ETOA News | March 2026

 

We held our annual General Assembly and Member Meeting 2 March in Berlin. It was a day of honest discussion, valuable insight and strong engagement, and a reminder of the importance of collaboration, dialogue and partnership across our sector. Price increases, operational changes and access restrictions remain significant concerns, particularly when introduced at short notice, making costs difficult to absorb. This inevitably raises questions about Europe’s ongoing competitiveness, alongside disruption in the Middle East and wider geopolitical factors beyond our industry’s control. The message on the day was clear. Associations such as ETOA play a vital role in supporting and representing members in an ever changing business environment. Interested in joining the community?       The North American outbound market has been on the agenda for us in March with the inaugural Showcase: Outbound North America. Over 250 attendees have engaged with one another through online meetings, learned about the outbound market through insight sessions, and about Europe from a range of product presentations by suppliers and destinations.​​​​​​​​​​​ ​​​ Together with Japan, China and India, it's evident that North America continues to be a main long-haul inbound market for Europe.

Smart and convenient travel year-round Tallink Silja Line links the Nordic cities with high quality overnight sailings across the archipelago. Offer your clients a cruise between Helsinki and Stockholm with stylish cabins, tax free shopping, fantastic entertainment and dining onboard. Combine the itinerary with our frequent Tallinn departures and explore  three Baltic Sea Capitals!   Contact us | tallink.com/en   From April 2026 occasional visitors to the ancient city of Venice are required to pay an Access Fee between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on specific dates indicated in the  calendar  TOUR OPERATORS Below you will find the guidelines for paying the Access Fee.  https://content.etoa.org/e/878202/en-tour-operator/qm8z5/1121405305/h/9Dp3Tw9eqVtJvd71DvTNVKGgAfgvkg8Jvb3PkQzkkYI   Arival 360 | Valencia (27–29 April 2026) brings together Europe’s tours, activities, attractions and multi-day operators, alongside OTAs, tech providers and destinations. Hear from leaders including TUI Musement, Viator, TourRadar, Fever and KimKim. Across three days, explore key shifts in distribution, pricing, technology and product shaping the experiences sector today. Learn More

Following the General Assembly, we have appointed seven new members to the Advisory Council. They represent a cross-section of the inbound tourism industry, including destinations, tour operators, hospitality companies and travel distributors. We look forward to working with them together with the rest of the AC and Board.

Reform of VAT in travel   ​​​​​​Reform of VAT in travel is now being discussed at European level. These discussions include (but are not restricted to): The taxation of transport The possible end of opting out of TOMS for B2B wholesalers The compulsory registration for non-EU operators to pay tax on the final price to the consumer We are in dialogue with relevant institutions and will keep our members updated on any news. Our position is that the margin on sales to non-EU clients should not be subject to tax. The practicalities of imposing VAT on transactions taking place outside European jurisdiction are so difficult as to be insurmountable. There is a long way to go before this is universally recognised.   For a deeper understanding of the developments plus an update on German VAT and VAT in the Digital Age (VIDA), we'll be hosting a member-exclusive webinar on 13 April with David Bennett and Volker Jorczyk.       Capri | Italy We understand that the group size limit may be revised, as well as the requirement for whisper systems, following a local council meeting on 6 March 2026.    Coach Plan | Edinburgh The Council updated their webpage to summarise the plan and to provide a clearer explanation of existing coach operations in Edinburgh for parking and pick up and drop off areas.     Prado Museum | Madrid The Museum will reduce the maximum size of visitor groups. The new limit will apply to all newly scheduled groups.   Sintra | Portugal From 2 April 2026, external guides are no longer allowed to provide explanations or interpretation inside the monument.   Tourism Tax | Spain ​​​​​​In Barcelona new increased tourist tax rates will apply from 1 April 2026.   Guiding in Italy    Initial results of our recent survey show that over 65% struggle to source enough good quality local guides. 70% say this shortage negatively impacts customer satisfaction. Rising costs and limited supply are creating operational pressures, leading some operators to reduce or cancel tours and, in some cases, consider digital or self-guided alternatives.  For operators based outside Italy, most report difficulties understanding and complying with the current requirements, with some facing administrative challenges and enforcement actions that increase operational uncertainty.   Thank you to all of you who contributed to the survey. If you haven’t completed it yet, there is still time to do so. ​​​

Origin Market Interest Groups These member-led and member-exclusive online sessions help members to:   Stay up to date with current market trends Learn about distribution and consumer developments C​onnect directly with engaged buyers  India 9 April Japan 23 April North America 29 April China 23 June    Working Groups We have recently held meetings with our destination-focused and topical working groups. The meetings brought together 40 members and partners from a range of business models, and enabled us to collaborate on shared challenges. Our working groups help inform us and prioritise future actions. ​​​​​   Amsterdam Working Group cruised the canals thanks to the hospitality of Blue Boat Company. We were joined by guests from Amsterdam&partners and Royal Schiphol Group. There was a general sense that domestic overnight business was down, transatlantic business up, leading to an increase in low-spend day visits. The Attractions & Ticketing group met to identify effective strategies for addressing attractions and ticketing challenges across Europe. Participants discussed current operational pressures within cultural tourism and shared updates on engagement with attractions, destinations, and public authorities.       We met online with local operators in Barcelona to gather feedback  on coach operations following the introduction of the new Coach Access System, feeding into ETOA’s continued dialogue with the city authorities. The Group Tourism Group shared insights on coach access, booking challenges, and guiding regulations. We also addressed the impact of the geopolitical situation on group travel, procedures at major attractions, and upcoming ETIAS/EES developments.

Following our Amsterdam working group meeting end of February, we met with members and industry colleagues at the Art Zoo Museum for an ETOA Social. Did you know that the museum has just been mentioned by TIME as one of the World's Greatest Places of 2026? In Brussels, Tim Fairhurst attended The Future of Cities Forum, and joined a subsequent round table to explore common principles and priorities. In March we also held ETOA Socials in Belfast, Berlin and New York. Following our Social in Berlin, the team attended ITB and met up with partners and members. Thank you to everyone who joined our events in March and took time to meet with us at ITB.   ​​​​​ European Sustainable Tourism Mobility Forum Join the European Sustainable Tourism Mobility Forum (9 June 2026, Breda), a dynamic event focused on advancing sustainable transport in tourism. Connect EU strategy with real-world action, gain practical insights, and build partnerships that drive greener travel, featuring a session moderated by ETOA's Tim Fairhurst.   Transport companies, DMOs, and NTOs will benefit from expert discussions, networking opportunities, and actionable ideas to shape the future of sustainable mobility in tourism.   ​​​​​ ​​​​​​

How Destinations Can Drive Demand Beyond Peak Season As traveller expectations evolve and competition for attention intensifies, destinations can no longer rely on high season alone to deliver growth. Tour Guiding in Europe: Current Challenges This webinar reviewed the challenges and requirements for both tour guides and the operators that hire them, and shared tips and suggestions. Open Destinations: 5 Signs It’s Time to Rethink Your Travel Tech Stack A blog piece from ETOA member Open Destinations on signs that your business may have evolved faster than your support systems. Tags: ETOA