What changed between the plenary report and the adopted text

B. whereas the economic value of tourism is being increasingly challenged by social, cultural and environmental costs, including housing market pressures, higher living costs for residents, the fragmentation of living spaces, unsustainable resource use and the growing strain on essential infrastructure; whereas decades of volume-oriented growth, coupled with regulatory and governance gaps, have fostered unbalanced tourism; whereas these dynamics call for better governance and smart, sustainable and locally adapted management of demand; whereas tourism in itself is not a problem and preventing tourismphobia requires the adoption of a holistic strategy that reconciles economic growth with social well-being, environmental protection, the safeguarding of cultural heritage and long-term territorial resilience;

C. whereas the tourism ecosystem covers many industries, including transport, travel agencies and tour operators, support services, accommodation and catering, creative arts and entertainment, and sports and amusement activities, and whereas it is crucial to enable their coherent development and resilience;

D. whereas rising accommodation rental costs across the EU are deepening housing insecurity and social exclusion; whereas the situation is particularly acute in tourist-intensive areas, where the scarcity of affordable housing hampers the attraction and retention of seasonal and permanent tourism workers and essential public-sector professionals; whereas housing affordability, the functioning of local communities, the competitiveness of SMEs in the tourism ecosystem and the level playing field within the single market are increasingly influenced by short-term rentals; whereas short-term rental solutions must be tailored to each specific situation, with action taken primarily at the local level;

E. whereas the concept of sustainable tourism is central to driving the sector’s competitiveness, safeguarding Europe’s cultural and natural heritage, including geographical indications, and balancing the needs of visitors and local communities; whereas sustainability rests on three interdependent pillars – economic, social and environmental – none of which can be perceived in isolation;

F. whereas social sustainability in tourism involves a fair distribution of economic benefits – including through the diversification and deseasonalisation of tourism flows – as well as respect for the rights, needs and well-being of residents, the preservation of cultural heritage and community cohesion, and the provision of quality jobs with fair employment conditions; whereas tourism seasonality continues to contribute to economic instability, workforce shortages and strain on local communities; whereas the development of socially sustainable tourism should strengthen local communities rather than placing them under undue pressure;

G. whereas the EU is fully committed to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted by the UN in September 2015; whereas Eurostat monitors the EU’s progress towards achieving the SDGs through a set of 102 indicators; whereas tourism can make a direct contribution to the achievement of several SDGs;

H. whereas climate change is increasingly affecting tourism, making it crucial to adapt tourism activities, plans, products and facilities accordingly; whereas sustainability and resilience in the tourism sector remain uneven across national, regional and local levels, and the adoption of sustainable practices by Member States, local actors and private-sector stakeholders continues to rely predominantly on voluntary engagement;

I. whereas tourism has played a role in shaping territorial dynamics across many EU regions; whereas regional approaches to organising and developing this activity have produced diverse configurations that affect their trajectories of growth and well-being; whereas remote, outermost, rural, peripheral, sparsely populated and insular regions and certain coastal areas have unique and diverse characteristics, including environmental vulnerability, geographical isolation, disconnection and dependence on external resources, which call for policy approaches adapted to their specific circumstances;

J. whereas transport connectivity is fundamental to travel and tourism, linking people with places, cultures and experiences; whereas, however, current travel and tourism patterns present significant challenges, given that 80 % of travellers visit only 10 % of global destinations; whereas promoting rural and inland tourism through tailored strategies could alleviate excessive pressure on overcrowded coastal destinations in several Member States; whereas many peripheral, rural, remote, outermost and insular regions remain underserved because of their geographical isolation, limited infrastructure, reduced transport services during off-peak periods and the high costs and travel time required to reach them; whereas the permanent geographical and connectivity constraints of the EU’s outermost regions have led to a structural dependence on air and maritime transport and exposure to market concentration, all of which directly impact the development of sustainable tourism; whereas efficient freight logistics are a key enabler of tourism services in peripheral destinations;

