In a letter sent on 23 July 2026 to Commissioners Apostolos Tzitzikostas (Tourism) and Raffaele Fitto (Cohesion), the seven countries asked the EU to address tourism-sector challenges in border regions as part of the proposed €2 trillion Multiannual Financial Framework for 2028-2034. According to figures cited by the countries, tourism nights in several of these regions still lag behind 2019 levels, ranging from a roughly 14% shortfall in Bulgaria to about a quarter in Lithuania and Latvia, a contrast with countries such as Ireland, Denmark and the Netherlands, which have seen nights spent grow well beyond pre-pandemic levels. Latvian officials pointed to incidents such as drone incursions into national airspace as an example of how quickly perceived security risks can affect bookings and traveller confidence. The European Commission confirmed it had received the letter and said the concerns raised would be considered as part of the preparatory work on its forthcoming EU tourism strategy.  

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