Several business and political leaders gathered at the ‘Destination Europe’ summit, an act of collaboration organized by the European Travel Commission, Booking and ‘Euronews’.
The guests at the ‘Destination Europe’ summit have discussed this week, the future of the tourism sector, with the aim of balance growthgovernment regulation and investment so that the sector is sustainable.
Miguel Sanz, president of the European Travel Commission, took the stage in Brussels after an introduction by Meabh McMahon, from ‘Euronews’, where he stressed the importance of trips for the “lifestyle, culture and connectivity” of Europe.
Sanz talked about the effect of digitalization in the travel sector and defended the need to reserve more attractions and destinations online. After presenting Europe as “the world’s favorite destination,” Sanz said that the region must strive to maintain its competitive advantage.
However, the president stressed the risks that a large number of visitors entail: “Excessive tourism is exerting pressure on infrastructure, housing costs and local communities,” he said.
Tourist investment and strategy for 2026
Apostols tzitzikostasEuropean Commissioner for Sustainable Transportation and Tourism, reaffirmed the importance of tourism for Europe, describing it as “Economic Growth Motor, Employment Creation and Social Development.” The Greek politician presented the new EU tourism strategy by 2026, which will focus on the following aspects: adaptation to climate and sustainability financing; The digital transformation of SMEs, including the adoption of AI, and investment in infrastructure and visitors management
Tzitzikostas emphasized that small and medium enterprises – which, according to the commissioner, constitute the backbone of the European tourism sector – should know how to access financing opportunities to remain competitive. In addition, he pointed out how the European Commission has committed to simplify financing programs. “We have to simplify things, and we will,” he said.
Booking CEO warns that excess regulation hinders competitiveness
Glenn Fogel, CEO of Booking.com, expressed concern about the normative obstacles that slow down the competitiveness of Europe.
Fogel also referred to excessive tourism, suggesting that some destinations may need to explore pricing mechanisms to control the number of visitors, but stressed that governments – and not private companies – should lead this issue.
“As economies grow, excessive tourism will go worse,” he warned, emphasizing destinations such as Paris, Amsterdam and Venice.
New business models and income strategies
A panel in which executives of the sector and political leaders participated explored alternative income models for tourism management. Nikolina Brnjac, a member of the European Parliament, stressed the need to improve destinations management plans, citing housing scarcity and pressures on infrastructure derived from short -term rentals. He highlighted how Croatia has introduced a tourist tax on visitors of a day to relieve congestion.
Daniel Attard, another parliamentarian of the S&D group, stressed that local communities must participate in tourism decision making, since not all regions welcome mass tourism.
Magda Kopczynska, director of Mobility and Transportation of the European Commission, spoke of the transition in the aviation industry towards sustainable fuels, noting that, although there are alternative fuels, high costs and production limitations stop their adoption.
For his part, Olivier Jankovec, director of ACI Europe, advocated greater EU support to the adoption of sustainable fuels in aviation To ensure that Europe does not depend on energy imports.
Travel demand reaches historical maximums
George Simon, Market Development Manager for Europe in Mastercard, highlighted in a presentation that 2024 was a record year for travelwith 7.4 billion consumers traveling all over the world. In particular, 83% of Chinese travelers surveyed expressed their desire to visit Europe, which reinforces the lasting appeal of the continent, but also arouses concern about the pressure on the most important tourist areas.
The new travel trends indicate that leisure stays are lengthening, with an average trip that lasts two more dayswhich benefits local economies. In addition, the manager highlighted the “elevator” effect, in which events such as the Taylor Swift tour promoted the economies throughout Europe and, consequently, underlined the power of the organization of this type of event in different destinations.
ADVERTISINGResponsible Management of Tourism Growth
The last round table focused on tourism management strategies. Sandra Carvao, Directive of A tourism And responsible for market intelligence, policies and competitiveness, stressed the importance of measuring community perceptions, noting that reference data are crucial to address seasonality problems and ensure that tourism remains also positive for local populations.
Paul Kelly, CEO of Fáilte Ireland, highlighted the high approval rates of tourism in Ireland, where both the local population and national interested parties maintain a positive attitude towards the sector. Kelly stressed the need for continuous commitment to communities to Maintain tourism development in line with local interests.
As for demographic changes, Kelly referred to “silver tourism”, highlighting the growing market for travelers over 55 years and the need for the sector to adapt infrastructure and services accordingly.
Political and infrastructure challenges
Sérgio Gonçalves, deputy of the European Parliament (S&D), echoed concerns about excessive tourism and sustainability, and pointed out that Madeira faces similar challenges to those of other popular destinations.
ADVERTISING“A great destination is only if it also offers a high quality of life to its inhabitants,” Gonçalves said, emphasizing the need for solid tourism infrastructures and policies. The Eurodiputa proposed Reduce airport rates and expand out -season events as possible strategies to distribute visitors trafficking more balanced throughout the year.
Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) was another key challenge for island destinations, and Gonçalves stressed the need for better energy storage solutions and the importance of EU support to increase SAF production.
Marlène Bartès, responsible for the tourist policy of the European Commission, warned of the danger of using tourism as a scapegoat of broader problems, such as housing scarcity, and urged to adopt a balanced approach that learns from the regions that experience an excess of tourism.
The private sector asks for changes
Zina Bencheikh, director for EMEA of Intrepid Travel, said that European tourist infrastructure does not currently fit sustainable business models. The businesswoman stressed the need for Structural changes that guarantee long -term viability, especially for SMEs dependent on high season income To survive out of season. “The European tourist structure has been built in a way that does not fit our lifestyle,” he said.
ADVERTISINGBencheikh also pointed out that care for travelers over 55 is the fastest growing segment for Intrepid Travel.
Looking to the future: a more sustainable future
In his closing speech, Eduardo Santander, director of the European Travel Commission, thanked the attendees of his ideas and stressed the importance of collaboration to shape the future of tourism.
“This impulse cannot be wasted. It must encourage us to create a more sustainable tourist landscape,” he said. “We want to be the best, not only in sustainability, but in accessibility and in all aspects of tourism.”
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