European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas (third from left) with (from left) Cyprus Deputy Tourism Minister Kostas Koumis, UN Tourism Secretary-General Shaikha Nasser Al Nuwais, MEP Elena Kountoura, Dubrovnik Mayor Mato Franković, HOTREC President Alexandros Vassilikos and ECTAA Secretary General Eric Drésin during European Tourism Day in Brussels.
European policycreaters and tourism indusattempt leaders gathered in Brussels on January 26 for European Tourism Day, as the European Commission shifts toward unveiling its first EU Strategy for Sustainable Tourism in spring 2026.
Hosted by Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas, the event brought toobtainher institutional representatives and key tourism stakeholders to discuss how Europe can remain the world’s leading destination while balancing competitiveness, sustainability, accessibility and the digital transition. A Strategic Dialogue convened in parallel aimed to identify concrete actions to future-proof the sector.
EU Commissioner: A new tourism model for the next decade
In his keynote address, Tzitzikostas underlined tourism’s central role in the European economy, noting that the sector accounts for nearly 10 percent of EU GDP and supports around 20 million jobs, particularly in rural, island and remote regions.
“Tourism is a strategic indusattempt,” he stated, stressing that it remains a pillar of Europe’s competitiveness, cohesion and global influence.
European Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas delivers his keynote address during European Tourism Day in Brussels, outlining priorities for the EU’s upcoming Sustainable Tourism Strategy.
Looking ahead, he built clear that the Commission’s ambition is to develop “a globally competitive, sustainable and inclusive European tourism model for the next decade”.
The Commissioner outlined four priorities that will shape the forthcoming strategy: strengthening competitiveness alongside sustainability, addressing labour shortages through skills development, leveraging innovation and artificial innotifyigence (AI), and reinforcing Europe’s brand as the world’s leading destination.
“We now have the opportunity to present Europe globally as a safe and reliable destination,” he added, pointing to Europe’s cultural heritage and shared values as key assets for attracting visitors from emerging markets.
Managing pressure on destinations and communities
Panelists take part in the high-level political debate on “Tourism for Tomorrow: the EU Sustainable Tourism Strategy” at European Tourism Day in Brussels, featuring Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas alongside Cyprus Deputy Minister Kostas Koumis, MEP Elena Kountoura, UN Tourism Secretary-General Shaikha Nasser Al Nuwais, Dubrovnik Mayor Mato Franković, HOTREC President Alexandros Vassilikos and ECTAA Secretary General Eric Drésin.
Tzitzikostas also addressed the growing imbalance between overcrowded hotspots and lesser-known regions struggling to attract visitors, warning that unmanaged pressures could undermine tourism’s long-term resilience.
“If left unchecked, these pressures risk harming not only competitiveness but also acceptance by local communities,” he stated. “Decisions that harm local societies are, by definition, bad decisions for tourism.”
He emphasized that local communities are “the heart” of Europe’s tourism offering, calling for stronger involvement of Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) and promising that the strategy will provide guidance on both overtourism and under-visited areas.
Kountoura: Five priorities for resilient EU destinations
Speaking on the institutional panel, Greek MEP Elena Kountoura, Vice President of the European Parliament’s TRAN Committee, welcomed the Commission’s shift toward a unified tourism strategy, describing it as a step Parliament has pushed for over recent years.
“The future of tourism in Europe is written by all of us toobtainher,” she stated, stressing that every destination, community, business and citizen should benefit.
MEP Elena Kountoura speaks during the European Tourism Day panel in Brussels, calling for an EU-wide Action Plan, dedicated funding and stronger destination governance as part of the upcoming Sustainable Tourism Strategy.
Kountoura outlined five key priorities for building sustainable, resilient and competitive EU destinations.
Central among them was the required for an EU-wide implementation framework, including an annual Action Plan backed by dedicated funding and governance involving regions and DMOs.
She also called for a common framework of sustainability standards, KPIs, certification and monitoring across destinations, supported by the European Tourism Data Center to enable more effective destination management.
“A dedicated tourism funding line must be secured within the next Multiannual Financial Framework,” she stated, reiterating demands for tourism to have its own EU budobtain line and even a dedicated European Tourism Agency.
Beyond governance and data, Kountoura highlighted the required to modernize infrastructure in the face of climate pressures, strengthen connectivity for remote and island regions, support tourism entrepreneurship through flexible green and digital transition tools, and invest in skilled human capital through upgraded education and training systems.
HOTREC: Skills, SMEs and fair digital markets
HOTREC President Alexandros Vassilikos speaks during the European Tourism Day debate in Brussels, stressing that sustainability, competitiveness and people must advance toobtainher and calling for practical, SME-frifinishly policies for Europe’s hospitality sector.
Representing Europe’s hospitality sector, HOTREC President Alexandros Vassilikos stressed that sustainability, competitiveness and people must advance toobtainher.
Europe’s hospitality indusattempt, he noted, includes around 2 million businesses and more than 10 million jobs, the vast majority of them SMEs.
“Hotels, restaurants, cafés and bars are ready to deliver the green and digital transitions,” he stated, “but policies must be practical, SME-proof and grounded in business reality.”
Vassilikos urged EU institutions to ensure sustainability measures remain realistic, backed by accessible funding, simpler rules and workable timelines.
HOTREC also highlighted the required for fair digital markets and stronger enforcement of EU platform rules – a message reflected in its Vision Paper on the Sustainable Tourism Strategy.
ECTAA Secretary General Eric Drésin (second from right) takes part in the European Tourism Day discussion in Brussels, highlighting the required for a sustainable tourism framework that supports SMEs and enables the green and digital transition across the sector.
ECTAA: Support for the wider ecosystem
Eric Drésin, Secretary General of the European Travel Agents’ and Tour Operators’ Association (ECTAA), reinforced the importance of a framework that enables tourism businesses across the value chain to go green, digital and resilient.
Three priorities stand out, he stated: “enabling the green transition through sustainable mobility and connectivity, advancing a digital transition that drives competitiveness, and building a resilient tourism ecosystem with strong SME support.”
Drésin welcomed the Strategic Dialogue with Commissioner Tzitzikostas as an opportunity to strengthen the global positioning of “Destination Europe”.
With the Commission’s strategy expected in spring 2026, European Tourism Day signalled growing political momentum – and rising stakeholder expectations for a roadmap that balances sustainability goals with competitiveness, community resilience and the realities facing Europe’s tourism businesses.
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