Questions and answers on the EU Sustainable Tourism Strategy

1. Tourism is mainly a Member State responsibility. Why is a European strategy needed?

Tourism goes beyond national borders. While responsibility for tourism lies primarily with national governments, regions and, in some Member States, local municipalities, tourism is a cross-border industry within the EU, and it therefore benefits from a shared approach to tackling shared challenges.

The European Parliament, the Council, as well as other institutions and stakeholders have called for a stronger and better coordinated EU-level policy response to the common challenges EU tourism is facing. This Strategy responds to that call.

A European strategy can strengthen coordination between public authorities and establish priorities and goals shared by all stakeholders. Against this background, the EU Sustainable Tourism Strategy focuses on areas where joint EU action and cooperation across borders bring real added value and impact for local actors. It does not harmonise national laws or frameworks.

2. What are the main challenges facing European tourism and how will the Strategy address them?

European tourism faces a range of interconnected challenges. The sector is increasingly exposed to geopolitical, cybersecurity and public health disruptions, against a background of intensified global competition. At the same time, climate change and extreme weather are reshaping tourism destinations, and uneven visitor flows put their own pressure on local communities and infrastructure.

Around 99% of EU tourism companies are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). They are the backbone of the sector, but struggle with labour and skills shortages, fragmentation, and administrative burdens. Gaps in digitalisation and data use, along with concerns over accessibility and affordability, add further strain.

Furthermore, challenges in transport and mobility within the EU also impact the tourism sector and require joint action.

The Strategy's response is a coordinated framework promoting competitiveness, sustainability and resilience:

• Supporting SMEs: the Strategy will help simplify rules, offer business support to accelerate the green and digital transitions, and modernise VAT rules applying to the travel and tourism sector.
• Improving data, innovation and AI uptake: it will establish a Common European Tourism Data Space and an EU Tourism Observatory to analyse important trends in the sector.
• Tackling skills shortages: a new EU Tourism Academy will provide crucial training and help develop the skills most needed in the sector.
• Improved connectivity: measures on rail, aviation, cross-border rental of cars, and ticketing will strengthen connectivity, in particular for islands, and remote and coastal regions, enhancing infrastructure (e.g. ports, marinas, train station), benefiting destinations and businesses.
• Balanced tourism approach: an EU Model for Tourism Management, a proposed Council Recommendation for Balanced Tourism and an EU Toolbox for Balanced Tourism will help steer tourism flows more smartly and more efficiently, to the benefit of tourists and local populations. In addition, a Cruise Cooperation Dialogue will bring together key actors.
• Enhancing resilience and accessibility: the Strategy includes measures improving crisis coordination, including setting up a Crisis Coordination Network, informing tourists about their rights, and reinforcing accessible tourism.
• Stronger international outreach: these actions are backed with stronger international outreach, including partnerships with Japan, India and others, as well as a new Cooperation Framework with UN Tourism and by joint implementation of sustainable tourism (e.g. Arctic Strategy).
• Effective governance: an EU Tourism Alliance ensures the Strategy's implementation, through cooperation between the Commission, Member States, regions, local authorities and stakeholders, and a new European Capitals of Tourism Award.

3. What is balanced tourism? How will the Commission help destinations manage tourism growth while ensuring benefits for visitors, businesses and local communities?

Balanced tourism is an approach where visitor flows are in balance with a destination's readiness and capacity to receive them. This means tourism does not disproportionately impact physical infrastructure, the environment, or the wellbeing of local communities. The approach aims at bringing long-term benefits to businesses, visitors, and local communities.

The Commission is committed to helping destinations to steer tourism flows more efficiently and spreading visitors more evenly across seasons and destinations. In turn, the balanced tourism approach will also bring benefits to lesser-known and lesser-visited destinations. The Strategy's main initiatives include: an EU Model for Tourism Management, a Council Recommendation on Balanced Tourism, and an EU Toolbox for Balanced Tourism, which will be discussed with Member States to be ready for the next summer season. The Strategy also supports collaboration, diversification and promotion efforts, including through the Destination Europe framework that showcases authentic local experiences across Member States, regions and cities. The EU's transport policy also helps ease pressure on overcrowded destinations through improved connections.

4. What is the EU Toolkit for Balanced Tourism and what does it try to achieve? 

When tourism develops in a balanced and harmonious way, it is a driver of prosperity, supports demographic vitality, and strengthens the social and economic sustainability of territories. This is why balance is at the heart of the Strategy.

Across the EU, tourism demand remains unevenly distributed between destinations and concentrated in certain seasons, while many places with strong potential are not yet capturing the benefits tourism can bring. The Strategy aims to make better use of Europe's full tourism potential by encouraging travel across territories and throughout the year. To support this, the Strategy proposes a Council Recommendation on Balanced Tourism together with an EU Toolbox for Balanced Tourism. The Toolbox will help destinations, based on best practices across the Union and practical solutions, find the right balance between visitor demand at a given place and time and the capacity of the destination, through common solutions that can be adapted to local and cross-border contexts. This includes promoting year-round tourism, improving connectivity, strengthening the appeal of lesser-known destinations, and drawing on shared approaches and principles, including on short-term rentals.

5. How will the Strategy make tourism more sustainable and resilient?

The Strategy aims to make tourism more sustainable by changing how tourism development is pursued. Overall, international tourism is expected to keep expanding strongly. Though this creates jobs, innovation, and regional development, the benefits will only last if destinations can cope with the pressure on infrastructure, natural resources and local communities. Therefore, the Commission encourages destinations to steer growth carefully and smartly, to ensure that visitors are spread more evenly across seasons and regions by providing a practical EU Toolbox for Balanced Tourism with best practice examples. This way, the benefits are shared more fairly, concentration is reduced, and ecosystems are protected.

