That the COVID-19 pandemic has deeply affected the travel industry is no breaking news, and is definitely no surprise. We have been discouraged from leaving our homes, let alone our countries, so it is natural that an industry dependent on mobility has been dealt a heavy blow. Although restrictions are gradually lifted, the remaining ones directly affect tourism, so it is likely that this industry will feel the effects of COVID-19 for years to come.
As legislators, I believe we are duty-bound to lighten this burden as much as possible: not just for big businesses, such as airlines and cruise liner operators, but especially for our SMEs, as well as for the thousands of workers in this sector. 10% of the European Union’s Gross Domestic Product rests on tourism, and in nations like Malta, this figure is considerably higher.
It is clear that we all wish for a thriving industry, which gives us and our families economic opportunities and jobs. Nonetheless, we would be remiss if we ignored the fact that mass tourism also brought about considerable downsides. From the massive strain on our infrastructure, overcrowding, congestion, and the environmental concerns around air travel, our previous ways of travel were simply unsustainable.
I am certain that I am not alone in saying that during the peak of the pandemic, we have all felt a difference without these factors. Why not, then, build a new travel model mitigating the negative impacts caused by unsustainable mass tourism?
The EU’s response to the blow dealt by COVID-19 should not, therefore, simply focus on recovery. Now is the time to also focus on regeneration, and resilience. In the European Parliament, I am calling for a plan that aids businesses and workers, but also encourages new, more sustainable ways of travel. Above all, I am calling for a plan that future proofs the industry by introducing resilient instruments such as a Crisis Management Mechanism in tourism.
During this week’s plenary session, we have voted on a crucial resolution in this regard, which was largely based on the Socialist position. I was satisfied to note that many of the proposals that I worked on with my TRAN Committee and Tourism Task Force colleagues, are reflected in the final resolution. At the heart of this resolution lies the principle of sustainability in tourism, complemented by a comprehensive, long-term European Tourism Strategy. For this strategy to be effective, it must recognise and analyse the impact which the pandemic has had on the industry, and propose short and long-term measures to ensure that should another crisis occur, be it medical or otherwise, we would not be unprepared. I also firmly believe that the European Recovery Plan should include specific financial aid for each Member State’s tourism sector, based on how economically dependent that state is on the industry.
Whilst there were positive steps forward in the field, we have much left to do. In many aspects, the Union’s response could only be soft, so as not to interfere with the states’ competences in the sector. However, this pandemic has shown us that a coordinated approach based on solidarity among states is the positive way forward. Common Assessment Criteria on safe travel corridors, for instance, would instil greater confidence in the public, and incentivise travel once restrictions are lifted. The RE-OPEN EU initiative, an online space hosted by the European Commission, is an excellent measure in this sense, since it gathers the present medical and regulatory conditions for each EU Member State. Fact-based information will be crucial to fight the pandemic’s longer lasting effects.
The medical crisis may be mostly behind us, but the social and economic one is certainly not. We need to have a serious debate on the digitalisation of the sector, the reskilling of workers, and novel ways of travelling, both for business and pleasure. In short, we need to come together to create a new tourism model – stronger, and resilient in the face of crisis.
Josianne Cutajar is a Labour MEP