and reopening internal borders  
Since  the  beginning  of  the  pandemic,  virtually  all  Member  States  have  implemented 
restrictions  on  non-essential  travel,  often  accompanied  by  requirements  for  cross-border 
travelers  to  stay  in  quarantine.  The  EU’s  external  borders  have  been  closed  to  non-
essential  travel  and  many  Member  States  have  temporarily  reintroduced  internal  border 
controls. This meant that millions of European citizens were suddenly unable to travel for 
work,  education  or  pleasure4,  with  many  separated  from  their  families  and  friends  for 
months. 

3 Joint European Roadmap towards lifting COVID-19 containment measures, OJ C 126, 17.4.2020 
4  According  to  UNWTO,  ‘Tourism  comprises  the  activities  of  persons  traveling  to  and  staying  in  places 
outside  their  usual  environment  for  not  more  than  one  consecutive  year  for  leisure,  business  and  other 
purpose”. 

2 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
European tourism depends on the possibility for Europeans to move freely across the EU.  

The  Communication  “Towards  a  phased  and  coordinated  approach  for  restoring 
freedom  of  movement  and  lifting  internal  border  controls”5  –  adopted  by  the 
Commission  as  part of this  package  –  provides recommendations for a phased lifting of 
restrictions  to  free  movement  and  internal  border  controls  across  the  EU.  It  proposes  a 
flexible  phased  approach,  requiring  close  coordination  between  the  Member  States  and 
Commission  with  the  objective  to  gradually  lift  border  controls  to  ensure  unrestricted 
freedom of movement across the EU and restore the integrity of the Schengen area.  

As  Member  States  manage  to  reduce  the  circulation  of  the  virus,  blanket  restrictions  to 
free movement to and from other areas or regions in Member States with a similar overall 
risk profile should be replaced by more targeted measures, as a complement to  physical 
distancing measures and effective tracing and testing of any suspected cases.  

In line with the Joint European Roadmap, within the EU, restrictions on travel should first 
be  lifted  in  areas  with  a  comparable  epidemiological  situation  and  where  sufficient 
capabilities  are  in  place  in  terms  of  hospitals,  testing,  surveillance  and  contact  tracing 
capacities.  Furthermore,  the  European  Centre  for  Disease  Prevention  and  Control 
(ECDC), in cooperation with Member States and the Joint Research Centre, is developing 
and will maintain a map of the level of COVID-19 transmission including at sub-national 
level. Member States are invited to provide data to ensure that this map is complete, up to 
date  and  serves  as  a  transparent  tool  to  provide  information  at  EU  level  to  be  used  by 
authorities, transport operators and service providers, and travelers.  

For  the  gradual  removal  of  restrictions  to  free  movement  and  lifting  of  internal 
borders,  proportionality  and  non-discrimination  between  EU  citizens  must  be 
ensured.  Where  a  Member  State  lifts  its  restrictions  for  movement  to  and  from  certain 
regions  or areas in  another Member State, on  epidemiological  grounds,  this must apply, 
without discrimination, to all people residing in these territories, regardless whether they 
are nationals of the Member States concerned6 and should apply to all parts of the Union 
in  a  similar  epidemiological  situation.  For  the  average  citizen,  it  will  mean  being  clear 
where they can travel, allowing them to plan. 

The Commission is providing guidance to the Member States so that they can gradually 
lift  restrictions  to  free  movement  and  internal  border  controls  in  a  phased  and 
coordinated manner.  

The  exchange  of  information  and  best  practices  between  the  Commission  and  the 
Member States, including within the ‘COVID-19 Information group – Home Affairs’, will 
continue to facilitate this process. 

The Commission invites Member States to provide data to the ECDC to ensure that the 
map  of  the  level  of  COVID-19  transmission  at  sub-national  level  is  complete  and 
continuously up to date. 

b)  Restoring safe transport 

With  the  Communication  ‘COVID-19:  Guidelines  on  the  progressive  restoration  of 

5 C(2020) 3250 
6 Subject to specific measures applicable to vulnerable groups. 

3 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
transport services and connectivity’7, the Commission is providing guidance based on a 
framework of principles and a common toolbox.  

