Bay of Kotor Hosts Europe’s Tourism Leadership Gathering
The European Travel Commission (ETC) brought together leaders from 32 national tourism organizations across Europe for its 111th General Meeting, held from May 26–28, 2026, in Montenegro’s UNESCO-listed Bay of Kotor. The gathering marked one of the most significant annual meetings for Europe’s tourism leadership community, focusing on the evolving role of destination branding in an increasingly digital, competitive, and sustainability-driven travel environment.
Hosted by the National Tourism Organization of Montenegro, the event highlighted how European destinations are adapting to changing traveler expectations, digital transformation, sustainability pressures, and the need for year-round tourism strategies.
During the meeting, ETC members re-elected Miguel Sanz, Director General of Turespaña, as President of the organization for another term. Arnar Már Ólafsson, Director General of the Icelandic Tourist Board, was elected as ETC’s new Vice President.
The organization also expanded its private-sector partnerships by welcoming four new associate members: Booking.com, Feratel, GetYourGuide, and Skyscanner.
Miguel Sanz Continues Leadership of ETC
Since first assuming the presidency in 2023, Miguel Sanz has positioned ETC as a stronger collaborative platform for Europe’s tourism sector. Under his leadership, the organisation intensified cooperation among national tourism boards, expanded advocacy efforts with European institutions, and promoted sustainable tourism strategies aimed at reducing overtourism and seasonality.
Sanz emphasized the need for balanced tourism growth and stronger coordination among destinations of all sizes.
“ETC will continue to strengthen its role as a platform for cooperation across Europe, ensuring that both large and smaller destinations benefit from our joint efforts,” Sanz said following his re-election.
His renewed mandate signals continuity in ETC’s priorities, particularly in sustainability, tourism dispersal, resilience, and strengthening Europe’s global competitiveness.
Iceland’s Arnar Már Ólafsson Named Vice President
ETC members also elected Arnar Már Ólafsson as Vice President, bringing nearly four decades of tourism expertise to the organization.
Ólafsson has long been associated with sustainable destination management and tourism policy development in Iceland, a destination frequently studied as a model for balancing tourism growth with environmental protection.
He stressed that Europe’s tourism future depends on protecting natural and cultural assets while maintaining economic benefits for local communities.
“The future of European tourism depends on our ability to balance growth with the protection of natural and cultural resources,” Ólafsson said.
His appointment reflects ETC’s growing emphasis on sustainability-led tourism governance.
ETC Expands Private Sector Collaboration
A major development during the General Meeting was the addition of four major travel technology and distribution companies as associate members.
New ETC Associate Members
- Booking.comjoins ETC as one of the world’s largest online travel platforms, offering destination marketing reach and traveler intelligence.
- Feratelbrings expertise in tourism technology, destination management systems, and visitor information platforms.
- GetYourGuidestrengthens ETC’s focus on experiences, activities, and local tourism products.
- Skyscannercontributes aviation and travel demand insights, flight search data, and consumer travel trends.
The inclusion of these companies reflects ETC’s increasing focus on data-driven tourism management and stronger public-private collaboration.
What ETC Does: Key Activities and Strategic Role
The European Travel Commission is one of Europe’s most influential tourism organisations, primarily responsible for promoting Europe as a destination in long-haul international markets.
ETC’s Core Activities
1. Destination Marketing
ETC coordinates pan-European marketing campaigns promoting Europe to travellers from North America, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East.
2. Market Intelligence and Research
The organization regularly publishes:
- Tourism trend reports
- Consumer sentiment research
- Air connectivity analysis
- Sustainability studies
- Long-haul travel forecasts
These reports are widely used by national tourism boards and tourism ministries.
3. Sustainability Advocacy
ETC has increasingly focused on:
- Tourism dispersal strategies
- Reduction of overtourism
- Climate adaptation
- Community-based tourism
- Sustainable mobility
- Year-round tourism development
4. Cooperation with EU Institutions
ETC works closely with European institutions to ensure tourism remains integrated into broader EU economic and sustainability policies.