K. whereas transport accounts for the largest share of the tourism sector’s carbon footprint; whereas sustainable tourism cannot be achieved without sustainable mobility, including multimodal diversification, taking due account of Europe’s physical and geographical constraints, which influence the availability and choice of appropriate and sustainable transport options; whereas, despite rail representing only around 10 % of journeys made today, far behind road transport (64 %) and air travel (17 %), recent research suggests that 82 % of Europeans are open to greener travel choices; whereas ferries may provide essential public-interest transport services, ensuring affordable, regular and year-round connectivity, particularly for islands and remote regions;

L. whereas the rise of specialised tourism (gastronomy, wine, beer, nautical, cultural, religious, heritage, medical, wellness, sports, cycling, diving, agricultural, silver, eco-, regenerative, etc.) creates new opportunities for peripheral, rural and outermost regions to showcase their unique landscapes, waterscapes and heritage through place- and theme-based development strategies; whereas the growth of specialised tourism requires support through investment in the necessary infrastructure; whereas these evolving tourism trends can strengthen the sector’s sustainability by extending travel beyond peak seasons, dispersing visitor flows and enhancing the protection of natural and cultural heritage, and generate additional income in remote, sparsely populated and insular regions;

M. whereas approximately 25 % of Europeans are living with disabilities or with reduced mobility; whereas according to Eurostat, the proportion of the EU’s population aged 60 and above, which currently stands at 21 %, is projected to rise to 30 % by 2030; whereas taking dedicated action through investment in accessible and age-friendly tourism services represents a major opportunity to boost competitiveness, upgrade quality and support year-round demand;

N. whereas smart tourism is aimed at strengthening destination management, elevating visitor satisfaction and delivering lasting value to local communities; whereas smart tourism hinges on the availability, analysis and effective use of data; whereas the EU’s data ecosystem remains fragmented; whereas the European Tourism Data Space initiative aims to overcome this fragmentation and the resulting market concentration by building a secure, interconnected data-sharing platform to support the sector’s sustainability and resilience, in line with the transition pathway for tourism;

O. whereas, notwithstanding the EU Tourism Dashboard knowledge portal and the EU Tourism Platform, the EU still lacks an effective and sufficiently ambitious harmonised framework for assessing tourism impacts, including carbon footprint as well as overall sustainability and resilience across Member States;

P. whereas GDP-based and aggregate performance indicators do not fully capture the real social, territorial and environmental impacts of tourism; whereas tourism should be evaluated beyond volume-growth and through sustainability indicators such as social cohesion, long-term territorial sustainability and environmental integrity, with territorial carrying capacity and biodiversity protection guiding destination limits, visitor caps and infrastructure planning, shifting success towards value-driven development models;

Q. whereas limited data sharing and siloed operations across key transport sectors undermine multimodal capacity and hinder seamless EU-wide multimodal travel, with the ability to book such journeys still representing a major obstacle;

R. whereas the tourism sector is labour-intensive, generating approximately 5 % of total EU employment, yet it faces notable challenges, including a 21 % rate of temporary employment; whereas this sector is an important source of job creation, particularly for young people, women and migrant workers who face difficulty entering the labour market; whereas tourism relies on a skilled and committed workforce that ensures quality service and authentic visitor experiences; whereas raising job quality through fair pay, stable employment and improved working conditions can enhance recruitment and retention, supporting the sector’s shift towards sustainable, high-value-added development, while also addressing labour shortages and social sustainability;

S. whereas tourism-dependent regional economies are more exposed to demand shocks and labour volatility, making economic diversification and reindustrialisation essential to stability and long-term development; whereas over-reliance on seasonal tourism risks trapping regions in a development model that limits productivity growth, innovation and the emergence of higher-value-added sectors;

