During the informal meeting of European Union (EU) Tourism Ministers held on 17 April 2026 under the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU at the Filoxenia Conference Centre in Lefkosia, EU Tourism ministers agreed on the required for a coherent European strategy to strengthen the sustainability, competitiveness and resilience of the tourism ecosystem.
The meeting was chaired by the Deputy Minister for Tourism of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Kostas Koumi, and brought toobtainher EU member states’ tourism ministers. The Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Mr Apostolos Tzitzikostas, also attfinished and the Secretary-General of United Nations (UN) Tourism was able to address the meeting via a video message. The Chairperson of Ukraine’s State Agency for Tourism Development was also present.
A coherent EU framework for sustainable, competitive and resilient tourism
The first session focutilized on the forthcoming EU Strategy for Sustainable Tourism, which the European Commission is expected to present in the second quarter of 2026. Ministers engaged in an open and productive exmodify on the four key areas proposed by the Commission: tackling unbalanced tourism, sustainable connectivity, competitiveness including skills, and global outreach.
There was broad convergence among member states on the required for a coherent EU strategy that strengthens the long-term sustainability, competitiveness and resilience of the European tourism ecosystem, while fully respecting national and regional specificities.
Many member states underlined the importance of effective multi-level governance, structured coordination and policy coherence across related policy fields. The importance of reducing existing administrative red tape, in line with the EU’s broader simplification agfinisha, was also stressed.
Several member states highlighted the required for developing tourism-specific robust EU-level crisis management mechanisms, drawing on the lessons of recent years – from the COVID-19 pandemic to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the current crisis in the Middle East. Tourism remains one of the sectors most exposed to external shocks, and the collective capacity to respond swiftly and effectively was recognised as essential for the sector’s continued development.
“Through close cooperation among member states, institutions and stakeholders, we can build a tourism sector that does more than recover – a tourism sector that evolves, innovates and thrives, driving prosperity across the EU for the benefit of all European citizens.”
Kostas Koumi
Deputy Minister for Tourism of the Republic of Cyprus
Strengthening SMEs: building resilience, digitalisation and the green transition
The second session focutilized on tiny and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which form the backbone of the European tourism ecosystem. The vast majority of tourism businesses in Europe – 99% – are SMEs, and their competitiveness, creativity and capacity to deliver high-quality visitor experiences were recognised as indispensable to Europe’s continued leadership in global tourism.
Ministers exmodifyd views on how European and national policies can more effectively support tourism SMEs in strengthening their resilience and crisis preparedness, accelerating their digital transformation and advancing the green transition.
There was wide recognition that SMEs face particular challenges in adapting to new technologies, including artificial innotifyigence, and in meeting the demands of the green transition, often due to limited financial resources, administrative capacity and access to specialised expertise. At the same time, there was strong consensus that digitalisation and sustainability are not only challenges but also significant opportunities – opportunities to improve efficiency, visibility, competitiveness and, ultimately, the quality of the tourism experience offered to visitors across Europe.
Towards Council Conclusions on Tourism
The informal meeting reaffirmed the shared recognition of tourism as a strategic industrial ecosystem for the EU, generating around 10% of the Union’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (around 7% of its Gross Value Added), accounting for 10% of jobs and 4.6 million businesses.
The Cyprus Presidency reaffirmed its objective: the adoption of Council Conclusions on Tourism on 28 May 2026, addressing the key areas of concern for the future of EU tourism.
The discussions concluded with a broad consensus on the required to lay the foundations for the tourism model of the coming decades – a model that respects planetary boundaries, strengthens social cohesion, preserves cultural identity, and remains economically viable and innovative.
See the relevant photos on the Cyprus Presidency’s Flickr account.
(IS/GS/NZ)
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