EIRP Proceedings, Vol 3 (2008)

Abstract

Attention should be given to the challenge that the Lisbon Agenda raises for tourism,
especially social tourism. As the strategic objective of the agenda is to make Europe "the most competitive and
dynamic knowledge-based economy în the world, capable of sustained growth, growth providing more and
better jobs and greater social cohesion", it will be necessary to analyse whether social tourism contributes
effectively and positively to this goal, how it achieves this, and how its contribution could be enhanced.
Tourism, and also, social tourism, has strong links with employment and social policy, the
improvement of quality, technological research and development, consumer protection, environmental policy
and other very diverse policies. In particular it should be pointed out that the present opinion aims to pinpoint
and analyse the contribution of social tourism to employment and social policies.
Social tourism was created to promote the idea of the right to holidays for all, along with decent
working conditions and incomes for employees of the leisure sector.