Hotel Accommodation

The impact of politics upon the hospitality and tourism sector is dramatic. Almost unlimited are the ways in which governments influence the de­livery of hospitality and tourism products, whether through regulation of commerce, business and real estate development initiatives, cultural and historic preservation strategies, and taxation policies. Gov­ernments may also be involved in spending pub­lic funds on the promotion of attractions that are privately owned and operated.

The hospitality sector includes  Accommodation and Food Service Activities. Accommodation, includes hotels and similar accommodation, holiday and other short-stay accommodation, camping grounds, recreational vehicle parks and trailer parks and other accommodation. Food and beverage service activities, includes restaurants and mobile food service activities, event catering and other food service activities and beverage serving activities?

Economic Contribution - Jobs, Growth and Taxes

Here below is the list by Member States of MEPs with an interest (explicit or implicit) in tourism matters. They may Full Members or Substitutes of the EP Transport and Tourism Committee or they may belong to the EP Tourism Intergroup.

Full Members by Country

Austria

1. Georg MAYER, Europe of Nations and Freedom Group
2. Claudia SCHMIDT, EPP

Czech Republic

1. Pavel TELICKA, ALDE

Finland

1. Merja KYLLÖNEN, Conf. Group of the European Left-Nordic Green Left

France

Commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska set out her 8 Priorities for the future European Tourism Strategy. Among the 8 Priorities is ‘the improvement of the governance structure both within the EU institutions and within the industry’

 Yet, the term ‘Governance’ is absent from the recent report on Tourism submitted by Isabella De Monte (Italy) subject to discussion in the plenary at the end of October.

Governance entails a guidance process that is institutionally and technically structured, that is, based on principles, norms, procedures and practices to collectively decide about common goals for coexistence and about how to coordinate and cooperate for the achievement of decided objectives. While there is no clear definition of what governance in the tourism sector consists of, it can be paraphrased as follows: a process of conducting coordinated activities among public, private and social actors in the “tourism system” to create synergies.

The Chatham House Rule reads as follows:

When a meeting, or part thereof, is held under the Chatham House Rule, participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of any other participant, may be revealed.

The EU needs an Act declaring a policy for tourism as an engine of investment, employment, growth and Member States' Development.

Declaration of Policy: The EU would declare tourism as an indispensable element of the European economy and an industry of interest and importance, which must be harnessed as an engine of socio-economic growth and cultural affirmation to generate investment, revenues and employment, and to continue to mold an enhanced sense of national pride for all EU citizens.

 Towards this end, the EU would seek to:

Tourism is one of the EU’s most valuable industries! Tourism translates into jobs and it translates into economic growth! When considering how the EU can recover economically and create jobs, it is important to recognize the opportunities presented by the tourism sector!