This month, the European Commission (EC) released a new communication toolkit to help stakeholders promote sustainable tourism on the continent.
The toolkit is part of the Commission’s ongoing effort to develop sustainable tourism. In February 2022, the EC published its Transition Pathway for Tourism, a 49-page document examining how European communities can transition to a tourism model that’s green, digital, and resilient.
The EC later launched its “Sustainable EU Tourism – Shaping the Tourism of Tomorrow” project, scheduled to run from December 2023 to December 2025. The project seeks to identify challenges, develop best practices, and establish a “peer-to-peer twinning mechanism” to foster collaboration among tourist destinations.
According to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the efforts to promote sustainable tourism reflect Europe’s leadership on a global scale. In a 2024 open letter written to Apostolos Tzitzikostas, the EU’s Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, von der Leyen wrote, “In a time of great global instability and great expectations of Europeans, we must… deliver and lead from the front, working closely with the people and regions of Europe and the parliaments, governments and institutions that serve them.”
A Recent History of Tourism-Related Challenges
The new toolkit arrives as some governments are actively discouraging tourism as a last resort against ecological and cultural damage. In July, Greece instituted a “cruise tax” that visitors must pay when they disembark at ports in the Greek islands, in part due to water shortages. Venice has also begun charging a 5€ access fee, while Barcelona plans to phase out short-term rentals by 2028.
But limiting tourism is an expensive proposition. According to a recent report by the World Travel & Tourism Council, capping tourism could cost Europe $245 billion in GDP and $122 billion in tax revenue. The report also predicts the tourism sector would lose 2.9 million jobs.
The promotion of sustainable tourism gives European communities a way to limit the ecological and social harms from tourism without abandoning the economic benefits. And in the push to green the tourism industry, city governments are taking the lead.
Defining Sustainable Tourism
Greening the tourism sector is a major priority for Europe — unsurprisingly, given both the size of the tourism industry and its significant contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. According to a recent academic article published by Taylor and Francis Online, Europe accounts for 51% of all international tourism arrivals, while tourism accounts for 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions. That means reducing travelers’ carbon footprints could have a substantial impact on the wider climate fight.
In a past publication, the European Commission defined sustainable tourism as “tourism that leads to the management of all resources in such a way that economic, social, and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, biological diversity, and life support systems.”
This is a broad definition that encompasses a range of goals beyond simply reducing emissions or protecting natural environments. In fact, the inclusion of social and economic concerns displays an understanding of Europe’s reliance on the tourism industry. The EC’s objective isn’t necessarily to curtail tourism, but to reduce its environmental impact.
Messaging Assistance for Tourist Destinations
Rather than simply stating values or objectives, the sustainable tourism toolkit gives communities materials they can use to change the way tourism is practiced.
Take, for example, the toolkit’s “Sustainable Tourism Infographic.” It features a “Checklist for the Responsible Traveler,” encouraging best practices like reducing waste, traveling off-season, and using green transportation. Each checklist item can also be downloaded as its own infographic.
The toolkit also includes social media message templates that communities can post on their own accounts. For example, a suggested Facebook post reads, “Promoting cultural awareness and respect among travellers helps create more inclusive, welcoming tourism experiences.
Be mindful of local cultures, customs and environments. Let’s travel with curiosity and care.” These messages, while generic, allow municipal governments to promote sustainable tourism directly to travelers.
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Best Practices, Case Studies, and Contact Info for Collaboration
The toolkit’s “Best Practices” factsheet is another highly valuable resource. It provides 50 case studies from different European tourist destinations, showing how each community addressed a key challenge with an efficient, replicable solution.
For example, the factsheet explains how Gothenburg, Sweden, sought to “change consumer preferences towards more sustainability.” To make this happen, the local Destination Management Organisation (DMO) worked to incentivize sustainable certifications for hotels while providing free training and capacity building.
Another case study focuses on Turin, Italy, which wanted to increase the size of its tourism sector as the local auto industry faded. Among other pro-tourism changes, the city has developed a network of green spaces and walking/biking paths. The local DMO has also partnered with Outdooractive App to digitise trail offerings and enhance accessibility for tourists. Together, these moves represent the mix of public and private initiatives at the intersection of tech and sustainability — a model that the EC thinks other communities could follow.
In addition to explaining how each destination is pursuing its sustainability goals, the factsheet provides links to relevant local websites, a breakdown of “results and impacts,” and explicit recommendations that other destinations can follow. Each entry also includes the email address of a relevant contact person, allowing other European communities to reach out for direct guidance.
Due to these features, the EC’s new toolkit is a vehicle for cross-continental collaboration.
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed here by the authors are their own, not those of Impakter.com — In the Cover Photo: An aerial view of Split, Croatia. Cover Photo Credit: Spencer Davis
