A. Vella

THERMAL TOURISM AND THE

CALYPSO PREPARATORY ACTION

CONGRESO INTERNACIONAL DE TURISMO TERMAL

OURENSE, SPAIN

Alan Vella

Policy Officer, Tourism Unit DG ENTR

2ND March 2011European CommissionEnterprise and Industry

Top destination in the world Tourism has a growing economic impact in Europe:

1. 1,8 millions enterprises, primarily SMEs2. 5,2% of total workforce3. More than 5% of EU GDP4. 370 million international tourist arrivals in 2008, 40%

of arrivals around the world

Tourism is an industry that can generate sustainable economic growth as well as employment

The European Tourism Industry

Lisbon TreatyTitle I, Article 6(d) TFEUThe Union shall have competence to carry out actions to support, coordinate or supplement the actions of the Member States. The areas of such action shall, at European level, be: (…) (d) tourism

Title XXII, Article 195 TFEU1. The Union shall complement the action of the Member States in the tourism sector, in particular by promoting the competitiveness of Union undertakings in that sector.To that end, Union action shall be aimed at:(a) encouraging the creation of a favourable environment for the development of undertakings in this sector;(b) promoting cooperation between the Member States, particularly by the exchange of good practice.2. The European Parliament and the Council, acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure, shall establish specific measures to complement actions within the Member States to achieve the objectives referred to in this Article, excluding any harmonisation of the laws and regulations of the Member States.

EU Cross Border Healthcare Directive 1Health systems and policies across the EU are becoming more

interconnected than ever, due mainly to:• movement of patients and professionals • increasingly shared expectations of people across Europe • dissemination of new medical technologies and techniques

This increased interconnection raises many challenges:• easier access to healthcare abroad with reimbursement rules • quality of such healthcare • information requirements for patients, health officials and

policy-makers • the scope for cooperation on healthcare and service

provision • how to reconcile national policies with European obligations

EU Cross Border Healthcare Directive 2

• The directive will be applicable across the EU around 2013. • It wants to provide legal certainty over patients' rights to

seek healthcare in another EU country and reinforce cooperation between those countries.

• The directive paves the way for residents to seek health care anywhere in the European Union, expanding rights that will particularly help:

- patients with rare diseases seeking advanced treatments;

- people living along borders where the nearest hospital is across the border

- people in one country that want to get treatment near family members in another country.

EU Cross Border Healthcare Directive 3Do I need authorisation from my national authority before going

abroad for treatment? • National authorities can introduce a system of "prior authorisation": 1) For healthcare which involves overnight hospital stay of at least one

night; 2) for highly specialised and cost-intensive healthcare; 3) in serious and specific cases relating to quality or safety. In these 3 cases, patients may need to ask for permission in advance from

their national health authority in charge of reimbursement.

Can this authorisation be refused?• National health authorities can refuse authorisation if the treatment in

question, or the healthcare provider in question, could present a risk for the patient. Also, if appropriate healthcare can be provided at home in good time, authorisation can be refused but Member States will need to explain why such a decision is necessary.

http://ec.europa.eu/health/index_en.htm

Main Challenges and Opportunities• The financial and economic crisis• Globalisation• Demography• Climate change• Information and communication technologies • Seasonality• Increasing competition from emerging markets

21 actions envisaged to encourage a coordinated approach and to give the European tourism sector the means to adapt to the changes it is facing today and develop its competitiveness and its capacity for a modern, sustainable and responsible growth.

1. Stimulate competitiveness in the European Tourism sector

2. Promote the development of sustainable, responsible and high quality tourism

3. Consolidate the image and profile of Europe as home to sustainable and high-quality destinations

4. Maximise the potential of EU policies and financial instruments

A new consolidated framework for the EU Tourism Policy - The four axes of action

Action. 6 :”Provide a voluntary exchange mechanism between Member States enabling…key groups…to travel, particularly during the low season”

• Encourage extension of tourist season

• Make better use of existing tourist infrastructure

• Improve employment patterns

• Increased productivity

• Provide more stable and motivated workforce

Calypso : Background

• Conferences by the Tourism Unit (Jan 2006, Feb 2007, June 2007, April 2008)

• Preparatory Action Adopted by European Parliament in 2008 : “Social Tourism in Europe”

• Three Year Programme. Funding Guaranteed Year By Year (1 Million Euros, up to 1.5 million Euros)

• Open to Member States and Candidate Countries

Calypso : Target Groups

• Seniors: over 65 years or Pensioners / Early Retired Citizens that Receive Pension Benefits

• Youths: aged 18-30 years

• Disabled adult citizens, together with one accompanying person (if needed)

• Families (children, parents and/or grandparents) certified by their country’s coordinating authority as facing difficult social (financial, personal and/or disability) circumstances.

Calypso: Rationale

• Enhances employment (more and better jobs)

• Extends the tourism seasonality spread

• Strengthens European citizenship

• Generates Economic Activity and Growth Across Europe

• Improves regional/local economies through the development of social tourism

Work Programme for 2009 - 2010

• Calypso Expert Group

• Awareness Building Meetings: Spain; Poland; France; Belgium, Italy and Romania. Concluding Conference with Spanish Presidency in Palma de Mallorca (June 2010).

• Communication/Visibility to Calypso on Internet• Call for Tender: Study on Tourism Exchanges in Europe

(2009)• Call for Proposals: Facilitating Transnational Low

Season Exchanges (2010)

Study Objectives• Catalogue the Main Good Practices

• Identify Existing Measures and Examine Difficulties at European and National Level concerning Exchanges in the Four Target Groups

• Propose Mechanisms in Tourist Low Season Enabling Target Groups to Travel in Other Countries on the basis of themed programmes and accommodation offers

• 21 Participating Countries• Need to Strengthen Structures at Member State

level

Call for Proposals ObjectivesOverall Objective• To support tourism-related public authorities to undertake

trans-national low season exchanges in CALYPSO groups.

Specific Objectives• To Support Public Authorities in Setting Up, Developing

and/or Strengthening CALYPSO office infrastructures • To Provide Networking Opportunities Enhancing

Collaboration Between Public Authorities to promote low season exchanges in any of the CALYPSO target groups.

• To conduct relevant studies that could improve the knowledge base, eventually facilitating low season exchanges.

Work Programme for 2011

• Monitoring of 4 successful projects (2010 Call)

• Two workshops in June and November

• Communication/Visibility Initiatives• Call for Proposals: Facilitating Transnational

Low Season Exchanges (2011)• Call for Proposals: Demand-Supply Web

Platform

SUPPLY

Hostels

Spas

Gites

Holiday villages

Campings

Hotels

Etc.

DEMAND

Local councils

NGOs

Travel agents

Reg. authorities

Member States

Parishes

CRITERIA to be defined (ex. Accessibility)

CRITERIA to be defined (ex. Sustainability)

Etc.

INFORMATION

HOLIDAY STAY OFFERS

One Calypso platform with

one channel per target

Thank you!

[email protected]