President Valcárcel backs European Manifest for Sustainable Nautical Tourism

​The President of EU's the Committee of the Regions (CoR), Ramón Luis Valcárcel Siso, has supported the European Manifest for Sustainable Nautical Tourism. The signatories of this manifesto are committed to promote a sustainable tourism policy.

President Valcárcel argued that "with over 60% of European's choosing coastal regions for holidays, fostering sustainable coastal and maritime tourism in Europe was crucial to create jobs and protect local heritage". With sustainable tourism being one of his political priorities as President of the CoR, he stressed the importance of nautical tourism can play at local and regional level, "It creates jobs, stimulates growth and creates market for trade in the area. But if nautical tourism will continues to create jobs and wealth, it must be compatible with environmental sustainability"

The European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Maria Damanaki i, added that, "I am happy to see the commitment of all stakeholders here today which is exactly what our European Coastal and Maritime Tourism Strategy is about: sustainability and jobs. If we want this growth to last, we need to protect our seas and coasts now. Preserving our marine ecosystems, safeguarding the coastal environment and respecting local traditions - this is the key to success".

The Manifesto was launched by the European Federation of Nautical Tourism Destinations(FEDETON) during an event today held at the CoR in Brussels and aims to promote coastal tourism whilst protecting the cultural and environmental impact of development. With the sector seeing significant expansion in recent years - the construction sector of luxury yachts has grown around 228% from 1998 and 2008 for example - it seeks to improve the coordination of nautical tourism at a European level.

The main principles of the European Manifest for Sustainable Nautical Tourism are:

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  To reserve natural coastal ecosystems;
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  To reduce carbon footprint and move towards engines that require less energy;
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  To improve the richness of local communities;
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  To promote healthy and active life;
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  To teach people to be more respectful with the environment.