It has a budget of €10 billion.

Under the Interreg Europe programme, the project activities are co-financed by the Interreg Fund at either 70% or 80% depending on the legal status of the project partner.

Public or public equivalent bodies have an 80% co-financing rate while private not for profit bodies have a 70% co-financing rate.

The remaining 30% or 20% co-financing must be provided by the partners themselves and it may come from the partners’ own budget or from other sources.

Public authorities

• National, regional, local public authorities;
• Other relevant bodies responsible for developing and/ or implementing regional development policies;
• Authorities responsible for developing and/ or implementing the Investment for jobs and growth programmes.

Organisations relevant for regional development policies

• Business support organisations (development agencies, innovation agencies, chambers of commerce, clusters, etc.);
• Environmental organisations (environmental agencies, energy agencies, NGOs, etc.);
• Education and research institutions (universities, research centres, etc.).

• Cross border, Turning Border Obstacles into Opportunities (64 programmes)

• EU Programmes: 49 programmes within the EU focus on turning border obstacles into opportunities between EU Member States;
• Interreg IPA: 10 programmes operate at the EU’s border with IPA countries, mainly supporting the EU’s enlargement policy;
• Interreg NEXT: 5 programmes are implemented at the EU’s external eastern and southern borders. Four cross-border programmes encourage cooperation with Ukraine and Moldova.

• Transnational, Supporting Larger Scale Initiatives (13 programmes)

• Continuation: 13 transnational cooperation programmes will continue in supporting large-scale cooperation activities in Europe and beyond;
• Direct Support: 4 of them (Interreg Baltic Sea Region, Interreg Danube Region, Interreg IPA Adrion, and Interreg Alpine Space programme) will directly back Macro Regional Strategies covering their respective geographical areas. 80% of their thematic concentration should align with a Macro Regional Strategy.

• Interregional, Enhancing Cohesion Policy Effectiveness (4 programmes)

• Outermost Regions, the recognition (5 regions)

Cooperation has to be at the heart of each project. In order to be eligible, projects must contribute to at least three out of the following four cooperation criteria.

• Joint development (compulsory) – i.e. partners have to be involved in an integrated way in developing ideas, priorities and actions in the project development process;
• Joint implementation (compulsory) – i.e. project activities must be carried out by partners in a cooperative way that ensures clear content-based links and be coordinated by the lead partner;
• Joint financing (compulsory) – i.e. the joint project budget shall be organised in line with activities carried out by each project partner. The LP is responsible for the administration and reporting towards the programme bodies as well as the distribution of the funds to the partners;
• Joint staffing – i.e. the project should not duplicate functions within the partnership. In particular, project management functions should be appointed only once at project level.

Within the Interreg program, there is a project called MONA dedicated to tourism in nature areas in North-West Europe (NWE). Thus, MONA will stimulate sustainable tourism in and around nature areas in NWE, which benefits nature, the environment, visitors, and the local economy.

MONA will do so by encouraging a modal shift through facilitating sustainable transport modes, providing inclusive routing to and within nature areas, and nudging visitors and stakeholders towards more sustainable behavior. These are the key solutions to manage visitor flows, reduce negative impacts, and stimulate inclusive access.

8 nature areas and 3 knowledge & dissemination partners work together to:

• Assess the impact of visitors & mobility on nature areas and develop strategies to reduce this impact;
• Jointly pilot solutions on the modal shift, routing, and nudging;
• Provide capacity building for stakeholders across NWE Nature areas, destination marketing organizations, tourism & mobility service providers, local and regional authorities and (potential) visitors of nature areas all benefit from the strategies and solutions for, and revenues of, sustainable tourism.

MONA develops and promotes a mindset around sustainable tourism, which is balanced, inclusive, and socially and environmentally sustainable. This is made possible by the project’s multidisciplinary approach, for which the transnational partnership and expertise is essential.

N/A

• Interregional cooperation projects
• Policy Learning Platform

The Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) has a total budget of €723.8 billion.

The funding amounts can vary depending on the specific type of project and the activities involved.

Beneficiaries of the facility are EU countries and indirectly, EU citizens, public or private organisations and businesses.

Various types of projects or activities are eligible for funding under the program, including research, innovation, growth initiatives, infrastructure development, networking endeavors, and dissemination efforts.

The national recovery and resilience plans determine how the funds are allocated. Depending on the EU country, tourism is covered either by tourism-specific measures to modernise the sector or horizontal measures that are relevant to all sectors. The horizontal measures are particularly relevant under the following pillars:

• The green transition, digital transformation;
• Smart, sustainable and inclusive growth.

This is an overview of how the approved national plans contribute to the tourism ecosystem’s recovery.

