The Conference of the Chairpersons of the Committees of the National Parliaments and the European Parliament on "European policies for citizens" concluded yesterday in Val de Loire, France, as part of the parliamentary dimension of the current French Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU). The House of Representatives was represented by Mr. Giannakis Gavriel (leader), Mrs. Savia Orphanidou and Mr. Elias Mirianthous.
Mr. Gavriel, in his intervention in a debate on sustainable tourism in the context of the European Green Deal, highlighted the adverse consequences for the tourism industry and the entire tourism chain when the sector is called upon to implement costly actions at the same time as it is struggling to survive the devastating consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. He also pointed out the risk of passing on these costs to consumers and, by extension, to tourists, making travel a luxury for the few. The impact of the implementation of the European Green Deal on Cyprus, a remote island, with limited access and a significant number of imports of basic goods, is expected to be even greater than those in other Member States, he stressed. He made special reference to air navigation, which, he pointed out, will lead to skyrocketing prices of basic goods, as well as the cost of living. He also warned of the risk of Europe becoming an unattractive tourist destination, since due to increased costs of the tourist product, tourists will choose cheaper tourist destinations outside the EU, which do not follow the EU's green policies. In order to have effective initiatives and measures to promote green policies, the EU should take action to conclude international agreements with third countries.
In his intervention on the same subject, Mirianthous said that tourism has suffered a serious blow as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and that, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the consequent increase in prices, new serious consequences for tourism throughout Europe are expected. Mirianthus said that these crises should be of concern to all stakeholders and that it is time to adopt a more integrated tourism policy. He stressed that tourism needs to be transformed into a more resilient, sustainable and inclusive sector. He also stressed that the strong growth of tourism causes adverse environmental impacts, which should be addressed by a policy of support for local authorities and small and medium-sized enterprises, so that they are able to adapt their operations with the minimum possible impact on the environment. Small and medium-sized enterprises, Mr Mirianthous pointed out, undertake a large part of tourism activity and emphasis must be placed on protecting the natural environment, the cultural environment and folk traditions. Finally, Mirianthous stressed the importance of developing rural tourism, strengthening the tourism sector with emphasis on the countryside, promoting the circular economy in hotel facilities and strengthening the tourism product in rural areas.
(NΓ/ΣΧ)
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