November/December 2015

Did you Know?

The European Commission has developed a tool, Virtual Tourism Observatory, to support policy makers and businesses develop better strategies for a more competitive European tourism sector.

EDC News: EC’s Virtual Tourism Observatory (VTO) & Other Initiatives

One of the European Commission’s (EC) main priorities is to improve the access to employment for European citizens. It has recognised that tourism is would be a key player in achieving this objective. Tourism has proven to be a major economic activity in the EU and has a wide-ranging impact on economic growth, employment and social development.

The EC is now faced with the task of maintaining Europe’s position as a leading tourist destination while maximising the industry’s contribution to growth and employment. It has decided to address this by providing tools, information and support:

• Virtual Tourism Observatory is a database that includes the latest available figures and analysis on the tourism sector's trends and volumes, economic and environmental impact, and the origin and profile of tourists. Other data sources, Eurobarometer surveys, studies and reports can also be obtained from its website. The purpose of provide such information is to support policy makers and businesses develop better strategies for a more competitive European tourism sector.

• The Tourism Business Portal provides practical, up-to-date information on digital technologies and innovative business practices to help European tourism companies better manage their enterprises. It includes numerous articles, tutorials, online tools, and links to best practices to help entrepreneurs learn about the management of a tourism business in the digital era.

• Digital Tourism is an initiative to boost the competitiveness of small businesses in the European tourism sector, integrate them into global digital value chains, and improve their ability to create more jobs. It includes webinars and digital tourism network.

• Sustainable Tourism – to ensure sustainability the EC co-funds sustainable transnational tourism products that can contribute to tourism growth; and is developing a European Tourism Indicators System (ETIS) for destinations. This system will monitor, manage, and enhance sustainability performance, without the need for specific training.

For more information:

• Guide on EU Funding for the Tourism Sector 2014 – 2020 - gathers information on various sources of EU funding for the private and public sector. It focuses on practical questions, such as, types and levels of funding available; who can apply and how, examples of projects funded under previous programmes etc.

• EDEN - European Destinations of Excellence - aims to promote sustainable tourism development models across the EU. The initiative is based on national competitions and promotional campaigns that result in the selection and promotion of a tourist 'destination of excellence' for each participating country.

• Enterprise Europe Network: tourism and cultural heritage

• The EU and Cultural tourism

• Calypso: Tourism for all - helps disadvantaged people go on holiday while increasing tourism in the low season.

• Accessible tourism actions and low season tourism

• Coastal and maritime tourism

• Improving professional skills in tourism – provides links to employment opportunities, monitoring of existing EU programmes for opportunities to improve professional skills in the tourism sector, classification of tourism skills and qualifications and studies on training needs

• Consultations on Tourism Policy:

  • June 2010: ‘Europe, the world's No. 1 tourist destination – a new political framework for tourism in Europe’. This communication set out a new strategy and action plan for EU tourism. It lead to the regularly updated implementation rolling plan, which outlines the major initiatives to be implemented.

  • December 2013, the Commission launched two public consultations on the tourism industry: ‘European Tourism of the Future’ and the ‘Regulatory and Administrative Framework on EU Tourism’.