The European Commission has defined seven flagship initiatives, and encourages EU countries to put forward investments and reforms in them. Several of these flagships may lend themselves to tourism investments, such as:

• Renovate: renovating tourism infrastructure to improve its energy performance (‘Nearly Zero Energy Building’), accessibility and resource management, and  developing circular business models (example: for food & waste management);
• Reskill and upskill: providing trainings to tourism entrepreneurs, workers and destination managers in support of the green and digital transitions;
• Modernise: supporting the digitalisation of public administrations responsible for tourism policy.  Promoting data sharing between public administrations, destination managers and businesses;
• Recharge and refuel: investing in clean mobility and improving connectivity to tourism destinations, especially tourism hotspots (examples: waterborne, buses, public transport).

The Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) is the centrepiece of Europe’s recovery plan, NextGenerationEU. It finances reforms and investments in EU countries from the start of the pandemic in February 2020 until 31 December 2026. Its aims are to:

• Mitigate the economic and social impact of the COVID-19 crisis;
• Make European economies and societies more sustainable, resilient and better prepared for the challenges and opportunities of the green and digital transitions.

It is relevant for all industrial ecosystems, including tourism. EU countries are responsible for developing national recovery and resilience plans, containing investments and reforms to address the key challenges identified in the European semester framework, and to support the green and digital transition.

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• Recovery and Resilience Facility
• Recovery and Resilience Scoreboard

The total budget for the period 2021-2027 amounts to €50.62 billion (current prices) under NextGenerationEU.

N/A

The intended audience comprises SMEs, large enterprises, Government, cities, communities & NGOs and knowledge centers.

The programme supports investment projects that foster crisis-repair capacities and contribute to a green, digital and resilient recovery of the economy, including support for maintaining jobs, short-time work schemes and support for the self-employed. It can also support job creation and youth employment measures, healthcare systems and the provision of working capital and investment support for small and medium-sized enterprises.

REACT-EU resources are implemented through regional and national cohesion policy programmes under the 2014-2020 programming period. The tourism components of these programmes should be consulted to find out about the scope of support in each EU country or region (look for managing authorities per programme in the ‘Additional Information’ sections).

As a part of the NextGenerationEU, REACT-EU provides an additional €50.6 billion (in current prices) to foster development in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and its social consequences. It also aims to prepare a green, digital and resilient recovery of Europe’s economy. Special attention is paid to regions that were hardest hit by the crisis due to their dependence on the most affected sectors, such as tourism and culture.

Since REACT-EU is distributed through the 2014-2020 cohesion policy, the support options for the tourism sector under the ERDF and the ESF in the current programming period apply to these additional resources.

The support options for the tourism sector under the current programming term of the ERDF and ESF apply to REACT-EU, because it is distributed under the 2014–2020 cohesion strategy. For example, working capitals and investments in SMEs and the green and digital transition/training of workers are covered.

• Project title: VISITUS: Helping blind and visually impaired tourists enjoy the Croatia-Serbia border region

The VISITUS project focused on welcoming blind and visually impaired visitors has improved the attractiveness of the area for all tourists. In collaboration with local associations for the visually impaired, a wide range of activities and technology-enabled tools were developed, including: new cultural and gastronomic tourism routes spanning the region; information stands with tactile maps and multilingual interactive boards; and braille tourist guides.

EU investment: €300,090

• About REACT-EU
• REACT-EU dashboard 

2014-2020 Programmes

• ERDF managing authorities
• ESF support in your country

LIFE has a total financial envelope of €5.43 billion (in current prices) for the period 2021-2027, with €1.94 billion reserved for the field of climate action. The climate action field, which is the relevant financial envelope for hydrogen-related projects, is subdivided into €947 million for the sub-programme ‘Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation’, and €997 million for the sub-programme ‘Clean Energy Transition’.

The maximum amount of Union Contribution that can be requested by a specific beneficiary is the maximum set in the grant agreement.

You are eligible to submit a proposal under the LIFE Programme, if you are:

• A public or private legal entity registered in the EU or an overseas country or territory linked to it;
• A third country associated to the LIFE programme;
• A legal entity created under Union law or any international organisation.

Natural persons are not eligible to apply.
 
Legal entities established in a third country which is not associated to the LIFE Programme may exceptionally eligible to participate where this is necessary for the achievement of the objectives of a given action to ensure the effectiveness of interventions carried out in the Union. However, those legal entities shall in principle bear the cost of their participation.

