Twenty organizations representing the European travel and tourism sector have agreed to sign a Code of Conduct on data sharing in the tourism sector. The non-binding document clarifies the main aspects to consider in data sharing agreements and should help to build trust and foster data sharing agreements.
By raising awareness about the challenges and opportunities of data management, casting light on the main principles as well as on the policy and regulatory developments for sharing B2B, B2G, and G2G data, the Code of Conduct is the first step towards the creation of an EU data space for tourism.
1. Why a code of conduct on data sharing?
Working with data remains overwhelming for most organizations, governments and businesses. They face a number of challenges with regards to data access and use in a constant and high-quality manner but also storing and processing it while ensuring privacy and security, especially when it is used in a manner that is not regulated under a harmonized framework.
Enhanced access to citizens’ personal and non-personal data and fostering cross-border data flows might involve associated risks related to privacy. The sharing of this data and downside risks must be assessed and balanced to ensure the right and safe re-use of the data in an altruistic manner for the legitimate benefit of citizens and the public sector.
In addition, data interoperability allows for enhanced data sharing and access, but faces many challenges relating to technical, financial, administrative (regulatory and legal) and trust issues, thus limiting the ability of cross-border data access and sharing. The lack of a wide and common data- governance framework leads to poor data standards and quality as well as security or compliance issues in the data use and re-use.
A solid regulatory framework is required to ensure that data can be made accessible for use and re-use and is protected allowing exchange of data for legitimate purposes. It includes ensuring a solid data security environment and that data processing does not present a risk to the data users and holders. It is essential to remain agile in the adaptation to privacy and regulatory frameworks.
Tourism related is an essential resource to drive competitiveness, innovation and job creation in the sector. With tourism accounting for 10% of the European Union’s GDP, the development of the data economy in tourism at EU level is essential. By creating and endorsing this Code of Conduct, European stakeholders lay down appropriate conditions for harmonized and interoperable tools for tourism-related data exchange.
The Code aims at building trust between tourism stakeholders and providing support in the creation of mutually beneficial data sharing agreements in the tourism industry. By setting out common principles (such as interoperability, security, liability) definitions and guidelines for data sharing, this document contributes to the EU-wide architecture for non-personal data exchange. It establishes a level playing field where the public sector, private sector and stakeholders have equal chances and opportunities to use and share data in tourism.
2. Goals
The goal of the Code of Conduct for data sharing in tourism is to:
- Build trust between relevant tourism stakeholders and provide strategic support on how to capitalize on mutually beneficial data sharing partnerships in the tourism industry.
- Foster data sharing in the tourism sector within the EU, while contributing to an EU-wide architecture for data exchange by supporting a set of common principles and guidelines for relevant tourism stakeholders.
- Foster in the tourism area the EU’s global endeavors to gradually create, with the implementation of the 2020 European data strategy, a genuine single market for data.
- Ensure a level playing field whereby the public and private sector and relevant stakeholders have equal chances and opportunities in the use and sharing of data in tourism notably by supporting a set of principles on data exchanges.
3. Why is the Code relevant for tourism actors?
European tourism actors are invited to publicly commit to this Code of Conduct, which is by no means a binding document. Compliance with the Code of Conduct is voluntary. The signatories therefore encourage all parties involved in the tourism sector to refer to the agreed principles as the starting point of any agreement for data sharing.
By considering the relevant challenges and the main elements to be considered in the creation of data sharing agreements, the Code of Conduct aims at building trust between relevant stakeholders as well as providing general guidance on how to create mutually beneficial data sharing relationships in tourism. These objectives are also mentioned in the EC Transition Pathway for Tourism as key elements to support the sector towards stronger resilience based on green and digital solutions.
By committing to the Code of Conduct, signatory stakeholders would publicly show both their interest in a shared effort of implementation of the Transition Pathway at an EU level, as well as their agreement regarding the opportunities that data management and sharing may provide to the tourism sector.
The Code of Conduct could be considered the first effort to gather shared definitions and principles that will provide the first set of guidelines for stakeholders interested in looking into the opportunities of data sharing. These guidelines will be instrumental in the preparation of the data space for tourism, which is supported and facilitated by the European Commission through horizontal legislation and funding.
The data space is a long-term goal at EU level, and would be developed and connected with other data spaces for sectors closely related to tourism (e.g., Green Deal mobility, agriculture, health, and cultural heritage). The data space for tourism should provide interoperability for all operators and for users and providers in other data spaces: thanks to common principles (including Minimal Interoperability Mechanisms, commonly agreed technical specifications; e.g., eID, eDelivery, EIF4SCC, re-usable building blocks, etc.), open standards and technical specifications and language (based on FAIR principles) and a governance framework for using data.
Some of the signatories include the European Travel agent’s and Tour Operators Associations (ECTAA), European Travel Commission (ETC), eu travel tech (EU association representing online indirect distributors of travel), Hotels, Restaurants and Cafés in Europe (HOTREC), NECSTouR, among others.
