The European Commission announced the publication of a Communication outlining the building blocks for a common European tourism data space, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at fostering collaboration and data-sharing among tourism businesses and public authorities. This data space is envisioned to drive innovation in tourism services, bolster sustainability in the tourism ecosystem, and enhance the sector’s economic competitiveness.
Tourism, being a multifaceted and fast-paced industry, generates and consumes a vast amount of data. The common European Tourism Data Space aims to facilitate data-sharing and foster a trustworthy framework. The data space will act as a platform to enable the exchange of data from diverse sources, including businesses, local authorities, and academic institutions. By bringing together various stakeholders, such as the public and other relevant parties, the data space will allow for better monitoring of the environmental impact of tourism on specific destinations. For example, data on hotels’ energy consumption can provide valuable insights into the sustainability of a destination.
The shared data will be accessible to a wide range of users, including business intermediaries, destination managers, and tourism service providers. This increased access to relevant data will empower businesses, especially smaller ones, and local authorities to create, personalize, and improve services while making informed decisions related to the sustainability of their tourism offerings. For instance, a start-up offering AI-driven tourism services can leverage more relevant data, and a travel agent will gain a comprehensive overview of offers across cities, regions, and borders.
The data space will promote interoperability across different data domains and sectoral data spaces, such as those for mobility, energy, environment, health, smart communities, and cultural heritage. This interoperability will enhance the overall tourism experience by creating connections and synergies between various sectors.
The Communication emphasizes a progressive approach to building the tourism data space to ensure that the needs and requirements of all interested parties are taken into account. The Coordination and Support Actions under the Digital Europe Programme (DEP) are entrusted with delivering a blueprint for the data space’s creation by the end of 2023.
The decision to establish a common European tourism data space is rooted in the recognition that data collected by Member States, regional and local authorities, and the private sector using their own standards and needs can be highly relevant to the tourism industry. To address this, Eurostat already has an agreement in place to share accommodation data voluntarily with the private sector at the EU level. Furthermore, the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission has developed the EU Tourism Dashboard, a tool launched in 2021 to monitor the green and digital transitions and resilience of the tourism ecosystem.
The European Tourism Agenda 2030, adopted by the Council of the European Union in December 2022, has also emphasized the importance of data-sharing practices in the tourism sector. The Agenda, built on the Commission’s Transition Pathway for Tourism, presents a comprehensive program of actions for EU countries, the Commission, and the tourism ecosystem.
The introduction of the common European tourism data space represents a significant milestone in leveraging data for the growth, sustainability, and competitiveness of the European tourism industry.