This  will  help  resume  transport  services  of  all  kinds  across  the  EU  in  a  consistent  and 
understandable  way:  taking  coordinated  and  risk-based  measures 
that  are  non-
discriminatory  and  proportionate,  limited  in  scope  and  duration  to  what  is  necessary  to 
protect  public  health;  taking  targeted  measures  instead  of  general  prohibitions;  lifting 
restrictions on individualised transport; and ramping up safer collective transport options.  

The  Commission  will  work  to  ensure  that  measures  taken  in  Member  States  are 
compatible,  coordinated  and  mutually  accepted  across  borders  and  between  regions. 
Again, this will give people more freedom, safety and certainty to travel. 

These  Guidelines  also  address  how  to  protect  the  health  of  transport  workers  and 
passengers, and minimise the risk of infections at transport hubs and in vehicles across all 
modes.  Taking  into  account  the  development  of  epidemiological  circumstances  and 
changing connectivity needs, Member States will need to adjust measures proactively to 
ensure the right balance between protecting public health and restoring transport services, 
in relation to other economic activities, such as tourism. The European Agency for Health 
and  Safety  at  Work  (OSHA)  has  also  published  general  occupational  health  and  safety 
measures regarding return to workplaces8.  

The  Commission  is  providing  guidance  to  the  Member  States  so  that  they  can 
progressively restore transport services and connectivity in a coordinated manner.  

c. 

Resuming tourism services with health risks minimised 

With the Communication, ‘COVID-19: EU Guidance for the progressive resuming of 
tourism  services  and  for  health  protocols  in  hospitality  establishments’9,  the 
Commission sets out principles to guide Member States when resuming tourism activities 
and developing COVID-related protocols for hospitality establishments that will minimize 
risks of infection for both guests and host personnel.  

This  Guidance  is  based  on  the  advice  of  ECDC  and  seeks  to  protect  tourists  and 
workforce, while respecting public health rules and physical distancing measures in place 
in  the  Member  States.  Such  measures  should  be  flexible,  depending  on  the  local  health 
situation and allowing gradual reopening of tourism segments. The Guidance proposes a 
minimum  set  of  principles,  which  at  the  same  time  meet  rigorous  health  and  safety 
requirements, and highlights the importance of updated and easily accessible information 
to travelers.  

What this will mean for people is that there will be clearly understandable and reasonable 
rules allowing them to safely: 

7 C(2020) 3139  
8 COVID-19: BACK TO THE WORKPLACE - Adapting workplaces and protecting workers, 
https://osha.europa.eu/en/publications/covid-19-back-workplace-adapting-workplaces-and-protecting-
workers/view 
9 C(2020) 3251 

4 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
  Stay  at  hotels,  camping  sites,  Bed  &Breakfasts  or  other  holiday  accommodation 

establishments; 

  Eat and drink at restaurants, bars and cafes; 
  Go to beaches and other leisure outdoor areas10. 

The Commission is providing guidance to Member States so that they can progressively 
resume tourism services and implement appropriate health and safety protocols. 

d. 

Use of digital technologies 

People  must  be  empowered  to  protect  themselves  and  others  through  responsible 
behavior. They need to have access to information, including through digital means, about 
borders and travelling, about tourist establishments, about safety and health conditions in 
the place they intend to go. They need this information both to plan their travel and during 
actual holidays. They also need to be reassured that the public health and safety rules in 
place respect the same criteria across the Member States. 

Europeans are likely to choose domestic and European tourism destinations this summer 
and during the  following  months. To be sure that they  can safely travel  and spend their 
holidays, they will need easy access to real-time information on the situation on borders, 
travel restrictions, travel advice, public health and safety measures, where to go in case of 
health issues, available tourism services. The Commission will set up a dedicated website 
with an interactive map combining information from Member States and tourist and travel 
industry.  

Digital  technologies  and  data  have  a  valuable  role  to  play  in  combating  the  pandemic. 
Mobile  applications  could  bolster  contact-tracing  strategies  and  support  public  health 
authorities  in  monitoring  and  containing  the  spread  of  the  virus.  Artificial  intelligence 
(AI) and robotics can also help monitoring physical distancing in line with data protection 
law  or  facilitating  disinfection,  especially  in  places  with  regular  tourism  flows.  The 
Commission will deploy through the Digital Innovation Hubs dedicated support for local 
tourism  businesses  to  help  them  cope  with  the  new  realities  of  the  tourism  season  (i.e. 
robots  for  disinfecting  and  cleaning,  crowd  management,  smart  booking  systems  etc.), 
including a dedicated hackathon on the use of digital technologies in tourism.11  

At the same time, these technologies may empower people to take their own effective and 
more targeted physical distancing measures. These applications are particularly relevant in 
the phase of lifting containment measures, when the infection risk increases as more and 
more people get in contact with each other.  

