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Bratislava forum addresses security in European tourism sector

Xinhua, October 11, 2016 Adjust font size:

Security is now one of the key factors when picking a holiday destination in Europe, Slovak Minister for Transport, Construction and Regional Development Arpad Ersek said Tuesday.

Addressing the 15th edition of the European Tourism Forum, as part of the Slovak Presidency of the Council of the EU, Ersek said: "The situation is made all the more difficult by the fact that nobody can predict with certainty what will happen and who may be affected."

The promotion of Europe as a global tourist destination is important, keeping in mind that 2018 has been declared the EU-China Year of Tourism. This represents a major opportunity to increase the number of Chinese tourists visiting European countries, he added.

"The world is getting smaller, and even the most remote destinations are now closer than a few years ago. Therefore, we need to do our utmost to ensure that the quality and range of services grow," said Ersek.

Towards the end of the Slovak Presidency in late November, a regular meeting of the European Travel Commission is set to take place in Bratislava. Aside from the approval of the final proposal for a joint marketing activities plan for 2017, the central topic will relate to the promotion of the EU as a tourism destination. Endit