The blue economy has been defined by the World Bank as the ‘sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of ocean ecosystem.’ The blue economy of the European Union (EU) encompasses every industry and sector linked to oceans, seas and coasts, whether they operate directly within the marine environment or on land. The established sectors include marine living resources (such as fishing and aquaculture), marine non-living resources (mining), marine renewable energy, port activities (such as cargo and passenger services), shipbuilding and repair, maritime transport and coastal tourism.

This data story explores some enjoyable and light-hearted trends to celebrate the upcoming Christmas holiday season. Specifically, it uses open data to identify (1) the travel destination preferences of members of different EU Member States, (2) the reading habits of Europeans and (3) ice cream import and export trends across the EU.

Representing nearly 10 % of the EU’s GDP and accounting for 23 million jobs in 2019, tourism is an essential part of the EU’s economy. The EU’s tourism ecosystem involves various sectors such as food and beverage services, online information and services, travel agents and tour operators, accommodation suppliers and transportation.

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European Commission: Eurostat, Eurostat regional yearbook – 2024 edition, Publications Office of the European Union, 2024

The Eurostat regional yearbook provides you with an overview of economic, social, demographic and environmental developments in the EU regions. It includes data for regions in 27 EU countries, 4 EFTA countries, as well as 9 candidate countries.

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Eurostat produced harmonised statistics to compare and aggregate data from all EU member states. The statistical datasets cover the following themes:

EU policy indicators | General and regional statistics | Economy and finance | Population and social conditions | Industry, trade and services | Agriculture and fisheries | International trade | Transport | Environment and energy | Science, technology, digital society.

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