ETOA News | June 2026

 

In June, just ahead of the inaugural SHOP workshop, we held our quarterly ETOA Advisory Council meeting in London. Discussions focused on the impact of the current situation in the Middle East, as well as the challenges posed by both proposed and confirmed taxation measures. This included visitor levies introduced by destinations and proposed reforms to VAT. Another prominent theme was capacity and visitor management. Members explored the value of organised tourism and how operators, suppliers and destinations can work more closely together to maximise the benefits of this highly influential visitor audience. ​​​​​​Thank you to our Advisory Council and to all our members in general for bringing different perspectives to the table, sharing valuable information and for continuing to work with us towards better tourism in Europe.   Interested in becoming a part of our community? ​​​​​​Join ETOA today

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Thank you to everyone who filled in the recent survey about the impact of the Middle East crisis on your organisation. This time we surveyed both operators, suppliers and destinations to get different perspectives. On 13 May 2026 at 2 pm BST / 15:00 CEST we will once again hold a short online Member Meeting discussing survey results and opening up the floor for questions and new perspectives. Find the latest survey results and sign up to the meeting here:

Meet Chiara Pardo Please welcome our new Country Representative for the Italian and Maltese markets.     YouTube Subscribe to ETOA's YouTube channel and be the first to see new content. Subscribe Expat Explore After 21 years Expat Explore are becoming Travel Chasers this September — and they're bringing a lot with them: new destinations, new travel categories, a new website, a loyalty wallet, and more ways to travel than ever before. Founded by Carl and Jakes to make travel accessible for everyone, the new name finally tells the full story of who their travellers are. The reveal started on the road, with their travellers hearing it first.

Eiffel Tower | Paris New conditions from 29 September will have significant implications. We understand that group size will be limited, and that ticket purchases will be restricted.   Notre Dame | Paris As of 1 July, any guided tour with an external tour guide is subject to prior reservation and the use of whisper headsets, regardless of the size of the group. Find out more       Coach Access | Rome ETOA joined a meeting with Rome City Council and other industry stakeholders to discuss arrangements for coach pick-up and drop-off points in the city centre. A follow-up meeting is scheduled for September, when the industry will have the opportunity to present a coordinated proposal.   Royal Decree | Spain The European Commission announced on Thursday 4 June that it had sent a Letter of Formal Notice to Spain, expressing concerns that the country’s traveller data collection requirements may breach EU data protection rules. ETOA and industry partners have welcomed this. See Press Release.​​​​   Tourism Tax We continue to monitor proposals for major increases in overnight and day-visit taxes. Amsterdam has proposed annual increases from current 12.5% to 16% in 2027, rising to 20% by 2030. Venice is reported to be considering changing its access fee (contributo di accesso), though we understand that would require a change in national law limiting charge to €10. New information will be published on our Tourism Tax Rates pages.   ETOA has joined Group NAO and others in a new study on tourism taxes Expressions of interest from destinations are invited.

Our new Shoulder and Off-Peak event, SHOP, was an opportunity for suppliers and destinations to engage with operators with year-round demand due to the global source markets and broad demographic they work with. Feedback has been positive with anecdotes on innovative and thoughtful conversations, suggesting that many buyers are actively looking to spread out tourism throughout the year, improving the overall experience for visitors and locals alike. ETOA’s influence depends on dialogue with policy makers, bringing insight from our diverse membership of buyers, destinations and the value-chain. In the last month, we spoke at the OECD workshop on Destination Management Approaches to support Balanced Tourism Development in Zagreb, the European Sustainable Tourism Mobility Forum in Breda, and the Mediterranean Sustainable Tourism Convention 2026 in Barcelona. Common themes included visitor flow and dispersal, seasonal and territorial. Tourism management and governance require accurate industry input to be effective, and it was notable that the private sector were in a small minority at each event. We’re always happy to engage with solutions-focused strategy discussions and events. If you’re interested in learning more about our work in this area, get in touch.

We have recently held ETOA Socials in London and Vienna. Thank you to members and industry partners for joining. Over 120 people joined us in London just ahead of SHOP. In Vienna, we joined forces with our close partners as Austrian Leading Sights and met with the local travel trade for an afternoon in the sun. Over the summer we will take a short break from our ETOA Socials before kicking off the autumn in style. Keep your eyes peeled for invitations for ETOA Socials in your area. We are planning to visit Dublin, Paris, Prague, Barcelona, Bristol, North England, Edinburgh, Seville and Zurich. If your are local and would like to partner with us for the event, let us know.​​ This week we are at the Travel Tech Show in London. Yesterday Rachel Read moderated the panel: From Silos to Ecosystems: Building the Connected Travel Experience, while other colleagues have been busy meeting with members and partners. We are still here today: Visit our stand at P74. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​

ETOA North America Handbook 2026 Following the first edition of Showcase: Outbound North America 2026, we are delighted to share the North America Handbook 2026, sharing insights and practical takeaways. New UK Employment Regulations We ran a webinar with CMS that covered regulations on unfair dismissal, zero/low hours workers, collective redundancy changes, harassment and trade unions.​​​​​ Amadeus – Global Mobility Trends: Decoded The report reflects on mobility not simply in terms of how we travel but how consumers connect with the world through technology, prior, during and after a trip.  UN Tourism Barometer – May 2026 The first Barometer to be published after the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East unsurprisingly notes growing uncertainty facing the sector but nonetheless reports that international tourism grew at a rate of 2% in the first quarter of this year.  Beyond Paris: GetYourGuide and the new geography of French tourism This study highlights how experience-led travel is spreading visitor spending beyond traditional hotspots, supporting local economies, extending stays and generating an estimated €5.6 billion economic impact across France. ​​​ ​​​​​​

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​​About ETOA

ETOA is the trade association for better tourism in Europe. We work with policymakers to enable a fair and sustainable business environment, so that Europe remains competitive and appealing for visitors and residents. With 1000+ members serving 65 origin markets, we are a powerful voice at local, national and European levels. Our members include tour and online operators, intermediaries and wholesalers, European tourist boards, hotels, attractions, technology companies and other tourism service providers ranging in size from global brands to local independent businesses. We are connected with over 39,000 industry professionals across our media channels.

Tags: ETOA - European tourism association