3 / 24
2017
|
2018 HOTREC ANNUAL REPORT
|
3
“I
fully
support
the
European hospitality and
tourism sector, and high-
light the good cooperation
with HOTREC […] for the
role played in shaping the
future of European tourism
to the best interest of its
businesses.”
Dear readers,
I am pleased to have the opportunity to address you in this foreword to the
HOTREC 2017/2018 Annual Report.
Tourism is a very important sector, because it is a way to transmit our
immense cultural heritage. Our continent is the world’s crown jewel, with
its unique historical, cultural and creative heritage, landscape and nature.
Over the next 10 years, tourism can create more than 5 million new jobs,
not least because the number of tourists is set to double to more than 2
billion. Europe must not let this opportunity pass by. Through the growth
of tourism, we can offer real prospects for the new generations and boost
strategic sectors of the economy, such as transport, trade, luxury goods,
shipbuilding, construction, agri-foodstuffs and the cultural and creative
industries.
I am convinced that we need a comprehensive European strategy to
enhance the competitiveness of the industry vis-à-vis the international
market. Such a strategy would put the EU budget at the service of this
critical economic sector. For Europe to play its role in full, we need a
specific heading on Tourism in the upcoming multiannual budget. This can
be the basis of pan-European projects exploiting the European synergies
on tourism.
European synergies could channel more investment on innovation
to renew and innovate facilities and destinations. We need to invest
not only in infrastructures but also in people, which remain the most
important asset of this industry. We need to step up training facilities to
be commensurate with the needs of the market. The industry is having
difficulties finding the right skills, which can be as varied as one can
imagine. Targeted and constantly updated vocational training is therefore
vital to the competitiveness of the industry and to its ability to create new
jobs.
We need to manage the digital revolution for this to translate into a fair
change for all society. Digital progress has to work also for the hoteliers
and the restaurateurs and not only for the big multinational web-based
companies.
Finally, we must see that the strength of the European Union works also
for this sector, including by promoting Europe as a destination in the world.
We cannot just wait for this to happen by itself. We must work to improve
our competitiveness and our skills, to face the challenges of digitalisation
and to promote Europe as the world’s number one tourist destination.
I therefore fully support the European hospitality and tourism sector,
and highlight the good cooperation with HOTREC, as one of the main
representatives of the EU tourism industry, for the role played in shaping
the future of European tourism to the best interest of its businesses.
FOREWORD BY MR. ANTONIO TAJANI,
PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT