Rosario Sánchez defends tourism as a tool for peace at EU meeting in Cyprus - Get updated on what's happening in tourism!

Spain’s Secretary of State for Tourism, Rosario Sánchez, has defended tourism as an instrument of peace, dialogue and cultural exchange during the informal meeting of European Union tourism ministers held in Nicosia under the Cypriot presidency of the Council of the EU. The meeting focused on the potential impact of the Iran conflict on the tourism industry and on the development of a new European tourism strategy.

Representing Spain’s Minister of Industry and Tourism, Sánchez reiterated the country’s position of “no to war” and its commitment to international law. She described tourism as “an instrument of peace, tolerance, coexistence and cultural and knowledge exchange among all countries of the world,” emphasizing the sector’s role in supporting global stability.

Call for multilateral cooperation

During the meeting, Sánchez highlighted the importance of multilateral cooperation in the current geopolitical context. She stressed that coordinated European responses are essential to address global challenges and to strengthen the resilience of the tourism sector.

The Spanish government is currently monitoring the potential effects of the conflict on tourism in cooperation with industry stakeholders and through information provided by the 33 international offices of Turespaña. According to current assessments, uncertainty remains high and the extent of the impact will largely depend on the duration of the conflict.

One of the main concerns for the sector is the potential rise in fuel and energy prices. In response, the Spanish government has introduced a package of 80 measures worth five billion euros aimed at supporting 20 million households and three million companies.

Sánchez also underlined the need to reinforce governance mechanisms and strengthen cooperation between public authorities and the tourism industry. She emphasized the importance of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) as a key tool to reduce energy dependence, decarbonize aviation and lower emissions.

European tourism strategy under discussion

The informal ministerial meeting also addressed the development of a new European tourism strategy, which is currently being prepared and will be aligned with the Spain Tourism Strategy 2030.

Spain views the European strategy as an opportunity to strengthen tourism governance within the EU and to establish a renewed common vision that supports sustainability and long-term competitiveness across European destinations.

According to Sánchez, the strategy should address shared challenges such as managing tourism flows to avoid imbalances and overuse of resources, promoting sustainable connectivity, accelerating the digital and green transition of tourism businesses and improving working conditions in the sector. It should also support the exchange of best practices between destinations and expand the use of tourism data spaces to improve decision-making and visitor management.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Sánchez held a bilateral discussion with representatives from France and exchanged views with the European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Apostolos Tzitzikostas.

Image Credit: © Government of Spain. Ministry of industry and tourism