20 organizations representing the travel and tourism sector at the European level have signed the Agreement on the Code of Conduct for the exchange of data in the tourism sector, taking another step towards digitalization.
According to the Schengenvisainfo portal, in a statement released on March 8, the European Tourism Commission (ETC) confirmed that the decision was made in an attempt to respond to the digitalization of tourism. The same non-binding document clarified the main aspects to be taken into account in data sharing agreements.
According to the ETC, data related to tourism is becoming increasingly important and, at the same time, are a defining resource for competition, innovation and job creation in the sector. Considering that tourism accounts for 10% of EU GDP, the development of a data economy in tourism at the EU level is very important.
Thus, with the creation and approval of this Code of Conduct, European stakeholders are defining the appropriate conditions for permanent tools for the exchange of data related to tourism.
“This document aims to build trust among tourism stakeholders and support the creation of mutually beneficial data sharing agreements in the tourism industry,” ETC said in a statement. In this regard, the ETC added that through common principles, including definitions of interoperability, security and accountability, as well as guidelines for data exchange, this document contributes to a pan-European architecture for the exchange of non-personal data.
In addition, the authority noted that the new document is being created in time to adequately address some of the challenges of accessing, using and exchanging data. It also talked about how to ensure confidentiality and security during data collection and processing.
It is believed that the document will also create a level playing field in which the public and private sectors, as well as stakeholders, will have an equal chance and opportunities for use and exchange of data in the field of tourism. The agreement is also a tool for the active exchange of data related to tourism. This is a serious step towards the goals of a common European tourism information space, which is also under preparation, the publication said.
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