BRDO PRI KRANJU, Slovenia, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) plans a green and digital transformation of its tourism sector by 2030, Slovenian Minister of Economic Development and Technology Zdravko Pocivalsek said on Tuesday.
"We need to transform the tourist ecosystem so that it will become more resilient, sustainable and ready for new market challenges and changed behaviour of consumers," Pocivalsek told a news conference after chairing an informal online meeting of the EU ministers in charge of tourism.
Slovenia took over the six-month-long rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU) on July 1, 2021.
"It is important to once again ensure safe tourist travel where a COVID-19 digital certificate is of key importance. We have to include states outside the EU into this system, too," he added.
He stressed the need for innovation and faster business processes in tourism, adding that the European tourism of the future is "safe, green, smart, responsible and inclusive."
The common EU goal should be to remain globally competitive and "be the tourist destination number 1 in the world," he said.
Tourism was badly hit by the COVID-19 epidemic, with EU tourism income down by 70 percent in 2020. The income has increased in 2021, but is still well below the 2019 figures. Enditem