5. Crisis Management and Recovery
During the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent recovery years, ETC played a major role in:
- Coordinating recovery messaging
- Sharing best practices
- Monitoring travel restrictions
- Supporting destination recovery planning
6. Digital Tourism Development
Recent ETC priorities include:
- AI-driven destination marketing
- Smart tourism systems
- Tourism data integration
- Digital visitor management
- Online reputation and branding strategies
ETC Compared with ETOA and Other Tourism Organisations
While ETC is often viewed as Europe’s umbrella destination marketing organisation, it operates differently from other major tourism associations such as ETOA, UN Tourism, WTTC, and NECSTouR.
ETC vs. ETOA
European Travel Commission (ETC)
Primary Role:Destination promotion and tourism policy cooperation among European national tourism organizations.
Membership Base:National tourism organisations (government-backed tourism boards).
Main Focus Areas:
- Destination branding
- Market intelligence
- Sustainability
- Long-haul tourism promotion
- European tourism cooperation
Primary Audience:Governments, tourism ministries, destination marketing organisations.
European Tourism Association (ETOA)
Primary Role:Business advocacy and commercial networking for the tourism industry.
Membership Base:Tour operators, hotels, attractions, destinations, transport companies, DMCs, and tourism suppliers.
Main Focus Areas:
- Tourism business advocacy
- Travel trade networking
- B2B contracting events
- Regulatory lobbying
- Group travel and inbound tourism
Primary Audience:Private-sector tourism businesses.
Key Difference
ETC primarily represents destinations and public tourism authorities, while ETOA represents commercial tourism operators and businesses.
ETOA is particularly influential in advocating on issues such as visas, taxation, travel regulation, group travel policies, and cross-border tourism barriers affecting operators.
Meanwhile, ETC concentrates more heavily on destination competitiveness, branding, sustainability, and strategic tourism development.
ETC vs. UN Tourism (Formerly UNWTO)
UN Tourism
UN Tourism operates at the global intergovernmental level under the United Nations system.
Focus Areas:
- Global tourism policy
- International development
- Tourism statistics
- Sustainable development goals
- Emerging market tourism growth
Unlike ETC, which is Europe-focused, UN Tourism operates globally and includes governments from all regions.
ETC vs. WTTC
World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC)
WTTC primarily represents the world’s largest private-sector travel and tourism companies.
Focus Areas:
- Economic impact analysis
- Global industry advocacy
- Airline, hotel, and investment interests
- Private-sector growth
WTTC’s influence is strongest among multinational tourism corporations, while ETC is more destination-driven and policy-oriented.
ETC vs. NECSTouR
NECSTouR
NECSTouR is a network of European regions focused specifically on sustainable and smart tourism.
Focus Areas:
- Regional cooperation
- Sustainable destination management
- Climate adaptation
- Smart tourism innovation
Compared with ETC, NECSTouR operates more at the regional governance level rather than national destination marketing.
Why the Montenegro Meeting Matters
The 111th ETC General Meeting comes at a time when Europe’s tourism industry is navigating major structural changes.
Key challenges discussed during the meeting included:
- Managing overtourism in major European cities
- Expanding tourism into secondary destinations
- Addressing climate-related travel shifts
- Balancing tourism growth with community wellbeing
- Leveraging AI and digital tools for destination management
- Strengthening Europe’s global tourism competitiveness
The choice of Montenegro as a host destination also highlighted the growing importance of emerging and smaller European destinations within the continent’s tourism ecosystem.
Ana Tripkoviฤ Markoviฤ, Director of the National Tourism Organization of Montenegro and Vice-President of ETC, emphasized the significance of hosting the event during Montenegro’s 20th anniversary as an ETC member.
“This gathering has provided an excellent opportunity to showcase Montenegro’s natural beauty, cultural heritage, and commitment to sustainable tourism development,” she said.
The Future of European Tourism Cooperation
The Bay of Kotor meeting reinforced ETC’s evolving role as both a strategic marketing platform and a policy coordination body for European tourism.
As travel demand continues to rebound and tourism pressures intensify in many destinations, organisations such as ETC are increasingly expected to balance growth with sustainability, digital innovation, and community impact.
The organisation’s expanding partnerships with technology and travel distribution companies further indicate a shift toward data-led destination management and closer public-private collaboration.
With Miguel Sanz continuing as President and Arnar Már Ólafsson joining the leadership team, ETC appears positioned to deepen its influence across European tourism policy, branding, sustainability, and international promotion in the years ahead.
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