ETOA News | July 2026

 

Over the last quarter, we have represented members’ interests across a range of operational and policy issues affecting European tourism. We have coordinated industry responses to the Middle East crisis, Rome coach access proposals, and Italy’s guiding regulations, while continuing advocacy on TOMS reform, ETIAS readiness, and EES implementation. Key achievements include lobbying the Scottish Government to amend visitor levy legislation, proposing improvements to Barcelona’s coach access system, facilitating dialogue with the Louvre and Eiffel Tower, and engaging transport authorities on Paris Metro ticketing challenges.   Through surveys, working groups, government engagement, and member consultations, we continue to ensure industry concerns are heard and reflected in policy discussions.   Interested in becoming part of our community?

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Heat in Europe | Climate Adaptation   Climate adaptation is no longer optional, it is essential to keeping European destinations attractive, competitive, and operational in a changing climate. The impact on tourism is visible. Key challenges reported by members include: Inconsistent rules on free drinking water Walking tours difficult in extreme heat Limited cooling in venues Restricted access for air-conditioned coaches We have build a webpage bringing together insights, ideas and tools to help you adapt. You can help shape our priorities by sharing your experience.         Ticketing | Vatican From 1 January 2027, Tour Operator tickets require the visitor's name at the time of booking, with no changes permitted.   Tourism Tax | Vienna & Tromsø Tromsø is the first Norwegian municipality to have decided to introduce a tourist tax. In Vienna, effective from 1 July 2026, there is a % tax of the accommodation charge, increasing again in 2027.       Ljubljana Town Hall Organised groups visiting Ljubljana Town Hall are now limited to fewer people, with each tour lasting up to 30 minutes.   Vehicle Access | Sintra The Municipality of Sintra has implemented new rules governing vehicle circulation and stopping in the village.      Coach Access | Nice In June 2026, the City of Nice has repealed the 2025 "red routes" and coach traffic restrictions on the Promenade des Anglais and surrounding roads.   Coach Access | Florence ​​​​From 1 September, tourist bus entry fees will rise. In addition, the city plans to replace some tourist bus parking.   Working Groups In July we convened a Europe-wide Attractions Scoping Group to explore how the relationship between attractions and the travel trade is evolving, bringing together attractions from across the continent to identify shared challenges and opportunities. Our recent Paris Working Group, hosted by Paris je t’aime, discussed the impacts of extreme heat, attraction access, EES, and the Middle East crisis. The group also explored how climate change will shape future tour planning and operations.

Event Sponsorship ​​​​If you're looking to increase your brand awareness to a dedicated audience, consider sponsoring one of our B2B events.   Business Service Hub Check out our new Hub showcasing our ETOA members providing specialist services and expertise for the travel and tourism industry.​​​​      Upcoming ETOA webinars We are thrilled to announce that we will be hosting yet another full schedule of webinars* this autumn. Invitations will be sent in due course. You have the option to sponsor a webinar. If you're interested, let us know. Tags: ETOA