Mr Patrick Torrent - NECSTouR President and Executive Director at the Catalan Tourism Board - presented vision and priorities of NECSTouR at the Webinar: "Competitive and Sustainable Tourism in Europe coexisting with COVID-19" organised by In2Destination on the 20th of May 2020.

Patrick Torrent highlighted the wide ongoing interregional cooperation within NECSTouR, as result of our recently approved work programme, aiming at building a European recovery plan for tourism through interregional cooperation and in partnership with the industry, fostering the NECSTouR sustainability values.

MORE OPPORTUNITIES THAN THREATS

"Despite the terrible economic impact of this crisis in our sector - stated Patrick Torrent - we see it as a great opportunity to transform our tourism ecosystems while building recovery. Indeed, we are persuaded that only such behavioural change can drive to the safety and resilience of the sector"

As Mr Torrent highlighted during his intervention, the recently published European Commission communication on Travel and Tourism calls for a roadmap to build the European tourism recovery, based on accelerating the greening and digital transition of the European tourism ecosystems.

"The European Commission is taking the core of our strategy and its main priorities - “the 5 “S” of the Sustainable Tourism of Tomorrow” - and translate them into the EU recovery plan for our sector. That is a great acknowledgement that our voice is heard more than ever and a great stimulus for enhancing cooperation among us and find common solutions to the crisis."

For an overview of NECSTouR measures to foster cooperation and exchange of experiences with its members to build resilience and sustainability of the European tourism sector check here

Webinar Video Recording (in Spanish)