Members of the EPP-CoR Group today held a debate on sustainable tourism with Apostolos Tzitzikostas, Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism.
Opening the debate, the former President of the CoR stated: “I come here today to begin writing the pages of the new European Tourism Strategy together. With your input, your knowledge, your experience on the ground. This is the true added value of the European Committee of the Regions, and I intend to make full use of it. No one knows better than you how closely tourism is linked to local and regional governance. You manage the flows. You build the infrastructures. You feel the pressure — or the lack — of demand.”
He added: “At the Commission, we respect the principle of subsidiarity. Our role is to complement yours. We do this through legislation, coordination, funding, peer learning, exchange of good practices, and financial support.”
Sari Rautio, President of the EPP-CoR, emphasized the economic and strategic importance of tourism: “Tourism is one of Europe’s strongest assets. It already plays a vital role in our economies and it should become even stronger. Tourism is not just a leisure activity — it is a key driver of employment and economic success, especially in cities and regions across Europe. We call on you to support us in shaping and delivering tourism strategies on the ground; to push online platforms to share reliable, timely, and accurate data so we can make informed decisions and effectively regulate broad-scale hosting; to financially support cities and regions by enabling easier access to EU funding for smart, green, and digital tourism projects; to include local authorities in technical support instruments; and to open up access to investment tools typically reserved for Member States.We hope for a dedicated tourism funding line in the future MFF, as you already hinted at — one that supports not just SMEs but also local and regional authorities, because we are the ones who create the conditions for sustainable tourism to flourish.”
Mathieu Cuip, Regional Councillor of the Region of Ile-de-France underlined the social and environmental dimensions of tourism: “Tourism plays a key role in promoting social stability and creating employment opportunities across regions. However, as we advance toward a more sustainable model, we must also take into account its environmental impact. While the European Commission is currently preparing a strategy for sustainable tourism, it is crucial to recognize that achieving these goals requires adequate funding.”
Francisca Ramis Pons, Director General for Institutional Relations and Relations with the Parliament, Balearic Islands Government called for a holistic approach: “This strategy needs a systemic vision of tourism with a territorial approach that reinforces the balanced competitiveness of the system and contributes to the circular economy, and to the ecological, digital, and social transition of the European regions. The strategy must promote sustainable mobility and balanced connectivity.”
Dimitrios Ptochos, Regional Governor of Peloponnese, Greece, highlighted the importance of measuring sustainability: "We are investing in developing indicators to monitor the ecological and cultural footprint of tourism. We must encourage tourism that builds bridges between tourists and local residents — only in this way will we ensure tourism is sustainable in the future.”
Tanya Hristova, Mayor of Gabrovo, concluded by stressing the role of local and regional authorities: “Local and regional authorities are real changemakers. It is our cities, regions, and communities that transform plans into tangible actions. The CoR is a place where we often discuss how crucial LRAs are — and this has to be clear also to the European Commission.”