Cruise tourism is another area where growth needs to be managed carefully. Cruises bring visitors and economic activity to port cities and coastal regions, but large numbers of passengers arriving at the same time can put heavy pressure on local infrastructure, the environment, and residents. This is why the Commission will launch a Cruise Cooperation Dialogue, bringing together Member States, regional and local authorities, industry stakeholders and civil society.

At the same time, the Strategy strengthens the resilience of the tourism sector. Geopolitical crises can affect travel confidence, international connectivity, transport costs, and visitor flows in uneven ways. For example, destinations near conflict areas may suffer from security perceptions even when they remain safe to visit. European tourism has shown considerable resilience, but these events underline the need for stronger preparedness and adaptability. Crisis preparedness has recently been strengthened by the Climate Resilience Framework. The Strategy proposes a Crisis Coordination Network to better coordinate between tourism authorities in responding to crises.

6. What is Destination Europe, and why does Europe need it?

Europe is the most visited destination in the world, but it is also competing for international visitors against large, well-resourced destinations that present themselves under a single, instantly recognisable identity. Individual countries and regions, however strong their own brands, often find it difficult to stand out on their own in distant markets. Destination Europe responds to this by providing a common branding framework that raises the visibility and attractiveness of Europe to international travellers as a whole, building on the continent's diversity, which is one of its greatest strengths.

The Destination Europe framework works alongside national and regional promotion rather than replacing it. Member States and regions retain their distinct identities and remain in charge of their own branding and promotional strategies. Since the framework is developed in close cooperation with Member States, regions, and tourism stakeholders, it reflects their needs and priorities and is shaped by those using it. Destination Europe builds on existing market analysis, past and ongoing campaigns, and the achievements of the European Capitals of Tourism. The Strategy aims at revitalising this award, almost ten years since the first winners were crowned (Helsinki and Lyon in 2019).

International cooperation is also about global partnerships on tourism, including with new, dedicated EU Tourism Dialogues and Fora, such as the ones with Central Asia, India and Japan. The Commission will also sign a new Cooperation Framework with UN Tourism to join forces on supporting the competitiveness, sustainability and resilience of tourism.

7. Is there EU funding available for tourism? How can tourism businesses, especially SMEs, access support?

Under the current Multiannual Financial Framework (2021–2027 MFF), the EU leverages budget guarantees for private funding/investments and direct grants to fund sustainable tourism, culture, and heritage. By the end of the period, at least EUR 18 billion in EU support is expected to have benefited the sector, mainly through the RRF (around EUR 13 billion) and Cohesion Policy instruments (around EUR 4 billion).

The EU Tourism Platform features a regularly updated Guide on EU Funding for Tourism and a practical toolkit with a "dos and don'ts" to help SMEs identify and apply for funding. Tourism stakeholders and SMEs can also find tailored advisory at Enterprise Europe Network.

Looking ahead, the upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework (2028–2034 MFF) offers an integrated and transversal funding perspective, with several EU programmes and instruments available to support tourism. Efforts should focus on combining private investment and financial instruments to boost the tourism sector's competitiveness, sustainability, and resilience. A shared policy strategy will also help reinforce regional and national efforts. The Commission will continue to maintain regularly updated guidance for tourism SMEs on accessing funding and to support Member States and regions in designing tourism-related investments and reforms.

8. How will the Strategy address skills shortages and support people working in tourism?

To address skills shortages, the Strategy proposes setting up an EU Tourism Academy to provide the crucial training and talent development needed. The Academy will be supported by a network of national tourism institutes, universities, vocational training institutes, and other relevant stakeholders that will develop and pool training content and learning programmes. However, the causes of labour shortages are not limited to a lack of skills. They are also linked to working conditions, career progression, and relatively low wages. The Commission is currently carrying out a study on working conditions in tourism and transport. The findings will be presented in 2028.

9. How will transport policy support more sustainable, accessible and seamless tourism across Europe?

Transport is the foundation of tourism: visitors can only enjoy a destination if they can reach it, move around it, and continue their journey with ease. For this reason, connectivity is a key element in the Strategy to boost the tourism sector's competitiveness, along with support for SMEs, digitalisation, and skills. At present, barriers such as fragmented ticketing and patchy cross-border car rental services limit what Europe can offer. These gaps concentrate visitors in a few well-connected hotspots and make travel harder for people with reduced mobility. The EU's transport policy addresses these gaps through measures on rail, aviation, rental cars, and ticketing, so that travelling across Europe becomes simpler, more integrated, and more reliable.

The Strategy will support measures to improve rail connections, and will also address aviation connectivity, notably through a revision of the Air Services Regulation. Action on cross-border car rental and better ticketing solutions will make travel across Europe easier and more seamless. It also promotes alternative types of travel, including by bicycle and walking.

Particular attention will be given to islands and to coastal and remote regions, where better links are essential for accessibility and economic development. By enhancing transport-related infrastructure, including ports, marinas, and train stations, these measures will benefit both destinations and tourism businesses, while helping spread the benefits of tourism more widely across the Union.

10. How will the Strategy strengthen cooperation between Member States, regions, local authorities, the private sector, and other tourism stakeholders?

The EU plans to strengthen cooperation in tourism through an EU Tourism Alliance: an umbrella partnership that brings together Member States, regions, local authorities, EU institutions, private-sector representatives, and civil society.  The Alliance is designed to streamline existing EU coordination and expert groups, while giving a voice to national, regional and local interests as well as to tourism enterprises.

Its role will be to jointly ensure the implementation of the Strategy and organise flexible workstreams that can adapt to the sector's changing priorities. The Alliance will also include an online community forum, open to interested stakeholders and hosted on the EU Tourism Platform.

For more information

Press release