Sustainability to shape the EU’s first-ever tourism strategy

Sustainability will be the guiding principle behind the EU’s first-ever tourism strategy, European Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas told the audience at the Global Tourism Forum in Brussels.

“Sustainability means reducing emissions, including from travel to and within destinations. But it also means managing resources wisely, protecting cultural and natural assets, and ensuring that tourism contributes to balanced regional development across Europe,” the Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism said during the two-day event on Monday and Tuesday.

Europe remains the world’s top tourist destination, welcoming 758 million visitors in 2024 — a sector that generated over 20 million jobs and contributed about 7% of the EU’s Gross Value Added, roughly €807 billion.

Yet the growing number of tourists is raising concerns, particularly in Spain, France, Germany and Italy — the four countries accounting for more than 60% of overnight stays in Europe.

The uneven distribution of visitors and the seasonality of tourism are also putting pressure on infrastructure, housing, natural resources, and local communities.

“Such pressures risk undermining tourism's long-term competitiveness and even its acceptance by local residents,” the Greek commissioner warned.

Tzitzikostas also called for stronger adaptation to climate change, shifting geopolitics, and rapid technological transformation — key challenges that European cities and regions must prioritise.

“The adjustments we make today will ensure that the benefits of tourism to local communities and economies will be even greater tomorrow,” he stressed.

In fact, Europe is warming twice as fast as the rest of the planet. As temperatures rise, so do the risks — threatening energy infrastructure, food security, ecosystems, and public health.

Some European cities are already responding to these challenges. Barcelona is planting more trees to combat rising heat. Copenhagen is developing flood-control systems to manage heavy rainfall. And along the Dutch coast, natural barriers are being built to protect against rising sea levels.

Still, experts say much more investment will be needed to prepare cities for the impacts of climate change.

“We need to work harder, better, and faster,” Luca Arbau, a climate resilience and adaptation expert at ICLEI Europe, told Euronews.

Although the European Commission does not hold direct competence over tourism, the second von der Leyen Commission has, for the first time, appointed a commissioner responsible for transport and tourism — signalling the EU’s growing commitment to tackling the challenges of mass tourism.

The EU executive recently concluded consultations with citizens, industry representatives, and other stakeholders for its upcoming 2026 European Tourism Strategy, which aims to address “unbalanced tourism” and promote sustainable growth across the bloc.

While the EU cannot directly legislate in tourism, it exerts influence over many areas that shape travel and hospitality.

“It is important to understand how decisions that do not formally fall within the scope of tourism policy can nonetheless have a direct impact on the sector, on tourists, and on the final price of destinations,” José Ramón Bauzá, founder and chairman of the Aviation and Tourism Forum and former MEP, told Euronews.

Bauzá, who led Parliament’s negotiations on the ReFuelEU Aviation Regulation, pointed to sustainable aviation fuel rules as one example of EU legislation indirectly shaping the sector.

Another is the upcoming Entry/Exit System, which will introduce new requirements for non-EU citizens entering European borders — a change expected to influence travel patterns and costs across the continent.