Busuttil rapporteur on sustainable tourism in the Med

MEP Simon Busuttil has been appointed rapporteur on sustainable tourism in the Mediterranean region for the Economic Committee of the Euro-Med Parliamentary Assembly (Empa).

His report will evaluate the current status of tourism in the Mediterranean region and the challenges faced by the industry. It will also come up with specific proposals to support the industry and improve its sustainability.

The report will tackle issues such as tourism infrastructure and environmental stress as well as niche sectors such as the cruise liner industry.

"The challenges that the tourism industry in the Mediterranean is facing cannot be overcome if each country is going it alone, Dr Busuttil said.

"Mediterranean countries are increasingly becoming interdependent as the actions of one may affect the others. We therefore need to foster a holistic policy on tourism in the Mediterranean, where all partner countries work in synergy towards common goals." he said.

The report will be discussed in the Economic Committee's meeting in February and submitted for final approval at the next plenary meeting of the Empa that is due to be held in March next year.

Empa is the parliamentary dimension of the Union for the Mediterranean. It brings together the national parliaments of EU Member States and other Mediterranean partners countries as well as the European Parliament.