Our association participated as an expert at the EU Tourism Stakeholder Event, where several key issues were discussed. DG GROW’s Director General highlighted that a specific Commissioner for the tourism sector is expected to be appointed and will be addressed by the G20, G7 and COP conferences, which could reinforce the continuation of the activities started. The functioning of the EU Tourism Platform and the preparations for the ETIAS digital visa system, expected to be launched in 2025, were presented. 2.44 billion is available to fund cultural initiatives for the period 2021-2027, with the EU Heritage Label as the most important project. In addition, the CulturEU Funding Guide is available, as well as the Guide on EU Funding for Tourism, and a publication sharing 50 good practices for Destination Management Organisations (DMOs) will be published soon. The example of Barcelona was also discussed, where the number of tourists increased by 0.3% from 2019 to 2024, while rental prices increased by 80%. The aim here is not more tourism, but better tourism, through new capacities and management solutions. The new European Commission could appoint a specific person in charge of addressing the housing issue. A comprehensive analysis of the visitor economy will be carried out, covering not only tourists but also workers, students and other visitors. Labour and housing problems in tourism can be addressed through proper management and process control without excessive regulation. The issue of overtourism was also raised, although the Commission representative preferred to use the term unbalanced tourism. Many felt the problem was not as deep as some of the summer press campaigns suggested. The impact of regulating the price of tourism was also raised, particularly with regard to the differences between visitors from within and outside the EU, and the management of seasonal pressures, which requires a more democratic and financially flexible approach.
