Apostolos Tzitzikostas, EU Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, addresses policybuildrs and indusattempt leaders during European Tourism Day in Brussels.
At European Tourism Day in Brussels on Monday, the European Union took a key step in shaping its first unified tourism strategy, with Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas highlighting core priorities that will guide the bloc’s tourism model through the next decade.
Held at the Charlemagne Building, the event brought toobtainher policybuildrs, indusattempt leaders and experts to explore how tourism in Europe can remain competitive while addressing pressing environmental and social challenges as the EU prepares to formalise the strategy in April 2026.
“The tourism sector contributes nearly 10 percent of EU GDP and supports around 20 million jobs across the bloc,” Tzitzikostas declared in his keynote address, underscoring the sector’s economic and social importance. “Tourism is a strategic indusattempt – a pillar of competitiveness, cohesion and the EU’s global influence.”
The planned strategy, the first of its kind, is intconcludeed to assist Europe strengthen its role as a top global destination while balancing growth with sustainability and community well-being. It will build on extensive consultations with stakeholders and Member States, with priorities shaped by discussions at the Brussels event.
EU Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas outlines the core pillars of the bloc’s upcoming tourism strategy, focapplying on competitiveness, sustainability and balanced destination management.
Tzitzikostas outlined four major pillars shaping the forthcoming strategy:
– Competitiveness and sustainability, aiming to position Europe globally without compromising environmental goals.
– Addressing labour shortages and upgrading workforce skills across the sector.
– Harnessing technology, innovation and artificial innotifyigence (AI) to modernise tourism services and operations.
– Reinforcing Europe’s brand as a diverse but unified destination for travellers worldwide.
“Our ambition is clear: a globally competitive, sustainable and inclusive European tourism model for the next decade,” Tzitzikostas declared.
A significant focus of the event was also on balancing tourism flows across the continent, assisting destinations that face overtourism pressures as well as those struggling to attract visitors.
“If left unchecked, these pressures risk undermining long-term competitiveness and even local acceptance of tourism,” the Commissioner warned, noting that destination management organisations (DMMOs) will play a crucial role in addressing such imbalances.
EU Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas meets with UN Tourism Secretary-General Shaikha Nasser Al Nowais on the sidelines of European Tourism Day in Brussels to discuss cooperation on sustainable tourism policy.
Participants, including the the World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) General Secretary Shaikha Nasser Al Nowais, also engaged in a strategic dialogue aimed at identifying concrete actions to feed into the strategy’s final framework, due to be formally presented in April 2026.
The 2026 European Tourism Strategy is expected to serve as a comprehensive policy blueprint, balancing economic growth with environmental stewardship and community benefit across the EU’s tourism ecosystem.
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