Once the COVID-19 pandemic is over, the tourism sector will require a European crisis management mechanism to regain its strength, a statement issued by the Labour Party said.

Josianne Cutajar, together with her colleagues within the Tourism Task Force in the European Parliament, is lobbying for this solution with the Presidents of the EU institutions and the 27 Tourism Ministers across Europe, who will be meeting early next week.

It is estimated that over six million jobs within the tourism sector are at risk due to the current situation, over and above the fact that tourism and travel make up 10% of the EU’s gross domestic product. For Mediterranean states like Malta, this number is considerably higher.

For this reason, Cutajar and her colleagues within the Task Force have just sent a letter to each European Minister responsible for tourism to ask for their support towards the creation of a Euroepan crisis management mechanism for the tourism industry, as soon as possible.

“If we establish a European mechanism for this industry, member states will have a support system for their national incentives, funded by the European Monetary Fund,” stated Cutajar.

The MEP discussed this solution with Tourism and Consumer Protection Minister Julia Farrugia Portelli, who stated that Malta supported the creation of an EU coordinated strategy to assist the tourism industry in the midst of the ongoing crisis. She also emphasised that such strategy would have to be sensitive to the realities and needs of all Member States. Financing programs from the EU will also be crucial for Governments to mitigate the crisis, as well as to stimulate the economy.

In this area, Malta is unique, since its economy is tourism-based, and wholely dependent on aviation.
This initiative follows another one by Cutajar, in addressing the needs of these sectors. In the past weeks, the MEP has also called for a sensible solution to the issue of cancelled trips due to imposed restrictions.
Cutajar is working towards a system which protects consumer rights, while at the same time giving breathing space to airlines and operators in the refunding of cancelled trips.