Brussels, 7 December 2016
The European Travel Commission (ETC), the association representing the 32 European National Tourism Organisations, and the European Destinations of Excellence Network (EDEN Network), the network uniting the sustainable tourism destinations in Europe, announce the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding on the occasion of the European Tourism Day, the annual event organized by the European Commission in Brussels, in the presence of Elżbieta Bieńkowska, Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, Tibor Navracsics, Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport and Karmenu Vella, Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries.
ETC and EDEN Network commit to work together and to continue investing in the promotion of Europe as a travel destination in overseas markets with the common view to strengthen the competitiveness of the European tourism industry as one of the main engines of economic growth and employment in Europe.
“The EDEN network comprises currently 72 off-the-beaten-track destinations and sites in natural areas, which are awarded for their efforts in sustainable development of tourism by the European Commission. These destinations represent some of the most stunning and pristine environments in the continent,” says Xavier Lechien, President of EDEN Network. “We look forward to working closely with ETC to present these European hidden gems to new audiences in international markets.”
“In the course of the past few years, we learned that travellers to Europe are increasingly more sophisticated in their choices. The destinations in the EDEN Network are a source of inspiration to attract both new and repeating visitors” says Eduardo Santander, Executive Director of ETC. “Our partnership with EDEN is a further step towards our long-term goal of consolidating a unique image that differentiates Destination Europe from other international regions.”
European Travel Commission