The types of hydrogen projects that can apply for LIFE Programme grants are:

• Standard Action Projects: projects, other than strategic integrated projects, strategic nature projects or technical assistance projects, that pursue the specific objectives of the LIFE programme;
• Strategic Integrated Projects (SIP): projects that implement, on a regional, multi-regional, national or transnational scale, climate strategies or action plans developed by EU country authorities, while ensuring that stakeholders are involved and promoting coordination with and mobilisation of at least one other Union, national or private funding source;
• Technical Assistance Projects: projects that support the development of capacity for participation in other types of LIFE programme projects, as well as for the preparation for accessing other Union financial instruments or other measures necessary for preparing the upscaling or replication of results from other projects funded by the LIFE programme or its predecessor. These projects can also include capacity-building related to the activities of EU country authorities for effective participation in the LIFE programme;
• Other Action Grants: actions needed for the purpose of achieving the general objective of the LIFE programme, including coordination and support actions aimed at capacity-building, at dissemination of information and of knowledge, and at awareness-raising to support the transition to renewable energy and increased energy efficiency;
• Operating Grants: grants that support the functioning of non-profit making entities which are involved in the development, implementation and enforcement of Union legislation and policy, and which are primarily active in the area of the environment or climate action, including energy transition, in line with the objectives of the LIFE programme.

The LIFE programme has no specific tourism theme. However, environmentally sustainable projects – especially those mitigating CO2 emissions through energy efficiency or renewable energy – may benefit from funding. Similarly, projects that marry climate adaptation measures with tourism may also be eligible.

In general terms, funding would be provided via ‘standard action projects’ following an annual call for proposals. LIFE does not finance big infrastructure projects. However, it may support investment in green infrastructure by providing services which can include recreational and tourism activities.

The LIFE programme funds projects in environmental and climate action. Tourism activities related to the green transition can benefit from this scheme. In particular, projects supporting the circular economy, energy efficiency and renewable energy measures, as well as climate neutrality may be eligible for funding.

• Project Title: Life Sustain Huts

The objective of this project is to create and demonstrate sustainable and nearly zero-emission mountain huts. By promoting renewable energy generation, energy independence and sustainability can be ensured. The project’s implementation over a period of 4 years has several phases

Preparatory actions:

• Monitoring and analysing the existing energy consumption;
• 7 implementation actions for hybrid renewable energy systems, including life cycle assessment and environmental analysis;
• 2 monitoring, dissemination and management actions each.

The project involves converting 9 existing mountain huts in Italy, Romania, Slovenia and Spain to achieve a reduction of approximately 5 tonnes of CO₂ emissions per year/hut. There are 8 partners: 5 from the private non-commercial sector, 1 private commercial entity, and 2 public bodies.

EU contribution: €1,116,543

• Project Title: Burren Tourism for Conservation

The Burren Tourism for Conservation project (also called the GeoparkLIFE project) aimed to reconcile tourism development with conserving biodiversity and cultural heritage. Reducing the impact of tourism on the Burren was a way to increase its carrying capacity.

Pilot actions included a resource management programme for about 100 enterprises and improving 4 monuments and 3 natural sites. These lessons were shared, notably through tool kits, offering a valuable ‘tourism for conservation’ methodology to local communities in Europe. 

EU contribution: €1,108,872 (2012-2017)

• Project Title: Sustainable Cruise

According to the 2008 EU Waste Framework Directive, waste prevention should be the priority in waste management. Given the degree of luxury afforded to their passengers, cruise ships produce a lot of waste. Led by Costa Crociere, one of the largest cruise companies, this project aimed to demonstrate the potential for waste prevention, recovery and recycling on cruise ships.

It assessed the environmental impacts of three waste streams (packaging, biodegradable waste and paper) and the technical/economic viability of large-scale waste management solutions. It also suggested a standardised approach to waste management onboard. Finally, it provided guidelines for an advanced certification scheme and assessed the possibility of converting CO2 emission reductions into tradable carbon credits.

EU contribution: €1,314,623 (2011-2014)

• Project Title: Information campaign to reduce smoking-related litter on beaches 

Marine litter is a major environmental problem that has adverse economic impacts on tourism, fisheries and other sectors. Cigarette filters are non-biodegradable and contain numerous hazardous chemicals. The goal of this project was to implement an integrated information campaign to reduce smoking-related litter in coastal areas of Greece.

The project also aimed to launch on-site campaigns on coasts to inform the public and provide applicable solutions (e.g., single-use ashtrays). In addition, training activities were carried out at schools to inform students about these issues and create behavioural change. 

EU contribution: €299,709 (2013-2015)

• Programme website
• LIFE newsletter
• LIFE – Calls for proposals
• LIFE Funding and tender opportunities

It provides targeted support to help mobilise around €55 billion over the period 2021-2027: €19.2 billion in current prices, is expected to mobilise around EUR €25.4 billion in investments.

