SMP – Transitionning to a more sustainable and resilient ecosystem – empowering tourisme SMEs – 2023

Objectives

• To enhance the competitiveness of tourism ecosystem, in particular the SMEs in the tourism ecosystem
• To collect best practices regarding resilience, digital and sustainable changes relevant to toursim SMEs in the tourism ecosystem, with a view to disseminating them amongst the tourism stakeholders, including tourism SMEs
• To organise specific training sessions for key tourism stakeholders on increasing resilience, sustainability (in its environmental, social and economic aspects), as well on digitalisation as an enable for sustainability
• To enable tailored capacity building for tourism SMEs to increase their resilience, sustainability (in its environmental, social and economic aspects), as well as on digitalisation, namely regarding tools and management strategies towards sustainability, consulting on certification, and on available funding that contribute to those goals
• To support SMEs in the tourism ecosystem to develop and implement new business strategies, new products and cross sectoral approaches that promote and increase resilient practices in their daily activities

Priorities

• Priority 1: To provide clear guidance on management and practical examples of actions and changes for more resilient business, greener and with a higher digital level
• Priority 2: To advise tourism SMEs, in their transition towards more sustainable activities, such as regarding greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, energy efficiency, environmentally safe materials, waste management, water consumption
• Priority 3: To promote the improvement of tourism SMEs’ staff diversification, provide more equal opportunities for disabled and disadvantaged people, promote equality amongst the workforce by including all genders, creeds, colour, origins and identities
• Priority 4: To support tourism businesses (small and large) in improving their staff’s working conditions, as part of social sustainability measures
• Priority 5: To promote innovation, financial robustness, behavioural flexibility and adjustment to external and internal demands
• Priority 6: To increase the use and adoption of digital tools, platforms and smart technologies by transferring knowledge to the SME on how to better use and take advantage of the digital tools available
• Priority 7: To increase reliance on date: its generation, collection, use and re-use

Among financed actions

• Best practice collection and awareness raising
• Capacity building for key tourism stakeholders (train the trainers)
• Advising and tailored consulting activities, and technical support
• Direct support scheme for tourism SMEs

Additional information

• This call for proposals is an open call for proposals.
• Initial duration of the action: between 30 and 36 months

• Total budget of the call: 8.5 million euro
• Amount of the grant: between 1.7 million and 2.125.000 euro
• Co-financing rate: between 90% and 100% of the total eligible costs