A holiday is a human right says European chiefs

The European Union has suggested taxpayers should fund holidays for poorer people because travelling is a basic human right.

EU vice-president Antonio Tajani, who is also the EU commissioner for enterprise and industry, has put forward a proposal to subsidise overseas holidays for the less well-off, including pensioners and young people.

Mr Tajani is quoted in a UK travel trade newspaper, Travel Weekly, saying that he wanted to ensure people's 'right to be tourists'.

Travelling for tourism today is a right. The way we spend our holidays is a formidable indicator of our quality of life, he said.

Speaking at a tourism conference in Madrid Mr Tajani said the scheme will be on trial for three years before applying to the whole population of the European Union. It is expected to cost Europe's taxpayers hundreds of millions of pounds.

Pensioners, 18 to 25 year olds, people with disabilities and families with 'difficult social, financial or personal circumstances' would receive subsidised holidays to southern Europe where they can experience a new culture and enjoy warmer weather.

The proposal will be written into a new EU tourism policy framework designed to make Europe's tourism industry more competitive and to encourage sustainable growth of the industry, which generates more than five per cent of the gross domestic product of the European Union.

It will be implemented in close co-operation with the national and regional authorities and private tourism stakeholders, including travel companies and airlines.

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