PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCACY OF TRAVEL AGENTS AND TOUR OPERATORS

The Group of National Travel Agents’ and Tour Operators’ Associations within the EU, in short ECTAA is the voice of European travel agents and tour operators. It aims to monitor all relevant legislative and non-legislative initiatives, inform and consult its Members and represent their interests vis-à-vis European Union institutions and international organizations. ECTAA's activities are concentrated on the EU policies, which may have an impact on tourism. ECTAA acts in addition with other instances that have an impact on the industry in Europe.

ECTAA monitors and takes action on the numerous European legislations on transport and on the rules of the distribution system.

The European legislation on consumer protection is of particular interest for the Members of ECTAA, since in the course of their business, they conclude contracts with consumers on a daily basis. In this respect, Directive 90/314 on package travel, package holidays and package tours is the main legislation for the Members of the association.

While the European Union does not have direct competency for a European tourism policy, many legislations, measures and activities directly impact on the trade and the traveling public.

ECTAA closely monitors all developments in respect of the VAT legislation and any other fiscal matters directly affecting the business of travel agents and tour operators. The Internal Market offers numerous opportunities for the Members of ECTAA, who can take advantage of the freedom of establishment and of the freedom to provide services provided for in the EC Treaty. Therefore, ECTAA closely monitors the development of the European legislation in this area

ECTAA aims to create the best possible conditions to ensure that destinations worldwide are able to thrive whilst also being sustainable. It also aims to minimise the barriers which prevent the free movement of people (through taxes, visas, charges, etc.) as they also have an indirect impact on sustainable development, the promotion of goods and best practice planning.

ECTAA- Group of National Travel Agents’ and Tour Operators’ Associations within the EU

• ÖRV- Österreichischer Reisebüroverband/Association of Austrian Travel Agents (Austria)
• WKO- Fachverband der Reisebüros (Austria)
• FIT/FTI- Fédération de l’Industrie du Tourisme/Federatie van de Toeristische Industrie (Belgium). Members include ABTO (Association of Belgian Tour Operators) ; FBAA (Fédération Belge des Exploitants d’Autobus et d’Autocars) ; BTO (Belgian Travel Organization) ; and VLARA (Vlaamse Associatie van Reisaegnten).
• ABTAA- Association of Bulgarian Tour Operators and Travel Agents (Bulgaria)
• UHPA- Association of Croatian Travel Agencies (Croatia)
• ACTA-Association of Cyprus Travel Agents (Cyprus)
• ACCKA-Asociace Ceskych Cestovnich Kancelari a Agentur (Czech Republic)
  DRF -Danmarks Rejsebureau Forening / The Association of Danish Travel Agents and Tour Operators (Denmark)
  ETFL-Estonian Association of Travel Agents (Estonia)
• SMAL -Suomen matkatoimistoalan liitto / The Association of Finnish Travel Agents (Finland)
  SNAV-Syndicat National des Agences de Voyages (France)
  DRV- Deustcher Reiseverband (Germany)
• HATTA- Hellenic Association of Travel and Tourist Agencies (Greece)
• MUISZ-Association of Hungarian Travel Agencies (Hungary)
• ITAA -Irish Travel Agents Association (Ireland)
  FIAVET -Federazione Italiana Associazioni Imprese Viaggi e Turismo (Italy)
  ALTA-Association of Latvian Travel Agents (Latvia)
• FATTA-Federation of Associations of Travel & Tourism Agents (Malta)
• CTU- Montenegro Tourism Association (Montenegro)
• ANVR- Algemenen Nederlands Verbond van Reisondernemingen (Netherlands)
• VIRKE-The Norwegian Travel Trade Association (Norway)
• PIT- Polska Izba Turystyki (Poland)
  APAVT -Associação Portuguesa das Agências de Viagens e Turismo (Portugal)
• ANAT -Asociatia Nationala A Agentiilor De Turism (Romania)
  YUTA- National Association of Travel Agencies (Serbia)
• SACKA -Slovak Association of Travel Agents (Slovakia)
• ZTAS-Združenje turističnih agencij Slovenije, g.i.z. (Slovenia)
• AEDAVE -Associación Empresarial de Agencias de Viajes Españolas (Spain)
• ACAV -Associació Catalana d’Agencies de Viatges (Spain)
• SRF -Svenska Resebyråföreningen / Association of Swedish Travel Agents (Sweden)
• SRV-Schweizerrischer Reisebüro-Verband (Switzerland)
• ABTA - The Travel Association (United Kingdom)

Guild of European Business Travel Agents (GEBTA)

GEBTA, the Guild of European Business Travel Agents, represents the travel management industry with some 300 major travel management companies generating a significant part of the business travel sales in Europe. Business travel is a major contributor to the European economy, accounting for some 175€ billion . TMCs account for a significant portion of business travel bookings.