Policy

European Tourism Convention

More information about the convention, which takes place on Monday, here. ETOA will participate in the morning workshop on ‘Strengthened cooperation and coordination for improving seamless and safe tourism’, so is well placed to bring industry priorities to the session. We will continue to push for coordination on travel restrictions and protocols, better insurance options, and more travel-trade-readiness in destination. Workshop discussion document available here. Any further member input welcome by end of 9 October at policy@etoa.org.

Financial protection and support

ETOA recently submitted a detailed contribution to the European Commission team that is reviewing Package Travel regulation. Together with partners in the European Tourism Manifesto, we are lobbying EU national governments to ensure tourism forms part of their recovery plans. Before any structural funds kick in, industry need continuous support: we argue strongly for that at EU and national levels. Tourism is a valuable engine for growth across all parts of the economy once recovery comes.

Sustainability

While short-term survival remains industry’s primary concern, a transition to a greener more digital economy is the central purpose of the EU budget starting in 2021, as well as the EU’s Resilience and Recovery Facility, React EU and other funding mechanisms. Respondents to ETOA’s survey indicated that more information about climate change mitigation would be useful. There will be a sustainability webinar Carbon Curious? Climate action and tourism on 22 October with expert panel including ETOA tour operator member Intrepid, and our new industry partner, Fair Climate Fund. For more information, click here.

Brexit

The ninth and final formal round of negotiations between European Commission and UK Government finished last week but after a call between the President of the European Commission and UK Prime Minister discussions will continue ahead of the EU Council meeting on 15 October. We will update members when negotiations conclude. Regardless of a trade agreement, changes will occur following the end of transition period on 31 December 2020. For instance, the UK Government today announced an update to their Border Operating Model from 1 January 2021. Items of note include:

• Pages 23-35: Border and traffic management infrastructure mainly affecting hauliers but includes possible contraflow arrangement on the M20 between junctions 8 and 9 if required.
• Page 258: The ending of the VAT Retail Export Scheme on 31 December 2020. Industry is currently lobbying for UK Government to change their decision.
• Page 259: Passengers travelling from the EU to Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) may continue to carry food items containing meat and dairy from the EU from 1 January 2021 until July 2021, when controls will be put in place at GB passenger hubs.
• Page 261: EU I.D cards will stop being accepted at the UK border for EU nationals not covered by EU Settlement Scheme (e.g. visitors) from 1 October 2021. A passport will be required and if biometric e-gates can still be used by EU nationals.
• Page 261: UK Government will introduce an Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme as part of plans to ensure that all those coming to the UK have permission to do so in advance of travel (similar to USA ESTA and EU ETIAS). Further details of these arrangements will be provided in due course.

Further information on travel related topics can be found on our Brexit post transition page.

Intra-European demand

Our partners ETC have just published new research on intra-European demand: over 50% of respondents intending to travel within 6 months, mostly inside Europe; fear of quarantine is more of a deterrent than the virus. More on border restrictions below.

Destinations