T. whereas a striking 92 % of SMEs in tourism struggle to hire skilled staff; whereas the sector’s skills deficit – a challenge that predates the COVID-19 pandemic and persists despite the high rates of unemployment across the EU – requires a swift push for reskilling and upskilling to build future-oriented skills as well as green, digital, managerial, social and cultural competences that enhance resilience in tourism, which are key to its competitiveness; whereas targeted measures, including sustained public and private investment, along with EU funding instruments accessible to SMEs, are needed to enhance skills and ensure that the tourism industry remains an attractive and competitive employer;

U. whereas women make up over half of the EU’s tourism workforce yet remain significantly under-represented in leadership and decision-making roles and over-represented in lower-paid, informal or precarious employment, often lacking adequate job security and social protection; whereas such inequalities undermine women’s economic empowerment and hinder the competitiveness of the tourism sector, underscoring the need to integrate a strong gender equality dimension into the forthcoming EU sustainable tourism strategy;

V. whereas even in the digital age, tourism thrives on human connection; whereas soft skills are vital for inclusive tourism, yet they remain undervalued, undertrained and underpaid, directly affecting the quality of the visitor experience and the well-being of local communities;

W. whereas culture, heritage and identity are the pillars of the EU’s sustainable and responsible tourism product, with volunteers and local communities playing a crucial role in preserving and promoting the living heritage of each Member State, including sustainable cultural traditions and local languages; whereas the protection, preservation and promotion of cultural heritage can foster intercultural relations, reconciliation and cultural coexistence; whereas safeguarding cultural heritage calls for proactive management of visitor flows, the protection of vulnerable sites and the inclusion of local communities in decision-making processes;

X. whereas digital innovation, including interactive mapping tools, immersive technologies, augmented reality, community-based digital platforms and ‘phygital’ experiences can enhance access to local heritage, support SMEs and allow visitors to engage more deeply with authentic cultural ecosystems, including brewing traditions and local craftsmanship;

Y. whereas agritourism and farm-to-fork and field-to-fork initiatives create genuine value chains rather than simple supply chains, offering visitors an unparalleled experience of authenticity while strengthening rural economies, supporting local producers and promoting environmental stewardship; whereas such initiatives are increasingly recognised as a pillar of quality and sustainable tourism development across the EU;

Z. whereas the European exhibition and business-event industry, recognised as a global leader, is a key segment of the tourism industry and a major economic driver, supporting jobs, regional development, infrastructure investment and cross-sector growth;

AA. whereas the EU Ecolabel, one of several sustainability standards, is currently applied solely to tourist accommodation and not to the entire value chain in tourism destinations, and, although its adoption by tourist accommodations is rising, its overall market impact remains limited; whereas certification must be paired with enforceable obligations, transparency in supply chains and environmental impact monitoring to avoid greenwashing;

AB. whereas, despite the adoption of the Single-Use Plastics Directive, a significant share of plastic waste from the tourism and hospitality sectors still falls beyond its regulatory scope;

AC. whereas the EU’s tourism industry should transition towards a circular economy model, improving resource efficiency in areas such as waste, water, food, mobility and energy management; whereas this transition requires the adoption of responsible production and consumption practices, including the use of local products by the hospitality sector, a reduction in waste streams, the reuse of resources and the safeguarding of local ecosystems; whereas data-driven planning, monitoring and management tools are essential to support this shift and to improve the long-term sustainability and resilience of tourism destinations;

AD. whereas the recognition of tourism as one of Europe’s 14 strategic industrial ecosystems underscores the need to move beyond assumptions of its inherent resilience towards a holistic European strategy built on strong policy coordination, reflecting the sector’s cross-cutting nature, as well as targeted and effective funding;

AE. whereas the Commission has announced the forthcoming publication of the first-ever EU sustainable tourism strategy, marking a significant opportunity to establish a coherent and forward-looking sustainable framework for the sector; whereas this initiative should aim to ensure that future growth aligns with the EU’s broader climate and social objectives, while refraining from creating disproportionate administrative or financial burdens for SMEs; whereas a strong European tourism brand is a strategic asset that can strengthen Europe’s competitive advantage by promoting sustainable, high-quality and experience-rich offers while supporting dispersal and seasonality management;

