Supporting European tourism SMEs towards a green, digital and inclusive economy
FU-TOURISM addresses the need for European tourism SMEs to adapt to a sustainable, digital and inclusive economy. With € 4 million COSME funding, the project will foster innovation through a support ecosystem, selecting 102 SMEs for acceleration and grants. The project aims to enhance cooperation among SMEs, incubators and accelerators, ensuring a future-proof and resilient tourism sector.
The project is led by Eupolis (Croatia) and is being implemented together with seven other partners: DUBROVNIK CITY (Croatia), Consell Insular de Menorca (Spain), Finnova (Belgium), Envolve (Greece), SYNYO (Austria), Vestbee (Poland) and Open Impact (Italy).
European tourism SMEs towards environmentally conscious and digitally integraged economy
A foundational element of the FU-TOURISM initiative is crafting a networked platform of 4-Helix Collaborative Clusters, designated as Living Labs, to facilitate the evolution of Tourism SMEs. The clusters will enable SMEs to be placed at the center of the tourism ecosystem, adopting a multi-stakeholder approach that takes into account the broader needs of the destination, visitors and local citizens.
Within the European Union’s framework, the COSME Program has emerged as a catalyst for the growth and development of businesses and SMEs. The FU-TOURISM initiative is among the projects financed by COSME from 2021 to 2027, distinguishing itself as a collaborative endeavour aimed at enhancing economic expansion, generating employment, and increasing the competitive edge of businesses throughout Europe.
Kicking off FU-TOURISM in Split, Croatia
The FU-TOURISM project successfully kicked-off in Split, Croatia on the 9th and 10th of November, marking the start of the 36-month initiative. The launch event set the stage for collaboration, establishing working groups and outlining management methodologies for the project’s lifespan.
Over the duration of 3 years, FU-TOURISM supports European tourism SMEs in their transition towards a green, digital, and inclusive economy, with a focus on the application of the principles of the regenerative economy. FU-TOURISM will develop a supportive ecosystem for tourism SMEs, promoting greater cooperation on innovation between these companies and incubators and accelerators in the sector.
Keywords
Green economy, Sustainability, EU Green Pact, Digital Transformation
