This document summarizes a seminar on standardization in the tourism sector that took place on December 8, 2010 in Brussels. [1] It provided an overview of standardization activities at the national, European, and international levels relating to tourism. [2] Stakeholders from industry, consumer groups, and the European Commission discussed needs and opportunities for further standardization work given new EU policy initiatives for tourism. [3] A panel debate addressed priorities for future standardization, whether standards should be national, European or international, and how to reflect the needs of businesses of different sizes in this work.

1. SEMINAR ON
STANDARDIZATION IN THE TOURISM SECTOR
Wednesday, 8 December 2010
CEN-CENELEC Meeting Centre
Room Newton A-B
Avenue Marnix, 17 - 1000 Brussels
INTRODUCTION
In the last year, there have been a series of new political developments in relation to the tourism sector
at European level.
The adoption of the Lisbon Treaty has created a new legal basis entirely devoted to tourism in order to
support and complement the action of the Member States in this field. Moreover, in June 2010 the
European Commission published a communication COM (2010) 352 on a new political framework for
tourism in Europe1, where several actions in relation to the development of sustainable, responsible and
high-quality tourism are outlined.
From the standardization point of view, CEN created in 1995 a technical committee, CEN/TC 329, in
order to work on standardization in the tourism filed. This Technical Committee has to date developed 11
European Standards in relation to terminology, recreational diving services, language study tours and
tourist guides training and qualification programmes. Moreover in 2008 CEN carried out a feasibility
study in relation to the possibility to develop European Standards on accessibility to transport and
tourism services within the framework of Mandate M/371 on service standardization2.
In addition to the standardization activities at European level, a number of standards at national and
international level (ISO/TC 228 “Tourism and related services”) have been developed in the last ten
years. The aim of the seminar is to take stock of the work done so far and to have an exchange of views
among stakeholders on any needs and opportunities for new standardization work in the area of tourism
services.
PROGRAMME
10:00 Registration
10:30 Welcome
Mr. R. JANSEN, Chairman, CEN/TC 329 “Tourism services”
10:35 Short-introduction of CEN
Mrs. M. OLABARRIA , Programme Manager Standards, CEN- CENELEC Management Centre
10:45 Overview of standardization activities on tourism at national, European and International
level
Standardization work at national level, Mrs. M. OLABARRIA, Programme Manager Standards,
CEN-CENELEC Management Centre
1
COM(2010)352 Europe, the world’s No 1 tourist destination – a new political framework for tourism in Europe
2
http://www.cen.eu/cen/Services/Business/Value/Documents/Project2Accessibility.pdf

2. Standardization work at European level, Mr. R. JANSEN, Chairman, CEN/TC 329 “Tourism
services”
Standardization work at International level, Mrs. E. ORDOZGOITI, Secretary, ISO/TC 228
“Tourism and related services”
11:30 COFFEE BREAK
11:45 Political framework for tourism in Europe
COM (2010)352 on a new political framework for tourism in Europe and follow-up actions, F.
TUDINI ,acting Head of Unit Tourism, DG ENTERPRISE
EU Accessibility policy and tourism, Mrs. I. PLACENCIA PORRERO, Deputy Head of Unit
Integration of people with disabilities, DG EMPLOYMENT
12:15 Stakeholders view on tourism standardization and further needs for European standards
Study on Accessible Tourism Standards in Europe, Mr. I. AMBROSE, Managing Director,
European Network for Accessible Tourism
The consumer view on tourism standardization and any further needs for standards, Mrs. M.
VUERICH, Programme Manager, ANEC
Hospitality and hotel industry view on tourism standardization and any further needs for
standards, Mr. M. VALLINI, Policy Advisor, HOTREC, Confederation of hotels, restaurants and
cafés in Europe
Presentation on benefits from established European Tourism Standards
TUI Deutschland GmbH - Mr. Dr. H. ZEISS, Head of quality and environmental management
13:15 LUNCH
14:00 Panel Debate and Discussion
The panelists will be invited to consider the following questions:
Taking into account the latest market developments and policy initiatives such as the EC
communication on a new political framework for Europe COM 2010 (352), what are your views on
possible needs for new standardization work? Are there any priorities for standardization?
If further standards are developed, should these standards be national, European, international?
The tourism industry comprises a very wide range of companies of different sizes and orientations,
from multinationals to micro-enterprises. Their standards requirements are therefore often very
different – how should we reflect this in our work?
Panellists: Mrs. E. ORDOZGOITI (Secretary of ISO/TC 228, AENOR), Mr. A. BARRECA (Head of Office for
European Affairs, Federturismo Confindustria), Mr. C. ANDROPOULOS tbc (Head of Unit, Small
businesses, Cooperatives, Mutuals, Corporate Social Responsibility, DG ENTERPRISE), Mrs. L.
DEGALLAIX (Programme Manager, ANEC), Mr L. POLLARD (Head of Public Affairs, ABTA)
Moderator: Mr. J. KETCHELL, Director Innovation, CEN-CENELEC Management Centre
15:30 Conclusions
Mr. J.KETCHELL, Director Innovation, CEN-CENELEC Management Centre
15:45 Closure of the seminar
Mr. R. JANSEN, Chairman, CEN/TC 329 “Tourism services”