European Parliament approves € 330M support for sustainable tourism

The European Parliament adopted a budget line for sustainable tourism worth € 330 million over a seven-year period under the post-2020 multiannual financial framework.

MEP (Member of the European Parliament) Cláudia Monteiro de Aguiar welcomes this approval, saying it is "an unprecedented funding" for sustainable tourism. "It is a victory because it is unprecedented financial support for a sector which is the third most important activity in the European Union. In order for tourism destinations to have quality and sustainability, concrete measures are needed to help companies meet the challenges they face today. It must be remembered that Tourism employs around 17 million people and contributes to around 10% of the GDP of the European bloc," said MEP. Who is also president of the European Tourism Group at SME Europe, an organization representing Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in the EU ".

Now approved, the report then goes to the European Council, made up of the governments of the Member States. "I hope that the Council will do the will of the European Parliament and create this funding that benefits this important sector for Portugal and Europe," continued Cláudia Monteiro de Aguiar, who also recalled the report in which she was co-rapporteur, approved in October of 2015, entitled 'New Challenges and Ideas for the Promotion of Tourism in Europe', and where he presented for the first time the present proposal, together with Spanish MEPs.