As travel in the EU resumes, public authorities, commuters, business travelers and tourists 
can use contact tracing apps to their benefit, while respecting privacy requirements, data 
protection  rules  and  voluntary  use  of  such  apps.  For  this,  interoperability  is  key  so  that 
users are warned by their app no matter where they are in Europe. The Commission and 
the  Member  States  are  working  to  ensure  this:  today  a  protocol  on  interoperability 

10 Including areas with outdoor servings, canteens, marinas. 
11 https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/digital-innovation-hubs 

5 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
principles  is  published,  developed  by  the  Member  States  through  the  e-health  network, 
with the support of the Commission. 

Businesses  and  governments  can  also  use  digital  solutions  for  planning  purposes  and 
managing  the  flow  of  tourists,  for  example  as  regards  overall  maximum  number  of 
overnight stays in a given region, maximum number of visitors for cultural and heritage 
sites  or  time  planning  for  those  intending  to  visit  a  museum  or  have  a  dinner  in  a 
restaurant.  

The  Commission  and 
the  Member  States  will 
interoperability framework for mobile applications  to support contact tracing. 

further  develop 

the  European  

The  Commission  will  set  up  a  dedicated  website  with  a  map  combining  real-time 
information related to tourism.  

The Commission will support innovative solutions in line with data protection law for the 
use of AI and robotics to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and help tourism businesses cope 
with the new realities.    

e. 

Protecting their rights 

People  are  not  always  reimbursed  directly  for  money  paid  in  advance  for  cancelled 
transport and travel services. In some cases, they may be faced with cancellation penalties 
for tourism services they were not in a position to use. It is therefore important that they 
have access to reliable information and efficient assistance and dispute resolution bodies.  

Consumers residing in the Union can rely on free of charge support from the network of 
the European Consumer Centres (ECC) when they book holidays in another EU country. 
Over  the  last  weeks,  ECCs  assisting  consumers  with  their  cross  border  purchases  have 
seen  a  surge  in  requests  for  information  (over  5000  in  the  last  week  of  April  202012). 
National  dispute  resolution  bodies  have  also  noticed  an  increase  in  tourism-related 
disputes.  

Transparency of travel booking procedures in the present context is particularly important 
to  give  incentives  for  future  travelling  and  ensure  fair  commercial  practices  so  that  no 
operator seeks  undue advantages from  misleading claims such as falsely  pretending that 
certain areas are in high demand. The Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) Network, 
coordinated  by  the  Commission,  is  in  a  dialogue  with  online  travel  platforms  and  car 
rental  companies  on  the  transparency  and  fairness  of  online  bookings  and  has  already 
reached out to them on information needs in relation to travelling restrictions. 

The  Commission  is  assisting  European  Consumer  Centres  to  develop  tips  and 
information on cancelled accommodations, car rentals and  events booked as individual 
services13. The Commission will consider how ECC services can be extended to travellers 

12  ECC-Net  data  related  to  COVID-19  can  be  found  here:  https://ec.europa.eu/info/live-work-travel-
eu/consumers/resolve-your-consumer-complaint/european-consumer-centres-network-ecc-net_en  
Consumer queries concern mostly passenger air transport, accommodation services, and package holidays. 
13 
consumer-centres-network-ecc-net/faq-cancellations-individually-booked-accommodations-car-rental-and-
events-due-covid-19_en  

https://ec.europa.eu/info/live-work-travel-eu/consumers/resolve-your-consumer-complaint/european-

6 

 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
 
residing in third countries based on partnerships with similar bodies in third countries. 
The Commission  will  also support capacity building  for  Alternative Dispute Resolution 
bodies, which help consumers and traders find amicable solutions.  

