The focus should be on adopting concrete measures to jointly overcome the obstacles to the growth of the tourism industry so that Europe remains the world's leading tourist destination.
CLIA Europe, the association representing the cruise industry and employing approximately 340,000 people in Europe, today welcomes the inaugural conference of the EU Pan-European Dialogue between cruise operators, ports, and coastal tourism stakeholders. CLIA Europe has emphasized that the focus must be on concrete measures to overcome the obstacles to the growth of the tourism industry together, so that Europe remains the world's leading tourist destination.
Pierfrancesco Vago, president of CLIA Europe and executive chairman of MSC Cruises, explained how the cruise industry has long insisted on the creation of a permanent and structured discussion forum that would bring together the cruise industry, ports, and regional and local tourism stakeholders.
“Today I would like to thank the European Commission for making the Pan-European Dialogue a reality. This important step will help foster contact and collaboration between stakeholders and will show us how we can work together on challenges and opportunities,” Vago stated.
The CLIA president has presented arguments to promote changes at EU level in favor of the tourism industry with the aim of increasing its contribution to the European economic recovery, especially in coastal areas that have been hit particularly hard by the crisis.
“The cruise industry is already an essential part of the European economic recovery, and with more support from national and European regulators, we could do much better. The launch of the Pan-European Dialogue is evidence of change. But change must continue if Europe is to maintain its position as the world’s leading tourist destination.”.
Vago also outlined the priority challenges this initiative should address, including the need to implement current environmental legislation in a harmonious manner, restructure visa procedures, invest in coastal infrastructure, and improve port facilities.
“The European Commission has provided us with a framework within which we can now all work together to address these and other challenges, as well as to maximize opportunities. Even so, the success of this initiative will be demonstrated by the benefits it generates, in the form of concrete steps to overcome these obstacles to growth,” Vago concluded.
