The tourism market needs data sharing obligations, MEP Josianne Cutajar said. The Socialists and Democrats MEP spoke during the Tourism Task force meeting with experts to discuss Creating the Tourism Data space.

The Tourism Task force is highly aware of the role data will play in the future tourism market, especially since the pandemic accelerated digitilization in an unprecedented manner, Cutajar said. However, she noted, this was a positive.

"It gave the sector the push it needed," she said.

"Fascinating technology is being put forward for the sector from the now abundant use of contactless technology for travel and check-ins, to more sophisticated AI systems managing tourism flow by collecting data from sensors placed at a destination," Cutajar added.

This means that the way we experience tourism will transform, Cutajar noted, adding that virtual and augmented reality will be applied to give the tourist a full immersive experience and robotics will become the norm in hotels.

However, all technology will run on data and the tourism data space will be a game changer in providing the data needed, she said.

The tourism sector is mainly composed of small and medium enterprises, traditionally not endowed with the means or the knowledge to reap the benefit of the data they produce, she said. Therefore, the tourism data space needs to ensure it is fair, equitable and socially just.

"Lastly, there will be no data space without data sharing. We are all aware that the market tends to see data, produced by many, concentrates in the hands of few," Cutajar said.

In 2020, tourism in the European Union fell by 52 per cent due to Covid-19 travel restrictions and lockdowns.

Eurostat figures showed an unprecedented drop, leading the statistics agency to note that "tourism was among the sectors most affected by the Covid-19 pandemic".

Greece, Cyprus and Malta, all Mediterranean countries favoured for seaside vacations, were the worst hit, seeing a drop of 70 per cent.

In Northern Europe, the Netherlands and Denmark had a more moderate 35 per cent fall.

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