AF. whereas it is vital to reaffirm that tourism constitutes an important and strategic economic sector that nurtures European identity, and whereas it should not be regarded as a marginal component of the economy; whereas the cross-cutting nature of the tourism sector requires robust political and administrative coordination; whereas a dedicated directorate-general for sustainable tourism that is provided with appropriate resources could guarantee an integrated institutional approach, improve management of existing funding programmes and address the current fragmented European governance in the sector;

AG. whereas targeted EU funding, including pilot projects and preparatory actions as well as support under programmes such as the single market programme, Creative Europe, Interreg, the digital Europe programme and Horizon Europe, is essential in enabling local authorities, SMEs and cultural actors to test innovative models in cultural tourism, develop digital tools, strengthen thematic networks and scale up successful initiatives across regions; whereas Parliament has consistently called for the inclusion of a dedicated budget line for tourism in the EU’s general budget; whereas upcoming negotiations on the 2028-2034 multiannual financial framework (MFF) present a timely opportunity to secure dedicated long-term, stable funding for tourism; whereas new legislative proposals on the 2028-2034 MFF will play a key role in supporting the clean transition, the digital transformation, skills development, sustainability and the overall competitiveness of the tourism ecosystem across all regions of the EU;

From isolation to opportunity: enhanced connectivity as a catalyst for sustainable regional tourism growth

1. Affirms that connectivity is a precondition for the freedom of movement enshrined in the Treaties; underlines that strong connectivity is essential for balancing tourism and extending its benefits to underserved areas, easing pressure on over-visited hotspots and supporting the revitalisation of local economies; calls on the Commission and the Member States to recognise accessible, affordable and reliable connectivity as an essential service that underpins the freedom of movement, as there is no freedom of movement without the means to move; advocates the establishment of clear, measurable and regularly updated benchmarks to assess the accessibility, affordability and quality of sustainable travel options, including progress towards barrier-free, inclusive mobility for persons with disabilities and with reduced mobility, and for remote, outermost, rural, peripheral, sparsely populated and insular regions, with particular attention to small islands; underlines that such benchmarks are essential in ensuring year-round connectivity, supporting local communities and SMEs, and safeguarding the long-term resilience of tourism-dependent regions; stresses, furthermore, the relevance of the benchmarks in supporting the Commission and the Member States in prioritising tourism-relevant infrastructure investments aimed at strengthening territorial cohesion, distributing tourism flows and easing pressure on overcrowded hotspots;

2. Draws attention to the disproportionate influence of major carriers and digital platforms in steering market trends, impacting consumer choice and exposing destinations and hospitality businesses to significant structural risks; calls on the Commission to conduct a study examining the tourism sector’s dependence on dominant players with strong market power in the transport and tourism sectors, including hospitality, assessing threats to connectivity, fair pricing, fair conditions for all business users, labour conditions, service continuity and the long-term resilience of destinations, with particular attention to the structural risks in rural, remote and island regions; calls on the Commission, furthermore, as part of the study, to assess actions to address market concentration and unreasonable price personalisation, to strengthen transparency, fair competition and consumer protection, and to enhance the competitiveness of SMEs and local operators, including through appropriate legal, regulatory and financial measures, where relevant;

3. Views efficient transport connections as the foundation of a sustainable, competitive and resilient EU tourism sector, relieving pressure on hotspot destinations operating at or beyond their capacity while opening access and redirecting visitor flows to lesser-known, emerging destinations and distributing economic benefits more equitably; calls for connectivity and accessibility to be enhanced, particularly in remote and underserved EU regions, including islands, so as to promote inclusive growth through sustainable travel, encourage deseasonalisation and support regional development;

