The Committe of the Regions issued the following recommendations: 
  • recognises that tourism makes a substantial contribution to national GDP in all the Member States, even though its role and benefits as a business activity vary widely between them, in respect both of national finances and of local and regional development;
  • acknowledges that the tourist industry faces a series of challenges, first and foremost the economic downturn. In this context, there is a need to boost the tourist industry and support entrepreneurship in this sector, on account of the social dimension of tourism in the sphere of employment and social and regional cohesion;
  • underlines that tourism must be developed on a sustainable basis, so that natural resources are not squandered and the environment is not damaged. 

It proposes that the role played by Cedefop as a link with regional authorities should be strengthened and that it should be asked to continue analysing skills requirements in the tourism sector, based on the needs and aspirations of the regions, so as to enhance employment opportunities and improve the quality of services provided.

Reference: Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the correlation between the labour market and regional needs in the area of tourism In Official Journal of the European Union, C 200, 25.8.2009, p. 9-12

Rapporteur: Konstantinos Tatsis (EL/EPP), President of the Enlarged Prefectural Authority of Drama-Kavala-Xanthi