Policy

Survey: Financial support for European tourism sector

The tourism industry needs continued support: to argue effectively for public funds we need more data, and have designed a short survey to gather it.

Each week, ETOA and other stakeholders join a call with the European Commission to share industry insight and inform policy. We also contribute to bilateral discussion with UK government and other national bodies. National governments responded in different ways to the crisis: public health protocols; border control; financial support.

For financial support, the mechanisms varied: some countries allowed business to receive money and supply detailed justification later; others imposed more onerous administrative requirements. Some provided prompt support to businesses liable to refund consumers under Package Travel regulation; others did not.

The results of this short survey are intended to do two things:

• Map what worked, and what did not
• Identify what kind of financial support would make the most difference for the next six months

Industry insight is necessary to ensure that scarce financial resources are prioritised properly, and to build knowledge about good practice in emergencies.

Please feel free to share this link with industry colleagues, whether or not they are members of ETOA. More than ever, the industry’s inter-dependence is clear to see. It is vital that the entire ecosystem is supported so that it is able to return employment to the economy.

Click here to start the survey

Travel Restrictions

Travel restrictions continue to present a major challenge to recovery. While borders remain a ‘national competence’, ETOA believes that the European Commission has authority under Article 24 of the Schengen Borders Code to require better co-ordination among member states of any restrictions on freedom of movement within the Schengen area. This is because the reasons to restrict travel are now ‘foreseeable’: a continued need for proportionate measures to ensure pandemic control. This was not the case at the start of the crisis when temporary powers were invoked. The European Tourism Manifesto group agreed, and adopted the call for European Commission action in its recent statement. Subsequently, the European Commission has proposed a European Council recommendation on a coordinated approach by member states.

To illustrate what happens when restrictions are lifted, aviation data specialists ForwardKeys report that the week-on-week growth in flights search from UK grew by 576% when Portugal was removed from the quarantine list, whereas search for flights to Spain is now back at levels last seen during lockdown.

Brexit

The EU and UK Government are still negotiating on the future trading relationship that will take effect from 1 January 2021. To allow time for ratification of any agreement in respective parliaments, the EU and UK Government have expressed a desire for negotiations to conclude before the European Council Meeting on 15-16 October. We will provide updates on the outcome. Please see our Brexit page for further information.

Regardless of any agreement, changes will occur after the transition period, in particular the practice of ‘free movement’ (a core principle of the EU) will end for UK nationals in the EU (except in Ireland) and EU nationals in the UK (except for Irish and EU nationals on the EU Settlement Scheme). This will affect border arrangements for visitors and workers. The Common Travel Area (applicable for British and Irish nationals) will continue as today. Yesterday, the Irish Government published their latest Brexit Readiness Action Plan and Ireland’s preparations for the post transition period.

For non-EU/non-UK nationals, changes for travellers and businesses should be limited depending on individual circumstances.

Destinations