ISTO's President was invited by the INATEL Foundation to Portugal for a series of meetings related to social rights and tourism in the framework of the Midterm Conference of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC).
Between November 8 and 10, the Midterm Conference of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) was organised at the premises of INATEL Foundation in Lisbon. It was on this occasion that INATEL Foundation invited Isabel Novoa, President of ISTO, in order to hold meetings along with several key European stakeholders to discuss and promote tourism as a social right.
During these meetings, the President of ISTO met with Luca Vicentini, General Secretary of ETUC; Ana Mendes, Minister of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security of Portugal; and Francisco Madelino, President of INATEL Foundation. A meeting was also held with Luis Araujo, President of Portugal Tourism and his collaborators to explore future ways of collaboration.
Through exchanges between ISTO and the different organisations, it was possible to strengthen the collaboration ties and even expand the international network of ISTO members. During the meetings it was underlined that tourism for all, including social tourism, is an important driver for the economic development of the territories, the creation and maintenance of jobs, the reduction of seasonality; and besides the economic benefits, tourism for all also contributes to people's care, physically, emotionally and mentally.
Considering this INATEL initiative, ISTO thanks them for their commitment to all the activities developed by the organisation and for working to allow all people in Portugal, as well as internationally, to have access to tourism.
