Encouraging the application of digitalisation, innovation and new technologies in tourism through transnational cooperation and capacity building.

The overall goal is to strengthen the acceptance of digitalisation and innovation by tourism SMEs through transnational cooperation and capacity building.

Activities are focused on:

strengthening transnational and cross-border cooperation, in particular the integration of tourism enterprises and stakeholders into transnational and interregional innovation ecosystems in order to enable smart and sustainable growth of tourism SMEs;
strengthening the capacity and skills of SMEs in improving the use of new digital technologies, resulting in new business models in tourism;
encouraging innovative solutions to improve tourism management and tourism offer through cooperation within the tourism ecosystem, including public-private partnerships
Eligible Activities:

Each consortium / network will directly support (including financial support) a total of at least 60 tourism SMEs from at least three (3) eligible countries. Supported tourism SMEs may be established in the same country as a consortium member, but may also be established in different eligible countries than those in which the consortium partners are established. The consortium will also support a balanced number of tourism SMEs per country.

In the project proposal, each consortium must:

identify specific project objectives
define the specific objectives to be achieved by the tourism SMEs participating in the project
design and implement transnational and ecosystem support schemes, including capacity building, knowledge transfer and expansion of activities to enable the adoption of digital and smart solutions at a higher level, new technologies and innovations by tourism SMEs
select tourism SMEs to participate in the proposed support program that benefits from the financial support
provide financial support to selected tourism SMEs
organize a simple but robust reporting system, through which the involved SMEs will report to the project coordinator on their achievements

Important documents:

Instructions for applicants

Organizations eligible to participate:
Open to the following bodies or institutes with legal status based in the areas covered:
- Any legal organization
- Bodies or institutes participating in the program must have a registered office in one of the countries of the European Union (EU)

Responsible Directorate General
Directorate-General for Enterprise and Industry DG Growth