ETC & Partnering Organisations Launch Preparatory Actions for Data Space for Tourism
The European Travel Commission (ETC) has announced that they have joined forces with Modul University, ForwardKeys, and the City Destinations Alliance (CityDNA) have set the groundwork for the development of a trusted and secure Data Space for Tourism (DSFT).
According to ETC, this project is funded by the European Union, and it aims to make it possible for all EU stakeholders to share as well as access relevant information when required, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
Following the launch of the project, the partnering organisations said that apart from permitting access to relevant data, DSFT could also provide support to businesses that are looking to improve their competitive position in the global marketplace.
“For European tourism stakeholders facing strategic and operational challenges amidst recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, the need to make decisions based on reliable data has never been stronger. Besides, access to the right information at the right time, the Data Space for Tourism could support businesses in improving their competitive position within the global marketplace, while also fulfilling the obligations of the European Green Deal,” the partnering organisations stated.
Even though data that may be needed by stakeholders is everywhere, ETC has stressed that oftentimes the stakeholders are subject to strict accession rules. Thus, in order to harness the full potential of relevant data, the ETC decided to outline the European Data strategy.
ETC points out that the DSFT’s main focus is tourism and the same highlighted that the project shall enable all stakeholders to have access as well as share the data they require.
In addition to the above-mentioned, ETC has stressed that the preparatory actions aim to reach four milestones.
The first milestone is to create as well as analyse a Tourism Data Inventory of existing data platforms; the second milestone is to set up multi-stakeholder governance and sustainable mechanisms; the third milestone is to provide technical specifications for DSFT’s interoperability with other EU Data Space initiatives, and the fourth milestone is to detail DSFT’s blueprint as well as provide a roadmap for its deployment.
In the next year, ETC, together with the other partnering organisations is expected to hold in-person workshops with industry stakeholders as well as conduct inline questionnaires. Based on the outcomes of the workshops and the questionnaires, the organisations will be able to better design the DSFT.
Previously, ETC said that the EU is expected to recover around 75 per cent of the 2019 travel volumes by the end of 2022. The same said that the return of travel to the continent will continue during the remaining months.
