ETOA and Trippz Announce Strategic Partnership on Tourism Taxes in Europe

February 22, 2026 Traveller Times

Date: Brussels, 20 February 2026

The European Tourism Association (ETOA) and Trippz have announced a new strategic partnership, bringing together two organisations with a shared commitment to improve knowledge, policy and process related to tourism taxes in Europe.

Tourism taxes are an increasingly significant topic for destinations, buyers, accommodation providers and travellers alike. They are becoming more common at a time of stretched public sector budgets and a return to full-rate VAT on accommodation in some destinations. They are a direct financial contribution from tourism but erode commercial margin if introduced at short notice. Any net benefit and impact are typically not well understood nor appreciated.

Recognising the growing complexity of this landscape, ETOA and Trippz have agreed to collaborate to ensure that accurate, actionable and up-to-date information is available to the ETOA membership, while supporting better-informed research, policy discussions and good practice sharing among public and private stakeholders.

ETOA represents and supports the European tourism industry through advocacy and the provision of trusted, expert insight to its members and policy makers. Trippz complements this role through the development and delivery of products and services designed to simplify the management of tourism taxes, while actively contributing to policy debate.

The partnership will focus on several key areas of common interest, including:

Improving access to accurate and practical information on tourism taxes in Europe
Minimising financial and administrative burdens for accommodation providers and their clients
Raising awareness among policymakers and industry stakeholders to support smarter regulation
Improve actual and perceived benefit to both host community and visitors
Encouraging collaboration and innovation in related product and business development

This partnership marks an important step towards greater transparency and efficiency in the use and management of tourism taxes, and improved understanding of their individual and cumulative impact across Europe.

Tim Fairhurst, ETOA’s Director General says: “Trippz and their data allow us to focus where we can add most value: supporting our members, bringing industry insight to tax policy, and staying close to in-destination plans and practice.”

Ingmar Lambregts, Trippz’ CEO says: “Managing tourism taxes at scale is no longer a manual exercise. It requires structured data, automation and continuous monitoring. Through Trippz, we provide that infrastructure. Our partnership with ETOA strengthens the bridge between regulation and operational reality, helping travel companies manage complexity with confidence.”

About Trippz

Trippz provides compliance infrastructure for travel platforms managing tourism taxes at scale. The Dutch company automates tourist tax determination, tourist tax compliance and related regulatory requirements, including guest registration and government reporting. Powered by structured tax intelligence covering more than 40 countries and continuous monitoring, Trippz translates complex local regulations into scalable, API-driven operational processes that reduce risk and bring clarity to tourist tax compliance.

For more information, visit https://trippz.com/ or contact Fritz Thijs.

About European Tourism Association (ETOA)

ETOA  is a member–driven community of over 1,000 organisations, from global brands to independent small businesses, DMOs, industry partners and technical specialists.  Supported by our supplier members and partners, we work on behalf of tour operators, wholesalers, destination management companies and agents to enable a sustainable business environment in which European tourism can thrive and grow. We design and deliver online and face-to-face events for members and partners, driven by our sophisticated appointment matching system. We lobby on behalf of our members and participate in public-private projects at EU, national and local levels, capitalising on our wide network among origin and destination markets. 

For more information, visit www.etoa.org or email us.

The ETOA (European Tourism Association) is the leading trade association for tour operators and suppliers with business interests in European destinations. Founded in 1989, it functions as a non-profit international organisation dedicated to fostering a “better tourism” environment that remains competitive and sustainable for both visitors and residents. ETOA – European tourism association +2

Key Functions and Services

Advocacy and Lobbying: ETOA acts as a powerful voice at local, national, and European levels, working with policymakers on issues like tourism taxes, city access, and cross-border travel protocols.
B2B Networking: The association hosts six flagship annual events, including the Global European Marketplace, facilitating over 46,000 one-on-one business appointments annually.
Industry Insights: Members gain access to a dedicated Insight Hub featuring data on market trends, such as post-pandemic recovery in North American demand and updates on EU VAT regulations.
Sustainability Focus: ETOA is a signatory of the Glasgow Declaration and collaborates with partners like Travalyst and UN Tourism to promote decarbonisation and green transitions within the sector. ETOA – European tourism association

Membership Overview

The association represents a community of over 1,100 member organisations serving 63 origin markets. ETOA – European tourism association

Buyer Members (~375): Include tour operators, online travel agencies (OTAs), and wholesalers who bring visitors to Europe.
Supplier Members (~700): Include hotels, attractions, European tourist boards (NTOs/DMOs), and technology providers. ETOA – European tourism association +1

Contact and Locations

ETOA maintains a primary presence in Brussels and London, with further representation in Spain, France, and Italy. ETOA – European tourism association +1

General Enquiries: info@etoa.org
Membership Team: member@etoa.org
Official Website: www.etoa.org

Board & Advisory council

ETOA has a Board and an Advisory council to give its members the chance to have a real say in the various activities of their association and the issues which affect them. The council meets quarterly and is responsible for overseeing all ETOA practices and finances.

Contact us if you would like to find out more.

Board of European Tourism Association AISBL (ETOA)

President

Adele Youngs

Director and CEO

Tom Jenkins

Vice President

Jennifer Tombaugh

Board Member

Helene Dambeck

Treasurer

Marco de Rivo

Board Member

Marco Weijgertse

Board Member

Martin Sapori

In Memoriam, Nick Tarsh 1934 – 2021

Advisory council

Managing Director, Contiki

Christopher Treloggen

Founder, TourEasy

Sean Taggart

Managing Director, Service-Reisen Giessen

Kristiane Heyne-Strauch

Program Manager, Rick Steves’ Europe

Robyn Stencil

VP of Sales, Southern Europe, Accor

Martin Sapori

VP of Destination & Partner Development, EMEA, Go City

Viktoria Lacroix

Senior Regional Director Paris & EMEA Market Expansion, Go City

Mickael Reis

CEO, Ljubljana Tourism

Petra Stušek

CEO, European Travel Commission

Eduardo Santander

Director, Nordic Tourism Collective

Paul Wagner

Director, Live Travel and Tours

Adele Youngs

VP Global Procurement, EF Educational Tours

Helene Dambeck

VP-Government and Corporate Affairs, Expedia

Jean-Philippe Monod

President, Tauck

Jennifer Tombaugh

Director of Sales UK & Ireland, Maritim Hotels

LeRoy Sheppard

Executive Director, HIS-Miki Travel Group

Marco De Rivo

COO (Kuoni Tumlare Management by JTB)

Marco Russi

Chief Operating Officer, Globus Family of Brands

Marco Sorbara

Head of Purchasing, TourAxis

Marco Weijgertse

Director, Blue Boat Company

Ramón Van Der Storm

Managing Director, Tourwise of London Ltd.

Tristram Yarde-Leavett

Meet the team

Our team, located in London and Brussels, and with representation in Italy, Spain and France is responsible for the day-to-day running of the association’s affairs, such as arrangements of council meetings, events management and marketing, maintaining the website, and communicating with members.

ETOA has an Board & Advisory council and its own Constitution.