European Tourism Forum 2011 in Krakow
Krakow hosted representatives of the world tourism industry between 5th and 7th October 2011 who came here to participate in the European Tourism Forum as well as an informal meeting of EU minsters of tourism.
The current Polish EU presidency involves organising numerous high-level international meetings. In October Krakow took over the responsibilities of the host city of Polish presidency after Sopot (July) and before Wrocław (September). From 1 July when our presidency in the EU Council began until December there will be 69 EU conferences and political meetings held in Krakow.
The ETF was attended by representatives of the EC, government administrations at a central and regional level, autonomous local and economic governments, international organisations and the tourism sector. Ministers of tourism of individual member states gathered at an informal meeting organised by the European Cimmission, Ministry of Sport and Tourism, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Municipality of Krakow. In the past years Krakow has been an important international convention centre. Organising the European Tourism Forum which gathered approx. 450 participants is another example of this activity.
One of the most important objectives of ETF is to increase the cooperation between European institutions involved in tourism, create programmes improving it, as well as financing of the most important projects. First ETF sessions took place in 2002 in Brussels. The yearly meetings (previously held in Italy, Hungary, Malta, Cyprus, Portugal or France) have become the place of meetings and exchange of opinions between important European institutions, local authorities, tourist organisations. The main subject of this zearąs 10th European Tourism Forum is "Stimulate competitiveness in the European tourism sector".
