ECOSERT Response to the European Commission's Consultation Document: "Basic Orientations for the Sustainability of European Tourism" The ECOSERT project has responded to the recent consultation document on Tourism Sustainability, issued by the European Commission DG Enterprise, Tourism Unit. The comments submitted focus and reflect on ECOSERT's particular contribution towards sustainable tourism, most notably in preparing a common methodology to plan tourism at a spatial level, integrating tourism planning as part of a wider policies in land use planning, conservation, socio-economic development, environmental protection and transport planning; involving a wide range of local stakeholders, tourists and interest groups who hitherto have little means of interaction; and assessing environmental impacts and facilitate environmental improvements in tourist destinations and activities through the use of Eco Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) of the European Commission. The ECOSERT project partnership response has the following concluding remarks and recommendations: The issues raised towards sustainability of European tourism are broadly agreed and many have been considered in ECOSERT in proposing a new methodology to plan sustainable tourism in regions and sub-regions. More emphasis on the role of regional and sub-regional spatial planning should be made as this can be a key catalyst in integrating sustainable tourism planning with other, related policy areas and bringing together a wider range of stakeholders. The application of EMAS could be a useful tool to set and measure quality control targets for environmentally sustainability of tourism for specific destinations, attractions and activities. A set of guidelines could be promoted as a means to co-ordinate and rationalise the various methods and measures researched for attaining sustainable tourism planning, thus helping avoid duplication of efforts. As a more long term initiative, following a phase of voluntary implementation, steps could be taken towards preparing a Directive that would require regional or sub-regional public authorities to prepare regional sustainable tourism plans for their respective areas, responding to tourism's increasing social and economic influences and the need for a consistent, strategic and comprehensive approach to plan this sector effectively. The Declaration of Volos for Sustainable Development through Tourism, signed by the political heads of the ECOSERT principal partners at the University of Thessaly, Volos, on 5th September 2002, provides an excellent basis for the involvement of local and regional authorities in tourism sustainability at pan-European level. The consultation document can be found in all EU languages at the Tourism Unit homepage