At ELTA, we believe that tourism must work for everyone—regardless of identity, income, family structure, or ability. This belief has always been at the heart of our mission. And this year, we are proud to take that commitment one step further.
Following a landmark Roundtable in Brussels this July, co-hosted with Airbnb and a coalition of cross-sector partners, we are pleased to launch the 10 Principles of Inclusive Tourism — a shared framework and call to action designed to make European travel more inclusive, more accessible, and more family-friendly.
These Principles reflect months of dialogue between industry leaders, policymakers, NGOs, and inclusive tourism advocates. They distill both lived experiences and operational realities into a vision for how we can do better — together.
What Are the Principles?
The 10 Principles of Inclusive Tourism are built around five key themes:
- Affordability & Access: No one should be priced out of travel due to ability, income, or family structure.
- Transparency & Empowerment: Travelers deserve clear information about what to expect, including digital accessibility and inclusive language.
- Representation & Visibility: Inclusive marketing, non-discrimination, and intersectional approaches must be the norm.
- Host Readiness: Hosts, staff, and service providers must be trained to offer respect, safety, and empathy.
- Collaborative Governance: Inclusive tourism is a policy priority — and must be shaped in partnership with civil society and the private sector.
These aren’t abstract ideals. They are grounded in real challenges and opportunities. And they offer a roadmap for travel brands, DMOs, platforms, governments, and community actors to step up, take action, and lead.
What Happens Next?
We believe that these Principles deserve broad visibility and uptake. Here’s how you can take part:
- Download the designed Principles and review the 10 points in full.
- Post on LinkedIn or other social media platforms using the hashtag #inclusivetourism.
- Tag your organization and reflect on how your work connects to one or more of the Principles.
- Reshare content from ELTA, Airbnb, and other roundtable partners to amplify the collective message.
We invite you to join us in putting these Principles into action—and showing EU policymakers, industry peers, and future travelers that inclusive tourism isn’t just possible. It’s happening.