A new sleeper train route linking Prague, Dresden, Berlin, Amsterdam and Brussels adds to the biggest planned extension of the European night train network in years. Concerns about climate change and Covid-19 are changing people’s travel preferences and some train journeys are in fact faster than flying.
Venice has banned large cruise ships from entering the historic centre in response to a request from UN cultural body UNESCO. Pressure to pass a ban on large vessels mounted in 2019 after a cruise ship crashed into a harbour in the city, injuring five people. Large ships will now have to dock at the city's industrial port until a permanent solution is found.
Bike-share programs became more popular during the lockdown, as more people looked for alternatives to public transport. Even though the programs targeted residents, tourists accounted for more than a third of all users. By bike, tourists reach new neighbourhoods, distributing economic and social benefits of tourism activity more widely.
MEP Josianne Cutajar, member of the European Parliament’s Transport and Tourism Committee, has become a signatory of the Future of Tourism Coalition. The MEP is campaigning for the tourism industry to transform its business models, putting local communities and their ecosystems at the centre of tourism management and development.
As rich countries are failing on their pledge to provide $100bn a year to help poor countries cope with the climate crisis, experts call for a new form of climate finance. This could include charging levies on international flights and high carbon fuels.
