KEY takeaways from Day One of the ECTAA biannual congress in Rabat

Travel professionals convened for the 131st semi-annual meeting of the European Travel Agents’ and Tour Operators’ Associations in Rabat on 18 November 2025.
Delegates examined artificial intelligence integration for personalised itineraries and supply chain management.
The agenda reviewed European Commission updates to the Package Travel Directive with compliance costs up to €500,000 per operator.
Panels addressed inclusive tourism with projected investments of €200m across the EU by 2030 for accessibility retrofitting.
The association committed to a working group for sustainability guidelines by mid-2026 incorporating water usage metrics.

Travel professionals from across Europe convened in Rabat, Morocco, for the 131st semi-annual meeting of the European Travel Agents’ and Tour Operators’ Associations (ECTAA), which concluded on 18 November after two days of discussions on industry trends and regulatory developments. The gathering, hosted in the Moroccan capital, brought together representatives from national associations in 32 countries, including members from Ireland and Bulgaria, to address challenges in the travel sector.

Delegates examined the integration of artificial intelligence into travel operations, with sessions focused on its application for personalised itineraries and operational efficiencies. The conference featured presentations on AI tools that analyse customer data to predict booking patterns and optimise pricing strategies for tour operators. Participants also reviewed the potential of AI to streamline supply chain management for agents handling multi-destination packages.

Another session covered automated payment solutions, where experts discussed their implementation to reduce transaction risks and enhance cash flow for small and medium-sized enterprises in the sector. The talks included case studies from European carriers that adopted digital ledgers to process payments in multiple currencies, including the euro, with settlements completed within 24 hours.

The agenda included a review of the European Commission’s proposed updates to the Package Travel Directive, with ECTAA members contributing positions on liability clauses for disruptions caused by external events. Representatives from the Irish Travel Agents Association and the Association of Bulgarian Tour Operators and Travel Agents presented national perspectives on compliance costs estimated at up to 500,000 euro per operator for full implementation.

Discussions on shaping tourism’s future addressed environmental pressures, such as carbon emissions from long-haul flights, and social issues like overtourism in Mediterranean ports. Delegates outlined strategies for carbon offsetting programmes that require airlines to allocate 10 per cent of ticket revenues towards reforestation projects. The group also considered digital transformation, including blockchain for secure ticketing to prevent fraud in group bookings.

Inclusive tourism formed a core topic, with panels on accessibility for travellers with physical limitations. Speakers highlighted retrofitting requirements for tour buses and hotels, projecting investments of 200 million euro across the EU by 2030 to install ramps and adaptive equipment. The session emphasised partnerships with local communities in destinations like Morocco to channel 15 per cent of tour revenues into community funds for education and infrastructure.

Sustainability initiatives drew attention to supply chain audits for tour operators, mandating verification of ethical sourcing for excursions involving wildlife or cultural sites. ECTAA committed to a working group that will develop guidelines by mid-2026, incorporating metrics for water usage and waste reduction in resort partnerships.

The meeting took place against a background of increased Euro-Mediterranean cooperation, with Morocco’s National Tourist Office presenting data on visitor arrivals from Europe, which reached 3.5 million in 2025, up 12 per cent from the previous year. Delegates toured Rabat’s sites, including the Kasbah of the Oudayas and Hassan Tower, to assess infrastructure for group travel.

ECTAA president Frank Oostdam shared “the outcomes will inform advocacy efforts in Brussels, targeting harmonised regulations to support 80,000 travel agents and tour operators represented by the association.”