Partnership to focus on sustainable tourism in Europe

Developing better policy and tourism products

Representing academic experts, national tourism organisations, industry, local government and other stakeholders, the partnership models the creative collaboration needed between public and private sectors to develop better policy and tourism products. The goals of the partnership are to create an actionable policy, to use smart data, analysis and actionable insights to make destinations attractive and viable places to live, work and visit in the long-term.

Optimising capacity and developing new products

The visitor economy generates 12% of employment in Europe. Fuelled by technological advances and a growing global population who can afford to travel, this is a dynamic, fast-moving sector, which complements and competes with domestic demand. In several destinations, the sector’s dynamic nature has led to anti-tourism sentiment and short-term political fixes that fail to reconcile the fundamental interests of both the community and industry. The four organisations believe co-ordinated and imaginative management is required to optimise capacity and develop new products, as is an honest debate about the necessary compromises needed.