4. Observes, at the same time, that many emerging destinations – from outermost territories to rural heartlands, mountain communities and island regions – grapple with unique connectivity challenges, and stresses that the EU’s sustainable tourism strategy must identify tailored support mechanisms that reflect their specific profiles and vulnerabilities, especially to reinforce the air, sea and land links that sustain their connectivity; insists that any connectivity expansion be matched by quality infrastructure and dependable services, enabling destinations to manage new or diversified tourism flows without undermining accessibility or affordability for residents, especially in the vulnerable regions identified above;

5. Calls for exploring the potential for the wider deployment of public service obligations (PSOs), including multimodal configurations and cross-border night trains, to serve residents and visitors alike – especially in remote and outermost regions, coastal areas and islands – stressing the importance of their role in reinforcing territorial and social cohesion;

6. Highlights the central role of the completed core, extended core and comprehensive Trans-European Transport Networks (TEN-T), complemented by a range of sustainable transport service options, in achieving a more balanced territorial distribution of tourism within the EU, including by promoting off-season demand; stresses that prioritising cross-border projects under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) has been key in delivering progress on TEN-T, and calls for a robust CEF budget under the next MFF to support a sustainable, accessible and interconnected European transport system, which is equally vital for tourism in all regions of the EU;

7. Welcomes the opportunities presented by the 2028-2034 MFF legislative proposals to strengthen EU support for sustainable, competitive and resilient tourism; highlights, in particular, the provisions of the proposed national and regional partnership plan regulation, which recognise sustainable tourism services as a specific objective and open avenues for investment in the digital transformation, circular economy approaches, sustainable mobility, skills and workforce upskilling, tourism diversification, climate adaptation and destination management; acknowledges that the proposed regulation establishing the European Competitiveness Fund creates prospects to support sustainable tourism via the clean transition, industrial decarbonisation and SME competitiveness measures; takes note, however, that the new MFF proposal once again fails to include an EU programme and a stand-alone budget line for sustainable tourism, noting that the availability of EU funding to develop secondary and capillary transport networks, which are necessary to support the sustainable development of the tourism sector, diversify tourism flows and support the accessibility of remote, peripheral, outermost and island regions, remains unclear; insists that the next MFF should neither marginalise a significant number of regions nor reduce funding for projects integrated into the global network in order to avoid territorial disparities and uphold the EU’s social and territorial cohesion; is concerned that the outermost regions are facing reduced co-financing, despite their extreme remoteness from the continent and the corresponding need for secure connectivity and sustainable investment; reiterates, moreover, that the EU’s islands and outermost regions, which face stronger competitive pressure from non-EU regions, are vital to the EU’s regional tourism economy and should receive sufficient CEF and other funding to improve connectivity infrastructure, attract visitors and ensure that their growth becomes increasingly more sustainable and that they remain competitive;

8. Reaffirms that dedicated EU funding for sustainable tourism could yield substantial returns by boosting the sector’s resilience, advancing its green and digital transitions in line with EU policy priorities and fostering sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth, as well as long-term competitiveness across all European destinations, including stronger territorial and social cohesion in peripheral, outermost and island regions; stresses that establishing such a budget line is essential to ensure the effective implementation of the forthcoming EU sustainable tourism strategy; calls, meanwhile, for the guide on EU funding for tourism to be updated and revised in view of the next MFF;

9. Calls for the EU sustainable tourism strategy, alongside the next MFF, to prioritise and identify clear funding mechanisms to support the transition towards sustainable tourism models in regions affected by seasonality, climate change, demographic strain, permanent or intense visitor pressure, diminished attractiveness, high sectoral specialisation and asset degradation, and in small and medium-sized and emerging destinations with high hosting potential; emphasises that such funding should support pilot projects, capacity building and structural transformation, prioritising sustainable infrastructure, clean connectivity, territorial diversification and training programmes that strengthen local talent and help workers adapt to new skills and market needs;

10. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to make every effort to integrate sustainable tourism mobility into EU transport policy, with investment in last-mile connections – including public transport and active mobility, and sustainable and affordable urban mobility solutions – for the benefit of visitors and residents alike; calls on the Commission to provide targeted support for using low- and zero-emission vehicles in tourism – for example, through incentives for e-vehicle leasing and charging infrastructure – particularly in island, rural, mountainous and outermost regions, to boost sustainable mobility and reduce the environmental footprint of visitors; calls on the Commission to step up the promotion of the existing EU Tourism Platform, facilitating the exchange of successful visitor management models and best practices among destinations;

11. Recalls that the pace of this transition depends on adequate destination-level charging infrastructure, including fast-charging solutions capable of serving business, operational and passenger transport needs, stressing that targeted EU financial support, underpinned by clear benchmarks, is essential to scale up zero-emission power sources across the tourism ecosystem and ensure that mobility decarbonisation supports climate goals and sustainable destination management; underscores, furthermore, the need to ensure adequate logistics infrastructure and intermodal connections to support tourism supply chains and local economic ecosystems;

12. Calls for greater EU financial support to strengthen public transport services, enabling them to become more multimodal, accessible, reliable, flexible and better tailored to territorial circumstances, especially in insular and remote areas; emphasises that such services should ensure adequate access for residents while strengthening community connectivity, social inclusion and the accessibility of tourism destinations; suggests that, where existing measures prove insufficient to address persistent structural disadvantages, the Commission should propose other tools to offset the structural disadvantages faced by citizens and businesses in peripheral, island, insular and outermost regions, and to ensure equitable access and safeguard the long-term viability and cohesion of these regions;

13. Recognises cycling tourism as a strategic European sector, as reflected in the European Declaration on Cycling, where the EU holds a leading global position; emphasises the importance of initiatives such as EuroVelo – the European network of long-distance cycling routes – in advancing journey-focused tourism; calls for incentives and investments to bolster these initiatives, amplifying their significant economic benefits across regions, including rural, peripheral and cross-border areas; stresses that such initiatives foster sustainable mobility options, strengthening local communities and SMEs, and reinforce social and geographical inclusion; calls on the Commission and the Member States to continue supporting the development and expansion of European long-distance cycling tourism routes, the upgrading of cycling infrastructure and improved road safety for cyclists, including through dedicated funding instruments and close cooperation with regional and local authorities;

14. Highlights the crucial role of maritime connections in island, coastal and peripheral regions, where they constitute essential services for both residents and tourists; stresses the importance of PSOs, modern fleets and smart timetabling that balance local mobility needs with tourism flows and help reduce seasonal pressures; calls for the EU to continue supporting sustainable transport options, such as ferries using carbon-neutral fuels and batteries, and electric and hybrid ferries with shore power supply technologies, complemented by measures to advance hybrid-electric aircraft, with priority for islands and outermost and peripheral territories, subject to proven technological and economic viability and supported by proportionate measures for operators and territories that heavily rely on air and sea links;

15. Calls on the Commission to follow up on the study assessing the advantages and drawbacks of a possible mutual recognition of boating licences for recreational boat operators by proposing a regulatory measure that facilitates the mobility of the approximately 48 million European boaters and supports the sustainable development of nautical tourism and the blue economy;

16. Stresses that inland waterway tourism and waterside activities, such as cycling, walking, gastronomy and cultural attractions, allow visitors to discover local heritage and landscapes in an environmentally respectful way; calls, consequently, for greater investment in Europe’s rivers and canals to protect biodiversity and strengthen water system resilience, noting their significant potential for sustainable tourism, and for a more balanced distribution of tourism flows across regions;

17. Recognises rail as a cornerstone of sustainable tourism and a viable alternative to more polluting modes of transport; calls for increased investment in the whole of the EU’s rail infrastructure – particularly cross-border sections and sections that are vital for international connectivity – alongside strengthened support for secondary and capillary networks, to ensure the accessibility of remote and peripheral regions; recalls that railways can be developed on islands as a sustainable mode of transport and as a way of ensuring multimodal connectivity, supporting both cross-border projects and rail initiatives in island regions;

