The European Parliament approved in a resolution to earmark EU structural funds to the tourism industry in order to rehabilitate declining areas, innovate and roll out high-quality services that build on a multicultural heritage. Additionally, MEPs proposed to create a European quality tourism label, identifying common quality criteria, and a European Tourism Card, with a common set of passengers' right.

MEPs approved a resolution at the plenary session in which they advocated for a more quality European tourism. They proposed to create a "European quality tourism label", identifying common quality criteria, and a "European Tourism Card", with a common set of passengers' rights. Moreover, they advocate progressively harmonising the accommodation classification systems used in the EU and the reduced VAT rate applicable to tourism products. According to them, the tourism industry should get subsidies from the EU structural funds to help it rehabilitate declining areas.

On the resolution, the European Parliament considers that to reduce tourism's detrimental impact on the environment, the Commission should promote due consideration of spatial planning, particularly in coastal areas, and encourage the use of means of transport that are kind to the environment. In addition, the Parliament looks to quality tourism to create local jobs. MEPs underlined that improving mutual recognition by Member States of tourist industry qualifications could facilitate the mobility of workers and help tackle problems stemming from the seasonal nature of work in this sector and reduce the scourge of undeclared work.

Parliament asks the Commission to present an integrated strategy by 2012, building directly on the 2010 communication, to encourage tourism that raises awareness of culture, history, religion and nature whilst offering new services in the fields of sport, promoting industrial heritage and farm tourism. These initiatives, together with rapid EU-wide access to the internet would allow sustainable jobs to be created in the regions and counter the rural exodus. MEPs also ask for a legislative proposal to regulate spa tourism, to rehabilitate tourist areas in decline, and a review of the directive on package tours.