Tourism data sharing Code of Conduct agreement co-signed by European Tourism Organizations

Friday, March 10, 2023

An agreement to sign a Code of Conduct for data sharing in the tourism sector has been approved by about 20 organisations representing the travel and tourism sector at the European level. Through a statement issued on March 8, the European Travel Commission (ETC) emphasised that this decision has come in an attempt to respond to the digital transition of tourism.

According to SchengenVisaInfo.com, the non-binding document highlights the essential factors that should be considered in data exchange agreements.

According to ETC, tourism data is becoming increasingly vital while also being a key resource that fosters competitiveness, innovation, and job growth in this industry.

The growth of the data economy in tourism at the EU level is critical as tourism accounts for 10% of the EU’s GDP.

Consequently, by developing and approving this Code of Conduct, European stakeholders specify the right conditions for continuous mechanisms for the interchange of tourism-related data.

“This document aims at building trust between tourism stakeholders and providing support in the creation of mutually beneficial data sharing agreements in the tourism industry,” the statement of ETC reads.

In this respect, ETC stated that this paper adds to the EU-wide architecture for the exchange of non-personal data by defining common concepts such as interoperability, security, and accountability, as well as rules for data sharing.

Furthermore, the authority stated that this document is being prepared in time to react to some qualitative concerns linked to data access, usage, and sharing. It also discusses how to maintain privacy and security when collecting and processing data.

A document like this will also provide a level playing field in which the public, private, and interested parties all have equal possibilities and opportunities to use and exchange data in tourism.

Additionally, through their sector support, tourism stakeholders may demonstrate their active commitment to the same aims as the European digital strategy for tourism and the primary goals of the Tourism Transition Road.

The Code of Conduct is also a mechanism for active data exchange in the tourism industry. It is a significant step towards the aims of an unified European Tourist Information Space, which is also being developed.

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