18. Reaffirms the need to make intermodality a strategic priority, promoting direct connections between airports, railway stations and ports, while acknowledging that railway connectivity and intermodal terminals are equally important for delivering goods and services that also support tourism destinations; calls, in addition, for simplified rail ticketing to improve travel flexibility and the attractiveness of the rail sector, together with a rapid rollout of a seamless integrated ticketing system covering rail, air and maritime services, clearer passenger information and easier cross-border booking methods;

19. Welcomes the vision for a high-speed rail network to promote efficient rail connections between European cities as an alternative to short-haul flights, while expanding tourism to peripheral regions beyond traditional hotspots; notes, however, that various technical obstacles still need to be addressed, for example, those relating to the differentiation between certain national/regional gauges and the European standard gauge; sees night trains, furthermore, as a key asset for diversifying tourism, enabling the development of underserved tourism destinations and promoting more sustainable modes of tourism, such as rural, cultural and ecotourism;

20. Recalls the growing importance of historical and heritage rail tourism as an innovative way to promote sustainable travel and enrich cultural experiences at the local and regional level, while safeguarding cultural and natural heritage; underlines that the restoration and tourism-oriented repurposing of disused or underused traditional rail lines and rolling stock can contribute to the regeneration of tourism destinations, the preservation of natural landscapes and local environments, and the creation of new tourism opportunities that enhance visitors’ experiences while supporting the protection and sustainable development of local and regional areas; calls for EU funding to be made available to restore, transform and upgrade rolling stock and transport infrastructure – including railways, roads and cycling paths – that serve tourism destinations, with a view to supporting historical, cultural and sustainable routes;

21. Acknowledges that both transport and tourism strongly influence the energy needs of EU tourism destinations; calls for the inclusion of tourism and all transport modes – rail, road, maritime and air – in future EU energy policies and actions to support destinations in their sustainable transition and to address their specific infrastructure needs; calls on the Commission to reinforce support for the tourism sector’s energy infrastructure, and on the Member States to incorporate the sector’s energy needs into their national energy and climate plans;

22. Welcomes the sustainable transport investment plan (STIP), expecting it to spur investment in sustainable fuels for aviation and waterborne transport, including the existing fleet of leisure boats, which are hard-to-abate sectors; urges the Commission and the Member States to ensure that the path to net zero, particularly the shift to sustainable fuels, avoids hidden costs, excessive bureaucracy, unfair airline surcharges that inflate ticket prices for tourists, residents and SMEs, and the imposition of disproportionate operating costs or infrastructure burdens on the outermost regions, islands and remote areas; warns about the introduction of new fiscal measures, such as a fuel tax, that could jeopardise the connectivity, affordability and competitiveness of the tourism sector;

23. Highlights the fact that environmental tourism taxes (eco-taxes) could deliver tangible results to local communities by funding projects that support residents and the environment; notes that a number of cities and regions have already introduced such eco-taxes with positive results, which should be analysed and possibly be used as examples of best practice; calls on the Commission to include these examples in its upcoming sustainable tourism strategy, which would offer additional guidance to Member States and regions to support investment in sustainable tourism, contributing to balanced territorial development and shared prosperity;

24. Recognises the cruise liner industry as an important European sector that underpins the shipbuilding and repair industries, in which the EU remains a global leader, while acknowledging the sustainability challenges observed in some destinations; calls for incentive schemes and investments to expand the availability of sustainable onshore power supply and to promote overnight or longer port stays, especially in major cruise ports; encourages ongoing dialogue with the sector to ensure that port calls and longer stays contribute to local value creation, sustainable mobility and reduced congestion; stresses the need to encourage the sustainable management of cruise activity and traffic to ensure that economic benefits are balanced with the environmental integrity of destinations and the strengthened social well-being of local communities;