III. GETTING TOURISM BACK ON TRACK 

The above measures should give people the possibility and the confidence to travel safely. 
But  on  their  own,  they  will  not  be  enough  to  ensure  a  successful  summer  season.  Our 
tourism industry is in difficult situation and needs a pathway to exit the crisis and recover. 

a)  

The crucial importance of tourism  

Tourism  is  the  fourth  largest  EU  export  category  and  brings  spill-over  benefits  to  the 
European  economy  as  a  whole:  1  EUR  of  value  added  generated  by  tourism  results  in 

7 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                                                                                                  
 
additional 56 cent of value added in indirect effect on other industries. 

Tourism  is  a  complex  ecosystem  of  many  players:  off-line  and  on-line  information  and 
services  providers  (tourist  offices,  digital  platforms,  travel  technology  providers),  travel 
agents and tour operators, accommodation suppliers, destination managing organisations, 
visitor attractions and passenger transport activities. Tourism and transport are also built 
on  major  industries  (e.g.  construction,  aircraft  manufacture,  shipbuilding).  Large 
multinational corporations operate alongside small companies, with 90% SMEs. Tourism 
is  present  in  many  different  types  of  areas  and  regions:  urban  centres,  insular,  coastal, 
rural, remote areas and the EU outermost regions14.  

Source: WTTC  

Tourism  is  the  backbone  of  the  economy  for  many  Member  States  (four  of  them  are 
among the top world destinations for international arrivals and receipts15.) Regions across 
Europe  differ  in  terms  of  their  reliance  on  tourism  activities.  The  impact  is  strong  on 
islands,  coastal  and  outermost  regions,  due  to  their  dependence  on  tourism  activities  or 
reliance on international air travel. Rural areas, with limited connectivity and dependence 
on tourism, have also felt a strong impact. 

14 EU outermost regions as defined in article 349 TFEU – 9 EU regions located in the Atlantic Ocean, in the 
Indian Ocean, in the Caribbean and in Latin America, all except one are islands dependent on tourism. The 
Treaty provides for tailor-made EU measures to support these regions. 
15 France, Spain, Italy, Germany.  

8 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
Regional vulnerability map. Source JRC. The Vulnerability index is peer-reviewed rank calculated 
taking into account two indicators: tourism intensity and seasonality. 

b) 

The impact of the crisis 

The  pandemic  is  putting  the  EU  tourism  ecosystem  under  unprecedented  pressure.  As  a 
result  of  travel  and  other  restrictions,  tourism  reached  a  gradual  halt  during  the  first 
quarter of 2020 in the EU and globally. The OECD estimates this decline to be from 45% 
to 70%, depending on the length of the health crisis and on the pace of recovery.  

Tourism enterprises are facing an acute liquidity crisis. According to industry estimates, 
revenue  losses  at  European  level  have  reached  85%  for  hotels  and  restaurants,  85%  for 
tour  operators  and  travel  agencies,  85%  for  long-distance  rail  and  90%  for  cruises  and 
airlines.  EU  travel  and  tourism  industry  reports  a  reduction  of  bookings  in  the  range  of 
60% to 90%, compared to the corresponding periods in previous years. The crisis has hit 
SMEs  the  hardest:  lacking  liquidity  and  facing  uncertainty,  they  struggle  to  stay  afloat, 
access funding and maintain their employees and talent.  

Without urgent action and emergency funding to bridge the period until tourism flows can 
resume, many companies could become bankrupt in the coming weeks or months. 

9 

 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
Jobs  are  also  under  threat.  Tourism  heavily  relies  on  seasonal  and  temporary  workers 
(23%16), many of them young (37% of tourism workers are under 35), women (59%), and 
from other countries (15% EU or non-EU)17. These jobs are often concentrated in regions 
with no alternative sources of employment and involve low-skilled workers, with tourism 
accounting  for  10%  to  50%  of  total  employment  in  many  of  them,  including  island, 
remote  and  outermost  regions.  Tourism  also  comprises  an  important  section  of  social 
economy  actors,  contributing  to  social  inclusion.  Without  urgent  action  to  support 
employment,  the  crisis  could  lead  to  a  loss  around  6  million  jobs  in  Europe  and  have  a 
negative impact on the livelihood of many more people across different  Member States, 
often among the most economically vulnerable.  

c)  

Addressing the liquidity crunch 

A  number  of  Member  States  have  already  taken  action,  under  the  Temporary  State  Aid 
Framework adopted in March 2020, to provide direct grants up to EUR 800 000,  or loans 
or  guarantees  on  very  favourable  terms  for  larger  amounts;  or,  in  some  cases,  to  grant 
compensation to businesses for damage suffered due to the pandemic.  

