European Travel Commission Elects Miguel Sanz as New President

(L-R): Luís Araújo (Turismo de Portugal); Miguel Sanz (Turespaña); Liina Maria Lepik and Rainer Aavik (Visit Estonia); Eduardo Santander (ETC). Photo source: ETC.

Miguel Sanz from Spain’s National Tourism Organization has been elected as the new president of the European Travel Commission (ETC) for a three-year term.

The decision was made during the ETC’s 105th General Meeting in Tallinn, Estonia, where Sanz was selected to lead the commission’s efforts towards sustainable and inclusive tourism in Europe.

With over fifteen years of experience in the tourism industry, Sanz has served as the director general of Spain’s National Tourism Organization, Turespaña, since 2020. Under his leadership, tourism expenditure in Spain has recovered to pre-pandemic levels.

He previously held the position of general manager of tourism for Madrid Destino, from 2016 to 2020, where he played a crucial role in developing and implementing Madrid’s tourism strategy.

Miguel Sanz in 2020 presenting TURESPAÑA’s advertising campaign. Photo source: Spanish Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism

As ETC’s new President, Sanz will focus on implementing the recently launched ETC Strategy 2030, aiming to foster innovation, sustainability, and inclusivity in the European tourism sector post-Covid-19.

He will also lead the implementation of the recently announced Climate Action Plan, with the goal of reducing ETC’s operational emissions by 2030 and supporting member countries in achieving Net Zero status.

Strengthening cooperation with the European Commission and key stakeholders to maintain Europe’s leading position in global tourism will be another priority.

“It is an honor to lead the European Travel Commission on behalf of Turespaña. European tourism has a tremendous opportunity to become a leader in sustainability and inclusivity,” said Sanz adding that “ETC plays a central role in deepening the European brand and shaping a more responsible future for the tourism industry.”

Sanz will be supported by ETC’s vice presidents, Martin Nydegger from Switzerland Tourism, Magda Antonioli from the Italian Government Tourism Board (ENIT), and Kristjan Staničić from the Croatian National Tourist Board (CNTB). Together, they will coordinate ETC’s advocacy activities to promote favorable conditions for the tourism sector in Europe.

He succeeds Luís Araújo, President of Turismo de Portugal, who led ETC through the Covid-19 crisis and recovery during his three-year term. Araújo’s contributions included expanding ETC’s membership to include France, Austria, and Ukraine, as well as spearheading the development of the ETC Strategy 2030.

Established in 1948, the European Travel Commission represents the national tourism organizations of Europe. With 35 member tourism boards, its mission is to strengthen sustainable development and promote Europe as a tourist destination through cooperation, sharing best practices, market intelligence, and joint promotion efforts.