Austria tourism report 2009

Abstract

Council Decision 86/664/EEC of 22 December 19861 establishing a consultation and cooperation procedure in the field of tourism foresees that 'each Member State shall send the Commission, once a year, a report on the most significant measures it has taken and, as far as possible, on measures it is considering taking in the provision of services for tourists which could have consequences for travellers from the other Member States”. With the publication of the Communication 'Agenda for a sustainable and competitive European tourism”, thereafter referred to as 'Agenda', the Commission announced that 'in order to strengthen the collaboration with and among Member States, their current annual reporting through the Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC) will be used to facilitate the exchange and the dissemination of information about how their policies and actions safeguard the sustainability of tourism”. The Communication also recognised that sustainability and competitiveness are integral parts of a comprehensive approach towards tourism management and development. This Communication was welcomed by the Competitiveness Council conclusions (22nd-23rd November 2007) and by the Presidency Conclusions of the Brussels European Council of 14th December 2007. The main aims for the reporting process are to: be able to monitor the level of implementation of the 'Agenda for a sustainable and competitive European tourism” by Member States; provide an opportunity for Member States to make visible at European level the ideas and initiatives that they have developed or are developing regarding tourism issues; facilitate the exchange of experiences among Member States with regard to how they tackle issues which are important for the competitiveness and sustainability of European tourism.