Tourism is a major economic activity with a generally positive effect on economic growth and employment in Europe. It is also an increasingly important aspect in the lives of European citizens, more and more of whom travel, either for leisure or business. As an activity that encroaches on cultural and natural heritage as well as tradition and contemporary culture in the European Union, tourism is a textbook example of the need to reconcile economic growth and sustainable development, including the ethical dimension. Tourism is also an important instrument for strengthening the image of Europe in the world, projecting European values and promoting the attractiveness of the European model, which is the result of centuries of cultural exchange, linguistic diversity and creativity. However, despite being one of the most relevant European economic sectors, European Union (EU) government bodies do not deal with tourism as such, as there is currently a very poorly developed EU tourism policy. The COVID-19 pandemic had a strong impact on tourism around the world, including tourism in the European Union. It is expected that it will encourage key political actors who work on developing European strategies and recommendations to devote themselves more to strengthening the European Union as a tourist destination.