NET and EUTT position paper on state-guaranteed vouchers for tourism

Tourism enterprises request EU support for state-guaranteed voucher schemes. As a member of NET -- a network of representative trade associations from the private sector in European tourism -- HOTREC has co-signed a position paper destined to EU decision-makers requesting the adoption an EU-wide legal framework to provide customers with flexible and refundable vouchers for travel and tourism services that are state-guaranteed to address the issue of refunds for service cancellations in the light of the COVID-19 crisis. The paper notably addresses the EU framework for cancellations under the Package Travel Directive but also requests a 'positive message' from the European Commission towards the EU Member States on guidance that enables state-guaranteed vouchers for accommodation services. The paper, available here below, also requests the European Commission to proactively support state aid from Member States to the travel and tourism industry.