Bangkok--Oct 28--eTurboNews
VALETTA, Malta (eTurboNews) -- The Malta government in conjunction with the UK government as well as the tourism unit for the European Union on October 19 to 21 hosted the fourth edition of the EU Tourism Forum.
The event has become an annual gathering that is normally hosted by those member countries holding the EU presidency. This edition, however, was hosted by Malta after an agreement with the UK government.
The program was spread over a day and half, with three plenary sessions and three workshops focusing on such themes as competitiveness, better regulation for tourism issues, and sustainable development.
The speakers included Maltese Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, British Tourism Minister James Purnell, and EU Commissioner Gunter Verheugen, who delivered the event's keynote address.
Following the plenary sessions and the workshops as well as after listening to the presentations, the participants of the forum welcomed guidelines and orientations for further common consideration. The guidelines include to improve coordination and networking for European tourism; to promote training as the primary tool necessary to bring about successful change and facilitate high quality skills; and to improve services and quality and ensure consistency for all clients from those who choose the low cost budgets to those who prefer higher or luxury styles of travel and tourism.
The delegates also called on the European Union to reduce the burden of regulation and increase competitiveness and growth (two important aspects of the Lisbon Agenda); to assess and analyze the impact of present regulations on Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs); to ensure full transparency and consultation with stakeholders in the development of measures; and to ensure the full achievement of an internal market in tourism services within the EU that guarantees employment and respecting social and national legislation for all member countries.
On sustainable development, the delegates agreed on setting up national and local Agendas 21; the setting up of a reliable measuring instrument, such as the TSA (Tourism Satellite Accounts); the implementation of IAs (Impact Assessments) to analyze new measures by the EU; and to organize an exchange of good practice at European Level to compensate seasonality.
Maltese Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech reiterated in his closing remarks that important points were raised and should be the subject of further discussion during the forthcoming presidencies of Austria and Finland.
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