The  EU  has  unlocked  EUR  1  billion  as  a  guarantee  for  the  European  Investment  Fund, 
which will leverage a loan guarantee of EUR 8 billion to help 100 000 SMEs across the 
EU, including in tourism. 

The Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative allow considerable flexibility to Member 
States to redirect cohesion financing to provide immediate liquidity to tourism SMEs and 
help them  prepare for the 2020 summer/ winter season. In particular, financing of SMEs 
working capital can cover labour costs, materials and operational inputs, inventories and 
overheads, rent and utilities. This would also include the possibility of financing for both 
firms and regional authorities to comply with public health protocols, including cleaning, 
protective equipment, adaptation of public spaces, health and medical capacities to meet 
higher numbers of visitors.  

Beyond  assisting  tourism  businesses  to  adapt  to  public  health  requirements,  EU  and 
national  financial  support  should  be  available  to  stimulate  additional  investments  to 
strengthen resilience.  

To  help  regions  most  severely  affected  by  the  crisis,  Member  States  should  develop 
these  regions,  based  on  existing  smart 
comprehensive  recovery  strategies  for 
specialisation and territorial strategies under cohesion policy. Such strategies should, in a 
first  stage, support firms in  tourism and related services to  re-launch operations through 
better  access  to  financing.  This  should  be  combined  with  measures  to  promote 
digitalisation,  sustainability  and  investment  in  skills  through  the  European  Regional 
Development  Fund  and  the  European  Social  Fund  to  promote  sustainable  tourism  and 
mobility, as well as economic diversification to build resilience to external shocks.  

16 There are big differences across the European Union (ranging from 5 % of temporary contracts in tourism 
in  Malta  to  45  %  in  Greece).  There  are  also  big  differences  between  various  segments  of  the  tourism 
industry (27% temporary jobs in accommodations, 12% for travel agencies and tour operators, 9% for air 
transport).  Source:  https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Tourism_industries_-
_employment#Characteristics_of_jobs_in_tourism_industries   
17Eurostat: 
_employment#Characteristics_of_jobs_in_tourism_industries 

https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Tourism_industries_-

10 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
These  strategies  should  also  channel  current  cohesion  funds  to  investments  restoring 
tourist confidence such as management of public spaces and the implementation of health 
and  safety  protocols.  The  Commission  will  ensure  that  support  to  regions  heavily 
dependent  on  tourism  is  more  effectively  targeted  in  the  next  generation  of  cohesion 
programmes. 

The  Commission  will  also  encourage  collaboration  between  regions  to  develop  smart 
solutions for recovery in the tourism ecosystem. Based on the recent successful pilot, the 
Commission will launch a new call for an interregional  partnership on tourism to  share, 
test,  and  implement  new  smart  solutions  for  recovery,  creating  a  new  value  chain  of 
innovative, responsible, and sustainable tourism. 

The  Commission  will  encourage  Member  States  and  regions  most  impacted  by  the 
downturn  in  tourism  to  use  the  possibilities  offered  by  the  Coronavirus  Response 
Investment Initiative to support tourism SMEs as part of the ongoing reprogramming of 
cohesion funds. 

d) 

Attractive, voluntary vouchers: a win-win for businesses and customers 

The  number  one  liquidity  constraint  of  travel  and  tourism  industry  is  the  lack  of  new 
bookings  against  unprecedented  numbers  of  reimbursement  claims  for  cancellations.  To 
clarify  the  applicable  Union  rules  in  this  area,  on  18  March,  the  Commission  adopted 
interpretative guidelines on EU Passenger Rights Regulations, and, on 19 March, issued 
informal guidance on the application of the Package Travel Directive.  

With  the  Recommendation  on  vouchers  offered  to  passengers  and  travellers  as  an 
alternative to reimbursement for cancelled package travel and transport services in 
the  context  of  the  COVID-19  pandemic18,  the  Commission  aims  at  ensuring  that 
vouchers  for  passengers  and  travellers  become  a  viable  and  attractive  alternative  to 
reimbursement  for  cancelled  trips.  Carriers  and  travel  operators  should  follow  a  joint 
approach, giving passengers and travellers an attractive and reliable choice between a cash 
refund, in line with their legal rights under EU law, or accepting a voucher instead.  

