The European Commission has  presented its new strategy to support coastal and maritime tourism in Europe. Recognising the sector’s potential for sustainable growth and job creation, the strategy outlines 14 actions to help coastal regions and businesses tackle the challenges they face and strengthen the sector’s position as a key driver of Europe’s blue economy.

Despite its undoubted potential, the sector faces a number of challenges which the strategy seeks to address. These include gaps in data and knowledge, volatile demand, high seasonality, a lack of adequate skills and innovation, and difficulties accessing financing. The actions in the strategy unveiled today focus on helping the sector overcome these obstacles and create an environment conducive to investment and sustainable growth.

Vice-President of the European Commission and European Commissioner for Industry, Entrepreneurship and Tourism, Antonio Tajani said: “I consider Tourism a fundamental economic leverage for growth in Europe, around which to build dedicated, consistent and integrated policies. A targeted strategy on coastal and maritime tourism highlights the potential of this important sector of tourism and the role it can play to fight unemployment, in particular among young people”.

European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Maria Damanaki, said:“Coastal and maritime tourism is a pillar of our overarching “Blue Growth” strategy and has a potential to create growth and new jobs, particularly in Europe’s coastal areas which are particularly affected by high unemployment. As the largest maritime economic activity and the economic backbone of many of our coastal regions it is our responsibility to help this sector develop and prosper.”

Background

The strategy will support growth and jobs, make the sector’s activities sustainable, preserve natural and cultural heritage, reap significant economic and environmental benefits, and help make the sector more competitive globally.

Coastal and maritime tourism includes beach-based and nautical, cruising or boating tourism and is an essential driver for the economy of many coastal regions and islands in Europe.

It employs almost 3.2 million people, generating a total of € 183 billion in gross value added for EU economy, representing over one third of the maritime economy gross product. Tourism is a growing business: in 2013, the number of nights spent in hotel or similar establishments reached a peak of 2.6 billion nights in the EU28, up by 1.6% from 2012.

Unlocking the potential of coasts and seas would contribute to the wealth and well-being of coastal regions and the EU’s economy in general, while ensuring a sustainable and long term development of all tourism-related activities.

Source: http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/newsroom/cf/mare/itemdetail.cfm?item_id=14679