The second annual conference of the European Cultural Tourism Network focused on a range of relevant issues in cultural tourism development, management and marketing. The conference was held at the Wales Millennium Centre, the new home for the performing arts in Wales.
The conference brought together tourism and cultural industry professionals working in different regions of Europe to exchange experience and information on best practice.
The European Cultural Tourism Network website also includes an overview of the conference, with links to presentations and a photo gallery.
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Valletta, Malta, 19-21 October 2005
The 4th European Tourism forum brought together over 200 delegates from the industry, national governments and academia to discuss competitiveness, better regulation and sustainable development. Although the forum was hosted by Malta, we were closely involved in the arrangements, and James Purnell, Minister for Creative Industries and Tourism, gave a well-received speech on behalf of the UK Presidency at the opening plenary session.
In his keynote address, Gunter Verheugen, Vice-President of the European Commission, outlined his new European tourism policy focused on better regulation and policy co-ordination. The main policy objective was to lighten the administrative load on tourism businesses, allowing them to reach their full potential as generators of growth and jobs under the EU's "Lisbon" agenda.
Detailed proposals will be published in 2006 for consideration by Member States.
The Vice-President's policy was also the main topic of discussion at the informal meeting of Tourism Ministers held in parallel with the forum on 20 October, co-chaired by James Purnell and the Maltese Minister for Tourism, Dr Zammit Dimech.
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