Victim Support Europe contributes to the EU Tourism Strategy

Tourist safety belongs at the heart of the EU Tourism Strategy. 

Victim Support Europe has contributed to the European Commission’s consultation on the future of tourism, stressing that travel must not only be competitive, green, and digital, but it must also be safe, inclusive, and rights-based. 

Tourists, whether EU citizens abroad or international visitors within the Union, are particularly vulnerable when crime occurs. Many never report incidents, and those who do often face language barriers, procedural hurdles, and a lack of support. A resilient tourism sector depends on safety and trust. Currently, too many victims are left without either. 

Our message is clear: 

👉 Mainstream victims’ rights as an essential pillar of sustainable tourism 

👉 Strengthen cross-border cooperation for seamless access to justice and support 

👉 Operationalise rights with referral systems, victim-sensitive protocols, and preparedness frameworks 

👉 Mobilise existing support networks for localised, multilingual, trauma-informed assistance 

👉 Invest in prevention through awareness campaigns, training, and emergency response systems 

👉 Address the financial impacts of crime, including medical care, documentation, and repatriation 

The upcoming revision of the EU Tourism Strategy is a unique opportunity to embed tourist protection at the core of modern travel frameworks. Tourists are not only consumers, they are people whose safety, dignity, and rights must be protected. 

Now is the moment for the EU to act: to ensure that no victim is left behind, and that Europe remains a place where travel brings joy, not trauma.