The European Parliament's Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) debated regional and island tourism on 23 June 2026, focusing on structural disadvantages, connectivity gaps, and seasonality. No formal decisions were taken; the exchange informed ongoing work on aviation and tourism strategies.
Jose Manuel Sanabria, representing the Canary Islands deputy ministry and the CPMR Islands Commission, argued that air and maritime connectivity must be recognised as essential infrastructure, not ordinary market services. He criticised the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) for imposing costs on outermost regions without sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) availability, citing a Berlin-Gran Canaria flight costing over €5,000 per rotation. Sanabria warned that airlines will shift capacity to non-EU competitors such as Morocco, Tunisia, and Egypt. He highlighted a maritime asymmetry: routes between islands and other EEA countries face 100% ETS costs, while routes to third countries face only 50%, diverting traffic to African ports. He called for ETS exemptions and correction of the asymmetry.
Georgios Mavroiannis, representing Cyprus and the Council presidency, did not address ETS exemptions but stressed that Council conclusions recognise reliable, year-round links as key for balanced tourism, and noted geopolitical instability affecting demand. On tourism models, Sanabria advocated regenerative tourism that restores ecosystems and protects residents' housing, while Mavroiannis framed Council conclusions as supporting sustainability and local community benefits. Both agreed tourism is linked to territorial cohesion and requires multilevel governance.
The debate exposed a cleavage between regional demands for ETS relief and the Council's focus on broader sustainability goals. Affected stakeholders include island residents (facing higher travel costs and housing pressure), SMEs in tourism (dependent on connectivity), airlines and maritime operators (bearing ETS costs), and regional governments (seeking policy flexibility). The Commission's upcoming aviation and tourism strategies will be a key forum for addressing these issues.