To  provide  incentives  for  passengers  and  travellers  to  accept  vouchers  instead  of 
reimbursement,  vouchers  should  be  protected  against  insolvency  of  the  issuer  and  be  
refundable after at most one year if not redeemed. Operators should also combine certain 
characteristics  to  make  vouchers  attractive  for  passengers  or  travellers.  For  example, 
vouchers  should  provide  flexibility  on  the  range  of  services  for  which  they  can  be  used 
and  their  transferability.  This  would  also  allow  passenger  and  travellers  to  feel  more 
confident  about  making  new  bookings.  Widely  accessible,  secured  vouchers  provide  a 
cost-efficient solution for operators to reimburse travellers and passengers.  

Carriers and organisers should offer travellers and passengers vouchers that present an 
attractive and reliable alternative to cash refund, with the characteristics as described in 
the Commission Recommendation.  Vouchers should be protected against the insolvency 
of the carriers and organisers and refundable after one year if not redeemed.    

18 C(2020) 3125 

11 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
Consumer  and  passenger  organisations  at  Union  and  national  level  should  encourage 
travellers and passengers to accept vouchers that present characteristics as described in 
this Recommendation, instead of reimbursement in money. 

Business,  consumer  and  passenger  organisations  at  Union  and  national  level,  and 
Member  States  authorities,  including  their  national  enforcement  bodies,  should 
contribute to informing all parties concerned about this Recommendation and cooperate 
towards its implementation. 

e) 

Saving jobs 

The  European  Social  Fund  is  supporting  short-time  work  schemes  to  safeguard  jobs. 
Moreover,  the  initiative  for  temporary  Support  to  mitigate  Unemployment  Risks  in  an 
Emergency (SURE) will provide financial relief of up to  EUR100 billion to help Member 
States cover the costs of national short-time work schemes and similar measures allowing 
companies  to  safeguard  jobs.  Such  public  programmes  allow  enterprises  to  reduce  the 
working hours while providing income support to their workers.  

A key priority is to support workers who lose their jobs to find new ones. This requires 
partnerships  between  employment  services,  social  partners  and  companies  to  facilitate 
swift placement in new jobs and reskilling, with the focus on young people and including 
support to seasonal workers.  

To increase the resilience and to avoid in the future shortages of skills that are necessary 
for  green  and  digital  transition19,  Member  States  should  also  increase  existing 
opportunities  for  upskilling,  through  national  and  EU  funds  (e.g.  the  European  Social 
Fund,  the  European  Regional  Development  Fund,  InvestEU,  and  the  European 
Agricultural Fund for Rural Development).   

At  EU  level,  the  blueprint  for  sectoral  cooperation  on  skills  provides  a  framework  for 
strategic  cooperation  between  key  stakeholders  to  address  short  and  medium-term  skills 
needs  in  selected  sectors,  tourism  among  them20.  The  upcoming  updated  Skills  Agenda 
will further support sectoral cooperation to tackle skills needs, with a focus on skills for 
successful  digital  and  green  transitions.  Regions  with  smart  specialization  strategies  for 
tourism  and  European  clusters  active  in  tourism  could  join  forces  in  this  respect, 
supported by Erasmus and Interreg programmes. 

f) 

Promoting local tourism 

Domestic  and  intra-EU  tourism  will  prevail  in  the  short-term.  267  million  Europeans 
(62%  of  the  population)  make  at  least  one  private  leisure  trip  per  year  and  78%  of 
Europeans spend their holidays in their home country or another EU country21. 

Used creatively, once lock-down measures are lifted, the crisis offers an opportunity for 
Europeans  to  enjoy  the  rich  diversity  of  culture  and  nature  in  their  own  or  other  EU 

19 https://ec.europa.eu/growth/sectors/tourism/support-business/skills_en 
20 https://nexttourismgeneration.eu/ 
21 Eurostat, ‘People on the move. Statistics on mobility in Europe’, 2019 

12 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
countries and discover new experiences all year around. 

