ZAGREB, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- Croatian tourism minister Gari Cappelli suggested Wednesday at the tourism and economic growth conference in Sofia that there be a special EU fund for tourism set up, the ministry published on its website.
The new fund, Cappelli explained, would ease the use of EU money for investments in tourism and reduce impacts of climate change. Cappelli said tourism was one of the fastest-growing economic sectors in the EU and deserved a better position within EU institutions.
"The main objective of the European Union's tourism policy must be to keep Europe as the world's leading tourist destination," the minister said at the conference, which brought together tourism ministers from all 28 EU member states.
According to the website press release, the Croatian initiative was supported by a large number of EU states.
"I hope we will mutually succeed and that for the first time tourism will get its fund within the EU budget," the minister said.
The initiative should soon be presented to European Parliament President Antonio Tajani and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.
