ENAT Membership Fee Waiver Terminated. Facing the Tourism Transition Together
Passengers queue at Schiphol airport, Amsterdam, July 2022
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For 3 years, ENAT charged no membership fees for individual members and SMEs, due to the financial hardships in the tourism sector caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Normal charges were re-introduced from July 2023. Let us face the tourism transition together, as travel is on the rebound.
In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic hit the the travel and tourism sector hard as severe restrictions on movement were put in place all over the world.
ENAT took the decision to waive its membership fees for individual members, self-employed and small-medium enterprises, as a way of softening the financial burdens placed on the sector.
Offering free membership over the 3-year period from July 2020 to June 2023 brought a tripling of the membership to over 350 individuals and organisations. In terms of income foregone, this represented over 50,000 EURO per year in 2021, 2022 and 2023.
Signs of recovery... towards sustainable, responsible tourism?
As the Covid-19 has subsided, travel and tourism is recovering, with tourist numbers reaching close to - or exceeding - 2019 levels.
Accordingly, the ENAT Board decided, in June 2023, to re-instate the membership fees from 1st July 2023, for new and renewing members. Those who have joined or renewed under the "fee waiver" period, up to 30 June 2023, will enjoy a full 365 days' free membership, until their annual payment is due.
Meanwhile, besides the economic impacts of Covid-19 during the last 3 years, something else has changed:
- When tourism stopped, we had a pause for thought...
Many of us realised that the way things were going was not sustainable, for the planet, for destinations and for businesses.
ENAT is determined to make a positive contribution to the regeneration of tourism, to make it responsible, safe and sustainable.
We place accessibility and inclusion at the heart of our efforts to shape attitudes, policies and practices that can lead to tourism which is not only economically viable but is also good for people, for places and for the planet.
After the crisis brought on by Covid - which still represents a significant threat - it is the climate crisis which presents an even greater challenge to all of us.
The Members of ENAT can be a vital force for making the changes that the future demands. Together, by pooling our knowledge and resources, and by developing new practices and tools, we must work towards the transition of tourism, with due regard for the impacts which the industry has on the climate and local communities.
Our mission remains the same: "To make European tourism destinations, products and services accessible to all visitors and to promote accessible tourism around the world". In doing so, we shall endeavour to guide and encourage our members and the whole tourism industry to safeguard our cultural heritage, our communities and the earth and seas we all depend on.
This is a journey that demands cooperation and collaboration of everyone who has an interest in tourism, if we are to succeed. We hope you will join us and be part of this essential work.
Further information
- About ENAT Membership, Categories and Fees
- ENAT Sign-up page (external link)
- Join the IMPACTOUR Online Community. A free "Open Social" community for cultural tourism practitioners and researchers, with resources, groups on tourism impact and destination management. (Moderated by ENAT).
- Read about the European Commission "Transition 4 Tourism" and ENAT's commitments.