Many  European  regions  and  cities  rely  heavily  on  cultural  tourism22.  Technology  has 
helped to reinvent cultural tourism during this pandemic by opening new opportunities for 
creative  expression  and  by  expanding  audiences.  Coastal23,  maritime  and  inland 
waterway  tourism,  as  well  as  rural24  tourism,  is  present  is  many  EU  regions  and  is  
creating  innovative,  localised  tourism  offers  for  off-season  business  and  recreation 
opportunities. New opportunities arise to discover hidden or forgotten natural and cultural 
gems closer to home, and taste locally produced products. The proposed European Year of 
Rail 2021 could focus on this specific travel mode to promote intra-EU tourism. 

In Member States where patronage voucher schemes have been set up, customers have 
shown enthusiasm for supporting their favourite hotels or restaurants. Such schemes could 
extend  to  other  tourism  related  businesses  such  as  culture  and  entertainment.  The 
Commission will provide an IT portal to showcase them. The portal will link up suppliers 
with  all  initiatives  and  platforms  offering  such  schemes.  It  will  help  citizens  to  find  all 
initiatives  and  offers  throughout  the  EU.  In  addition  and  in  cooperation  with  Member 
States,  the  Commission  will  call  for  pledges  to  launch  patronage  voucher  systems  from 
local  tourism  organisations,  but  also  from  market  players  who  are  active  in  the  tourism 
sector, such as small and large online platforms (through which many tourism businesses 
connect with their clients), credit card companies and payment system providers.  

The  Commission  in  cooperation  with  Member  States  will  call  for  pledges  to  launch 
patronage voucher systems and will set up an online platform to link the pledgers with 
suppliers in the tourism sector. 

The Commission  will  promote a transition  toward a more sustainable model  of  coastal 
and maritime tourism, as part of its strategic approach for a sustainable blue economy. It 
will also support agri-tourism as a sustainable model of tourism in rural areas. 

From  June,  Europeana25,  the  European  platform  for  Digital  Cultural  Heritage,  will 
further develop its tourism angle showcasing European cultural jewels and hidden gems.  
The companion web-app Cultural gems26, will launch a citizen ambassador’s campaign 
in the second half of the year to support proximity tourism.  

In cooperation with the Member States, the Commission will continue previous efforts to  
support  information-sharing  and  encourage  Europeans  to  discover  the  diversity  of 
landscapes,  cultures  and  experiences  in  Europe,  including  the  European  Capitals  of 
Smart Tourism27 and the European Destinations of Excellence (EDEN)28.  

22 Cultural tourism, representing 40% of tourism in Europe, particularly suffers  as most cultural activities, 
like fairs and festivals, cancelled and institutions such as museums have been closed (92%) 
23 Over half (51.7%) of the EU’s tourist accommodation establishments are located in coastal areas and 30% 
of nights spent by Europeans are at beach resorts. 
24 In 2018, based on Eurostat, 45% of the tourist accommodation capacity (measured in bed places) of the 
EU-27 was located in rural areas. 
25 https://www.europeana.eu/ 
26 https://culturalgems.jrc.ec.europa.eu/ 
27 https://smarttourismcapital.eu/. Goteborg and Malaga are the European Capitals of Smart Tourism in 
2020 
28 https://ec.europa.eu/growth/sectors/tourism/eden/destinations_en. 

13 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
IV.  WORKING TOGETHER  

Tourism,  transport  and  border  issues  are  governed  by  a  complex  series  of  policy 
frameworks  developed  and  implemented  separately  at  different  levels  –  local,  regional, 
national and EU. Cities and sometimes regions are responsible for a wide range of tourism 
and  transport  policies.  The  diversity  of  the  tourism  ecosystem  is  reflected  in  its 
governance,  but  also  poses  challenges  because  policy  measures  implemented  at  the 
various levels without coordination can neutralise or even hinder each other. 

Together  and  linked  with  local,  regional  and  national  measures,  these  actions  and 
guidance of this package should help put the tourism ecosystem on a solid footing. But for 
everything  to  work,  there  needs  to  be  genuine  cooperation  across  a  number  of  policy 
frameworks and set of actors relevant for tourism: 

•  Horizontally,  between 

local,  regional  and  national  authorities  and  with 

the 

Commission; 

•  Vertically  between  customs  officials,  transport  providers,  accommodation  providers 
and all other actors in the ecosystem, in particular to operationalize, put  the guidelines 
in practice an implement them. 

