Two weeks ago, at a meeting in Sofia on the occasion of Bulgaria’s presidency of the Council of the European Union, at the summit of all EU tourism ministers, Minister Cappelli proposed on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Croatia a unique initiative in the field of European tourism. He presented a proposal for the establishment of a special EU Tourism Fund which would facilitate the use of EU funds to finance investment and sustainable development in tourism, reduce the impact of climate change, education and other areas important for the development of tourism in Europe. He also introduced the idea of founding Working groups for tourism within the EU institutionswithin which to discuss how to address the many challenges facing the tourism sector.And now the initiative has received support at the 5th Mediterranean Tourism Forum “Mediterranian Blue”, which gathered in Malta over a thousand guests from political life and the tourism sector around the world to promote peace, cooperation and prosperity through regional cooperation. During his stay in Malta, Minister Cappelli met with Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, President of the Republic of Malta which supported the Croatian proposal for the establishment of a single European Tourism Fund and the Working Group and committed to further present this initiative to fellow presidents from other European countries, but also to help gain the support of the Minister of Finance who should advocate this initiative in EU institutions.At the meeting, which was also attended by the President of the Mediterranean Tourism Foundation Tony Zahra pointed out that tourism for all the countries of the Mediterranean circle was a strong driver of economic recovery at a time when Europe was facing the challenges of the economic crisis. They also agreed that tourism is very important for generating employment and encouraging the development of small and medium-sized enterprises, which currently have limited opportunities to represent their interests within the EU institutions. “By realizing our initiative, for the first time, tourism would get its General Directorate within the EU budget, which would enable the Ministry of Tourism to directly finance tourism projects with EU funds. In cooperation with representatives of the tourism sector, they would then have the opportunity, in accordance with their needs, to create specific tenders for financing the hotel industry, tour operators and other investments in tourism.” pointed out Tourism Minister Gary Cappelli. In his official address to the participants, Minister Cappelli emphasized the importance of promoting peace in the Mediterranean and strengthening the security aspect for all visitors and the population. He also reminded of the important role of women who, with their vision, innovation and exceptional commitment, give additional value to tourism.Photo; MintMinister Cappelli pointed out that tourism is one of the fastest growing economic activities in the EU with a great impact on growth, society, development and employment, and that as such it deserves a better position within the institutions of the European Union. “The main goal of the European Union’s tourism policy must be to keep Europe as the world’s leading tourist destination. However, in previous EU documents, tourism is not considered a priority, but a tool for raising the competitiveness of the overall European economy. Tourism does not have its own Working Body within the European Commission and in the Multiannual Financial Framework 2014-2020 there is no special position or possibility of direct financing of its activities, which we believe should be corrected in the new budget framework. Direct financing of the tourism sector would make it easier to respond to increasing challenges, while at the same time facilitating investments in tourism, which are also in the focus of the European Commission.” Cappelli pointed out.On the sidelines of the Mediterranean Tourism Forum, Minister Cappelli also met Taleb Rifai, until recently Secretary General of the UNWTO, who praised Croatia’s activities in the field of tourism so far and supported the initiative for stronger joint cooperation. Additionally, during his stay in Malta, Minister Cappelli met with István Ujhelyi, Vice-President of the European Parliament’s Committee on Transport and Tourism. The meeting discussed further steps in presenting the initiative to establish the fund, to which Mr. Ujhely also provided strong support, according to the Ministry of Tourism. “Given that tourism is a horizontal sector, it often serves as a tool for faster development of other economic sectors and society, and is rightly considered the driving force of the economy and one of the pillars of sustainable development. However, European tourism is also facing increasing challenges, from political, through economic, to environmental. That is why it is very important to strengthen it with joint initiatives and I believe that the initiative to establish a single European Tourism Fund and Tourism Working Group within the EU institutions, which we further presented at this forum is an excellent impetus to ensure further tourism development in Europe., said Cappelli.The Mediterranean Tourism Forum “Mediterranian Blue” was established as a platform for the exchange of experiences, best practices and challenges of tourism in the Mediterranean region based on dialogue, education and promotion of cultural, entertainment and sporting events. The fact that almost one third of international tourist arrivals were recorded last year in this region, which generated 342 million arrivals, testifies to how attractive the Mediterranean is in terms of tourism.
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