"Europe is the world’s main tourist destination, but we must do more to maintain our competitive edge". Günter Verheugen, deputy president of the EU Commission, presented today in Vienna a plan "to improve, in cooperation with all operators, the competitiveness of the tourist industry" in the old continent. The occasion was provided by the conference of the EU tourism ministers, called "Tourism – Key to Growth and Employment in Europe". "Our plans explained the German Commissioner give a European added value to the efforts made by the member states and will contribute to promote the EU as a unique tourist destination in a more effective and coordinated way". Tourism, explains a release from the Executive Committee, "covers about two million companies, employing 4% of the total labour of the EU" (approximately 8 million jobs). But the "arrivals of international tourists are increasing less than the world average due to the emergence of new destinations". Hence a number of operating plans, such as: "better use of the EU financial instruments"; a better understanding of the economic and cultural significance of tourism; a more effective promotion of the European destinations. A website has been opened for the purpose: www.visiteurope.com.