In  order  to  ensure  adequate  and  timely  coordination  among  all  actors  building  on 
established channels, the Commission will create coordination mechanisms linking all the 
agencies  and  EU  bodies  involved  in  the  preparation  of  COVID-19  related  guidelines  in 
close coordination with the existing crisis management system.  

V.  NEW HORIZONS - TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE 

  Beyond the immediate steps to bring relief, we should look ahead to the future of tourism 
and transport in the EU and look at how to make it more resilient and sustainable, learning 
from the crisis and anticipating new trends and consumer patterns related to it. 

Our  shared  ambition  should  be  to  maintain  Europe  as  the  world's  leading  tourist 
destination  in  terms  of  value,  quality,  sustainability  and  innovation.  This  vision  should 
guide  the  use  of  financial  resources  and  investment  at  European,  national,  regional  and 
local levels. 

At  the  core  of  this  new  ambition  is  sustainability,  contributing  to  both  the  European 
Green  Deal  and  strong  communities.  Our  aim  should  be  to  enable  affordable  and  more 
sustainable  transport  and  improved  connectivity,  boost  smart  management  of  tourism 
flows based on sound measurement and tools, diversify the tourism offer and extend off 
season  opportunities,  develop  sustainability  skills  for  tourism  professionals  and  valorise 
the variety of landscapes and the cultural diversity across Europe  – while protecting and 
restoring Europe’s land and marine natural capital, in line with the strategic approach for a 
sustainable  blue  and  green  economy.  This  should  include  the  promotion  of  sustainable 
tourism accommodations (through voluntary schemes such as EU Ecolabel and EMAS). 
This ambition towards sustainable tourism should guide investment decisions at EU level, 
but it can only work in combination with a strong commitment at regional and local level. 

14 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
Equally, tourism can gain from the digital transition, providing new ways of managing 
travel and tourists flows, opportunities and more choice as well as more efficient use of 
scarce resources. The use of big data analysis can create and share accurate tourist profile 
segments and help understand traveller trends and needs. It can enable tourism to respond 
immediately to the changing customer demand and provide predictive modelling analysis. 
Finally, the application of blockchain technology would allow tourism operators to have 
all the available information about safe transactions. 

Digital tools can be also confidence-building measures to reassure people that travel and 
tourism can be safe. This means investment in digital skills, including cybersecurity and 
fostering  digital  innovation,  and  connecting  tourism  businesses  and  actors  with  existing 
data  spaces  at  local  and  regional  level  (for  instance  through  the  ongoing  work  on  the 
European data space on mobility). This is particularly important in rural, remote areas and 
outermost  regions  where  tourism  is  fragmented  and  highly  dependent  on  information, 
transport and travel accessibility.   

Within  this  transition,  SMEs  will  need  particular  attention.  As  announced  in  the  recent 
SME  Strategy,  the  Commission  will  work  with  networks  across  Europe  such  as  the 
Enterprise  Europe  Network,  the  European  Clusters  Alliance  and  European  Digital 
Innovation  Hubs  to  support  sustainability  and  digitalisation  and  help  local  tourism 
companies become more resilient and competitive. This requires  cross-sectoral linkages, 
interdisciplinary  knowledge  flow,  stronger  connections  and  capacity  building  to  ensure 
accelerated uptake of product, services and process innovations. These networks shall also 
connect tourism with other industries to accelerate uptake of new solutions, foster cross-
sectoral  investments  in  tourism  ecosystem with  ICT, renewable energies, health and life 
sciences, agri-food, maritime, cultural and creative industries, including the media sector.  

The time calls for a coordinated response at European level for the short-term exit from 
the crisis,  but  also  for shaping  recovery and addressing shared  challenges in  the longer-
term. 

The  European  Commission  will  organise,  as  soon  as  health  circumstances  allow,  a 
European  tourism  convention,  in  order  to  reflect  –  together  with  EU  institutions,  the 
industry, regions and cities and stakeholders – about the European tourism of tomorrow 
and jointly start building a roadmap 2050 towards a sustainable, innovative and resilient 
European tourism ecosystem (‘European Agenda for Tourism 2050’). 

15