EU launches tourism portal

Europe as a whole is being marketed as a tourist destination and the European Union this week launched its first tourism portal (www.visiteurope.com) during an informal ministerial meeting of EU tourism ministers in Vienna.

Under the heading "Tourism - key for growth and jobs in Europe", ministers debated aspects linked to growth and jobs and strategies to implement for promoting business in the tourism sector.

The conference was organised under the auspices of the Austrian Presidency in collaboration with Finland, which will take over the presidency on July 1, and the European Commission.

Ministers tackled various initiatives recently adopted by the European Commission to enhance the partnership for tourism in Europe including the need for more policy co-ordination and to make sure that policy initiatives affecting tourism do not stall development.

The Austrian Tourism Minister, Martin Bartenstein, who was chairing the meeting, said that tourism is one of the most important economic sectors, as well as one of the most dynamic and most attractive and increasingly considered as a driving force for growth and jobs.

In 2002 European ministers adopted a specific resolution on tourism that called for more control and monitoring of the impact of European legislation on tourism, as well as for promoting Europe as a priority tourist destination. The resolution also called on member states to do more to promote this economically promising sector.

Last year in Malta the Commission unveiled the strategy sought to adopt for developing the tourism sector in member states in respect of national legislation.

Commissioner Gunter Verheugen, who is responsible for industry, pointed out the priorities presented in Malta and which had been formally adopted in the meantime. He said that the Commission's view is that although Europe is the most visited region in the world, the quality of international tourists visiting it is lower than the world average.

The Commission also highlighted the importance of taking into account in the strategies being devised, decisive factors such as globalisation, demographic change and transport development, as well as increasing competition from other world destinations, notably Asia.

Mr Verheugen stated, "we need to do more to keep our competitive edge. Our proposals add European value to the efforts by member states. They will help to promote the EU as unique tourism destination in a more effective and co-ordinated way."

Malta's Tourism Minister Francis Zammit Dimech attended the conference.