The Forum in Rhodes on 8 and 9 April

 

 

The effects of Climate Change that upset traditional business models, affect travellers’ preferences and behaviours, complicate investment decisions and complicate the management of tourist destinations, will be discussed by the “cream of Europe’s tourism business associations at the Forum: “EU Tourism: resilience in the Era of the Climate Crisis” in Rhodes on 8 and 9 April.

 

 

During the Forum, the Joint Declaration of Rhodes on Climate Change and European Tourism will be finalised and signed. With the Declaration, the private sector commits itself to the actions it will undertake and calls on the new leadership of the European Union institutions to formulate the appropriate policies and financial instruments necessary to respond to the challenges of the climate crisis.

This is the first pan-European meeting of this level, which is being held on the initiative of HOTREC and co-organised by the South Aegean Region.

The particular importance of the choice of Rhodes for the meeting is highlighted as the island was tested last year by the effects of the Climate Crisis and now becomes a reference point and starting point for European solutions for sustainability and resilience of tourism destinations.

The Associations participating in the Forum “EU Tourism: resilience in the Era of the Climate Crisis” and supporting the Joint Declaration are:

Airport Council International (ACI EUROPE)

Airlines for Europe (A4E)

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA)

European Travel Agents’ and Tour Operators’ Association (ECTAA)

European Exhibition Industry Alliance (EEIA)

European Regions Airline Association (ERA)

European Association of hotels, restaurants and cafés (HOTREC)

The global association for the attractions industry (IAAPA)

The world road transport organisation representing bus, coach, truck and taxi (IRU)

The European Federation of Rural Tourism (Ruraltour)

HOTREC President Alexandros Vassilikos, referring to the Forum, made the following statement:

“The Climate Crisis is here and it is testing us all. Certainly also tourism. HOTREC has taken the initiative of this major pan-European meeting and I want to thank all the representatives of the leading European Associations for their participation in the work of the Forum and the signing of the Joint Declaration of Rhodes, in which we express our will for an integrated common European response to the global climate challenge.”

The Regional Governor of South Aegean George Hadjimarkos commenting on the event made the following statement:

“It is a great honour for the South Aegean Region to be at the centre of the dialogue on the Climate Crisis and its impact on European tourism. We want our islands to be an example of a sustainable tourism destination and we are working systematically in this direction, as we are doing with the “Rhodes Co Lab” initiative to make Rhodes the first sustainable tourism destination worldwide. It is therefore with great pleasure that we support the event and we are ready to welcome the European tourism associations to this historic meeting.”