Tzitzikostas: “Transatlantic cooperation a pillar for global tourism”
Source: Tornos News
Commissioner’s participation in the leading Transatlantic Summit on EU-US travel
Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas participated in one of the most important international forums on tourism, organised by the European Travel Commission (ETC), together with 150 top executives from the global travel industry. The summit, which brought together representatives from airlines, tourism organisations, technology companies and destination management bodies, examined the evolving dynamics of travel between Europe and North America.
Participants noted that the transatlantic corridor remains the most important in the world, shaped by the changing needs of travelers, geopolitical developments and the acceleration of digital innovation. The discussions focused on ways to strengthen cooperation for more sustainable, safe and innovative travel.
In his speech, Mr. Tzitzikostas stressed the importance of transatlantic travel flows and announced the first European strategy for tourism, which will be presented in 2026. As he underlined, the new strategy will be based on three pillars:
“The transatlantic corridor is the busiest route in the world. It connects people, builds bridges and gives a vital boost to our economies,” the Commissioner said, noting that last year almost 10 million Europeans travelled to the US, while Americans spent over 34 million nights in Europe.
The transition of destinations to more sustainable and resilient models,
The promotion of digital innovation for the benefit of travellers and businesses,
And the deepening of international partnerships, starting with the United States.
“The transatlantic corridor is the busiest route in the world. It connects people, builds bridges and gives a vital boost to our economies,” the Commissioner said, noting that last year almost 10 million Europeans travelled to the US, while Americans spent over 34 million nights in Europe.
Mr Tzitzikostas stressed that Europe and the US are the world’s largest travel and tourism markets, while underlining that tourism “is much more than an industry – it is a soft power that creates connections, jobs and prosperity”.
Referring to the current challenges of travel, he pointed out that the EU is investing in high-speed rail and multimodal tickets, while the US is modernising its infrastructure. “Together we can make travel smoother, more reliable and more sustainable”, he noted.
On the sidelines of the forum, the Commissioner had a series of contacts with EU and US tourism stakeholders and executives, with the aim of strengthening the European presence in the US market and collecting data to be used in the new tourism strategy.
During his stay in New York, Mr. Tzitzikostas had private meetings with Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, EU Ambassador to the United Nations Stavros Lambrinidis, Consul General of Greece in New York Ifigenia Kanara, President of the Hellenic-American Chamber of Commerce Eftychia Pylarinou-Piper, as well as with leading representatives of US tourism organizations.
The original article: belongs to Tornos News .
