Hotel & Tourism SMARTreport - 2018 EHMA Special Edition

TOURISM IN EUROPE
HOTREC
DIGITAL TASK
FORCE UNDER THE
CHAIR OF MARKUS
LUTHE FROM IHA IS
STILL INTENSIVELY
WORKING ON
UNFAIR PRACTICES
OF OTAS AND
FOR A FAIR LEVEL
PLAYING FIELD
WHEN IT COMES
TO RATE PARITY
ALL OVER EUROPE
we understand the needs
of our guests might differ a
lot from what we were used
to. Most of the challenges we
face, like sharing economy,
digitalisation of distribution
and communication as well as
digitalisation of operational
processes, over tourism in some
destinations, a dramatic lack
of skilled labour, transparency
and political changes, which
cause problems in surrounding
regions or safety and security
challenges in some areas, need
solutions, which cannot be dealt
only by the hospitality industry
itself and not at all by the SMEs
themselves. We need common
solutions and even more
intensive cooperation to manage
the future of our industry, there
won’t be quick or easy solutions.
all over Europe and not only in
those countries, which could
manage to get regulations in rate
parity. HOTREC just launched the
next digital distribution study
and is closely watching the draft
regulation on platforms from
the Commission. We will also
look intensively into restaurants
this year. In addition, on the
European Commission level the
launch of the EU Blockchain
Observatory and Forum was
announced. With the support of
the European Parliament it will
highlight key developments of
blockchain technology, promote
European actors and reinforce
European engagement and
the ECJ’s decision on the UBER
case might need some more
competition law activities about
similar offers
Meanwhile, our Digital Task
Force under the chair of Markus
Luthe from IHA is still intensively
working on unfair practices of
OTAs and for a fair level playing
field when it comes to rate parity
Susanne Kraus Winkler at
the European Tourism Day
organised by the European
Commission