Vacationing a human right?

[HauteHippie]

Is vacationing a human right? I'm genuinely curious as to what people think.

http://www.nationalpost.com/most-popular/story.html?id=2923469

Vacationing a human right, EU chief says

Katherine Laidlaw, National Post Published: Monday, April 19, 2010

The European Union has declared traveling a human right, and is launching a scheme to subsidize vacations with taxpayers' dollars for those too poor to afford their own trips.

Antonio Tajani, the European Union commissioner for enterprise and industry, proposed a strategy that could cost European taxpayers hundreds of millions of euros a year, The Times of London reports.

"Traveling for tourism today is a right. The way we spend our holidays is a formidable indicator of our quality of life," Mr. Tajani told a group of ministers at The European Tourism Stakeholders Conference in Madrid on April 15. Mr. Tajani was appointed to his post by Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

The plan -- just who gets to enjoy the travel package has yet to be determined -- would see taxpayers footing some of the vacation bill for seniors, youths between the ages of 18 and 25, disabled people, and families facing "difficult social, financial or personal" circumstances. The disabled and elderly can also be accompanied by one other person. The EU and its taxpayers are slated to fund 30% of the cost of these tours, which could range from youth exploring abandoned factories and power plants in Manchester to retirees taking discount trips to Madrid, all in the name of cultural appreciation.

"The commission is literally considering paying people to go on holiday," Mats Persson, of pro-reform think-tank Open Europe, told Britain's News of the World. "In this economic climate, it's astonishing that the EU wants to bribe people with cheap holidays."

Mr. Tajani said the program will be piloted until 2013, and then fully launched.

Intended to instill a sense of cultural pride in Europeans, Mr. Tajani's human-rights travel will also help bridge the continent's north-south divide and pad resorts' business in their off-season, the Times reports.

Northern Europeans will be encouraged to visit southern Europe, and vice versa. Mr. Tajani wants to ensure people's "right to be tourists" remains intact.

[ubiquitous]

In my opinion, it's a privilege, not a right. Personally, I think it's ridiculous for government to subsidize something like this...

[ChipSlap]

As an American, I think that the Europeans can organize their society any way they wish, and that everybody should be able to learn something from it by watching it play out. They're trying to be humane; and although the plan may seem radical to some, I don't think it's any more radical than US Social Security was when it was initiated.

[Blobzor]

Not sure if it has to written. But indeed there is a lot of program for youth and elders who can't afford real holydays and i support them financially (well, in the limit of my own money).

Kids who never saw the sea at 15, i find it pretty sad (for country which have access to sea/oceans ofc)

Now, wouldn't say it's a right. Well, being able to move freely is a right to me (moving from country to country)

[FxrAndy]

I agree with Ubi here, unfortunately we are funding many people in Europe who dont want to work, if every one gets every thing for free then where is the incentive to work hard and succeed, it is a privileged that has to be earned, Like a few thousand years ago, if you don't hunt you don't eat, Call that harsh if you like but they are my thoughts. However human kindness not withstanding being compassionate and helping fellow humans in need is a different thing.

[Raijor]

Tourism is good for the economy of the country visited. If it does become a right the money spent on travel is not lost. The money is transfered from one nation's economy to another's. It becomes a balance of payments issue and it is a transfer of wealth issue. It will cost more to be middle class in Europe once again. Follow the money and you will find the real reason behind a push like this. To be clear this is only my opinion.

[Member X]

It would appear that the travellers will still have to find 70% of the cost so that's hardly a bargain holiday! lol

[dluddy]

In my opinion, it's a privilege, not a right. Personally, I think it's ridiculous for government to subsidize something like this...

Agreed