I want to confirm the creation of the first tourism academy of the European Union. This will also benefit SMEs and the tourism ecosystem of the countries in the bloc. This was confirmed on Friday by the European Commissioner for Tourism, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, during the global summit of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) being held in Valletta (Malta), in a context marked by the need to strengthen European tourism competitiveness. Vacant positions and the lack of skills are one of the biggest challenges facing the sector today. We want a better balance of visits between places and throughout the year. Tzitzikostas warned about the concentration of travel during certain periods and argued for the need to promote lesser-known destinations, encourage off-season travel, and favor longer stays. Resilience is not just about quickly recovering from impacts or crises. It is also about being able to absorb them. Tzitzikostas warned that the sector must prepare to face risks such as geopolitical tensions, climate change, trade uncertainty, and the shortage of professionals. #TurismoEU #AcademiaTurística #CompetitividadEuropea (translated)