Only tourism that is accepted and supported by local people can be sustainable, the boss of Tui Group has told Spanish tourism chiefs ahead of the summer peak.
The importance of sustainable tourism for “growth and prosperity” was the focus of a meeting in Madrid against a backdrop of protests against mass tourism in Barcelona, the Canary Islands and Majorca.
Sebastian Ebel, chief executive of Europe’s largest tour operating group, highlighted the need for co-operation between the population, politicians and the tourism industry in holiday destinations “to further strengthen the positive effects of tourism and develop holistic concepts for living spaces and everyday life for local people”.
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He emphasised that package holidays are a key pillar of this successful tourism model.
Ebel said: ”Social sustainability is particularly about the living spaces of local people – education, training, jobs, local culture, affordable housing.
“In many places around the world, there are already tried-and-tested joint initiatives for education, training and increasing local value creation. We will continue this dialogue and further strengthen it with our partners.”
More than six million holidaymakers will travel with Tui to Spain this summer, providing thousands of secure jobs in hotels, ports, airports and the entire value chain of the Spanish tourism industry, he pointed out.
Tourism accounted for 12.8% of Spain’s gross domestic product in 2023, with a further increase to 13.4% expected this year.
The current discussions in Spain show that people are not against tourism, according to Ebel. They are in favour of tourism, but are calling for sustainable tourism that respects the everyday lives of local people.
“Tourism is sustainable and successful when local people see it as an added value for their city or region. They decide how much tourism is welcome and what kind of tourism it should be,” he said.
The comments came as Ebel met Spanish tourism minister Jordi Hereu Boher and transport secretary Rosario Sanchez Grau.
“Tourism is a driver for the economic and social development of destinations. To this end, Tui harmonises economic, social and environmental sustainability,” Ebel claimed.
“Green energy and sustainable fuels, the strengthening of educational and training opportunities, concepts for the economical use of water in hotels and on cruise ships – sustainability is part of Tui’s DNA.
“Green innovations and the acceptance of tourism among the population are crucial to the success of this transformation.”
The discussion also focussed on green electricity production in Spain, strengthening the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and what support is possible from Spanish politicians.
He also used the meeting to discuss the latest developments surrounding the revision of the European Package Travel Directive, currently under discussion.
Ebel called for Spain’s support for a directive that avoids additional burdens and creates a level playing field between the various market players.
“Package holidays are the safest and most attractive form of travel,” he said. “Tui is committed to ensuring that this form of travel remains competitive and attractive compared to other forms of travel. I am delighted that there was a broad consensus on this in the discussions.”