MEPs have called for additional measures to save the EU’s tourism and travel sector and make it future-proof after the Covid-19 crisis.

They have asked for more support for tourism SMEs on the verge of bankruptcy, as well as high hygiene standards and health protocols that are needed to help restore tourism.

The resolution on transport and tourism in 2020 and beyond was adopted on Friday by 587 votes in favour, 32 against and 46 abstentions.

The European Parliament said that it identifies areas where actions taken so far remain insufficient to support a sector that employs 22.6 million people (11.2% of the total EU employment) and that contributed 9.5% to EU GDP in 2019.

MEPS said that to give tourism businesses a chance of survival, what is needed is short-term financing to avoid businesses going bankrupt and to support workers, including self-employed workers, in the transport, culture and tourism sector.

Parliament has asked the European Commission to issue guidance to ensure available funding can be accessed swiftly. MEPs also called for a dedicated budget line for sustainable tourism in the 2021-2027 long-term EU budget.

They said that to guarantee safety and fairness, then there is the need to establish common standards and detailed protocols for hygiene and health screening measures; develop an early alert system that warns tourists about any potential health threat at their destination; create an EU safety certificate for establishments and operators that meet the highest hygiene and safety standards; launch a dedicated information campaign on travel and tourism, aiming at promoting intra-EU travel, re-establishing confidence in travel and tourism during Covid-19, and educating tourists on the health and safety measures in place; and ensure that safe transit and country-to-country movement is not hampered by unilateral measures and agreements between individual member states.

The Parliament has also encouraged the Commission to explore the idea of a crisis-management mechanism for EU tourism, in order to respond adequately and swiftly to any future challenge of similar magnitude.

MEPs said that they see the crisis also as an “historic opportunity to modernise tourism in the EU and make it more sustainable, e.g. local and rural tourism initiatives, or out-of-season travel.”

“The EU should promote and certify environmentally friendly, socially responsible and economically sound travel and tourism,” MEPs said.

The Parliament said that it wants EU support to serve as “a tool to guide infrastructure and transport development and tourism towards more sustainable, innovative, resilient and high-quality products and services.”

The Parliament concluded by saying that it supports the concept of “safe and smart destinations” to ensure the development of “sustainable, responsible and accessible tourism.”

Photo by Alain Salvary

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