Mission

European Travel & Tourism Action Group

	Address	c/o ETC, Avenue Marnix 19a, 1000 BRUSSELS, Belgium Tel: 322 548 9000 Fax: 322 514 1843
	Secretariat	Mr. Gareth James 14 Bushwood Road, Richmond TW9 3BQ , UK Tel: +44 (0)208 948 1153 Mobile: +44 (0) 7966 84 8642 email: admin@etag-euro.org
	Chairman	Frederico Costa Turismo de Portugal Rua Ivone Silva lote 6, 1050-124 Lisbon, Portugal Tel: 00 351 217 810 000 email: fcosta@turismodeportugal.pt
	Vice Chairman	David Jones, Director General World Youth Student & Educational Travel Confederation Keizersgracht 174, 1016 DW AMSTERDAM, Netherlands email: djones@wysetc.org
	Honorary Treasurer	Mr Jeff Bertus Secretary, Europarks Rue Wiertz 50/28, 1050 BRUSSELS, Belgium Tel: 322 401 6161 Fax: 322 401 6868 email: j.bertus@wxs.nl

Objectives

ETAG was established on the initiative of the European Travel Commission following a representative industry conference in 1981. The principal objectives are:

	to encourage effective technical liaison and co-operation between governments, national tourism agencies and the tourism operating interests in the public and private sectors.

	to promote the development of Europe's Tourism.

	to help remove constraints on the growth of travel.

International organisations representing the key tourism industry sectors, representatives of national tourism agencies and intergovernmental bodies concerned with tourism in Europe attend the Group's meetings, and participate in its activities. The Group co-operates with the Commission of the European Union, maintains contact with the European Parliament and its members interested in Tourism and is an affiliate member of the World Tourism Organisation.

ETAG aims to provide a forum for the key interests concerned with the provision of visitor services and facilities. While each sector member interest has their own professional and trade concerns the Group seeks to identify and promote the common interest in tourism development which links all the sectors together.

There is a co-operative as well as competitive field for action to ensure tourism prosperity. The industry is now recognised as Europe's leading trade with massive economic and social impact on the whole community.

But the collective voice of tourism is weak. Priority is given in governmental policies to the industry's needs is low, resources devoted to future infrastructure development are inadequate, and the fiscal, financial and regulatory framework of government affecting the industry is created without recognition of tourism's massive potential.

ETAG aims to:

	strengthen the collective voice of tourism, and in so doing encourage co-operation at the technical and professional level between the wide range of sector interests concerned.

	provide an effective forum for liaison, exchange of information, and advise government and public sector agencies on common action at the European level.

	represent the common interest at intergovernmental and other appropriate international bodies with a tourism programme.

	make representations for action by governments or related industry on economic and social issues where appropriate.

	participate in promotion, research and other programmes devoted to Europe's tourism development.