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People and citizens, most vulnerable to the transition.
The Just Transition Mechanism will protect them by:
• Facilitating employment opportunities in new sectors and those in transition;
• Offering re-skilling opportunities;
• Improving energy-efficient housing;
• Investing to fight energy poverty;
• Facilitating access to clean, affordable and secure energy.

Companies and sectors, active in or comprising carbon-intensive industries.
The Just Transition Mechanism will protect them by:
• Supporting the transition to low-carbon technologies and economic diversification; based on climate-resilient investments and jobs;
• Creating attractive conditions for public and private investors;
• Providing easier access to loans and financial support;
• Investing in the creation of new firms, smes and start-ups;
• Investing in research and innovation activities.

Member States and regions, with high dependence on fossil fuel and carbon-intensive industries.
The Just Transition Mechanism will protect them by:
• Supporting the transition to low-carbon and climate-resilient activities;
• Creating new jobs in the green economy;
• Investing in public and sustainable transport;
• Providing technical assistance;
• Investing in renewable energy sources;
• Improving digital connectivity;
• Providing affordable loans to local public authorities;
• Improving energy infrastructure, district heating and transportation networks.

To be eligible for JTF funding, investments in the following activities and themes must be supported:

• Retraining of workers and inclusion of jobseekers;
• SMEs and the creation of new businesses that diversify the economy of a territory;
• Renewable energies and energy efficiency of buildings;
• Renovation and modernisation of district heating networks;
• Clean mobility;
• Digital technology;
• Circular economy, including waste management.

The scope of support includes, inter alia:

• Investments in microenterprises;
• Sustainable tourism, sustainable transport;
• Digital innovation;
• Training workers and jobseekers.

All investments contribute to the achievement of the objectives detailed in the Territorial Just Transition Plans (TJTPs). In addition, the supported activities focus on internal economic growth in key sectors in relation to the affected smart specialisation strategies.

The Just Transition Fund aims to reduce the social and economic costs resulting from the transition to an EU climate-neutral economy by supporting a diversification of economic activity, creating new business opportunities and helping people adapt in a changing labour market. To tourism SMEs, the fund can provide investments in fixed capital or immaterial assets.

Not yet available.

• Just Transition funding sources
• Regulation on the JTF

The InvestEU guarantee amounts to €26.2 billion, with provisioning from the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and Next Generation EU resources. The overall investment to be mobilised on this basis is estimated at more than €372 billion.

The funding amounts can vary depending on the specific type of project and the activities involved.

Implementing partners can also provide financing directly to final recipients (e.g. businesses, NGOs, etc.) or indirectly through private or public financial intermediaries who can then provide support to the final recipients.

Different financial intermediaries and final beneficiaries will be targeted according to the policy windows and depending on the criteria set to the different financial instruments designed by the implementing partners.

Financial intermediaries or implementing partners of the InvestEU must invest in project promoters that are natural or legal persons established in an EU country or in eligible third countries (depends on the agreement they have with the EU to access funding programmes), including:

• Private entities;
• Public-sector entities and public-sector type entities;
• Mixed entities, such as public-private partnerships (PPPs) and private companies with a public purpose;
• Non-profit organisations.

The programme aims to contribute to key EU policy objectives, such as supporting sustainable recovery, innovation and job creation in the European Union. For this reason, the InvestEU Fund targets investments in four different policy windows: social investment and skills; sustainable infrastructure; research, innovation and digitisation; and small and medium-sized enterprises.  

Particularly of interest to social investors is the “social investment and skills window”, with a budget of €2.8 billion of the EU guarantee. This window aims to deliver on the principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights by supporting:

• Microfinance and social enterprises;
• Social impact and innovation;
• Education, training and skills;
• Social infrastructure and services (including health and educational infrastructure, and social and student housing).

The InvestEU eligibility criteria is defined in the InvestEU regulation and in the investment guidelines.

Moreover, valid investment projects under InvestEU must:

• Address market failures or investment gaps; 
• Need EU backing in order to get off the ground;
• Projects must be economically viable;
• Achieve a multiplier effect and where possible crowd-in private investment;
• Help meet EU policy objectives. 

The tourism sector came under unprecedented pressure during the COVID-19 pandemic. The impact was especially challenging for SMEs and family businesses. The InvestEU programme promotes investments to strengthen tourism’s competitiveness, sustainability, and value chains. It facilitates sustainable, innovative and digital measures which could help reduce the sector’s climate and environmental footprint.

• Project Title: Argentina Residenza (loan from the Banca del Mezzogiorno – MedioCredito Centrale, Italy)

Hospitality Sector

As part of a recent renovation of the Argentina Residenza Style Hotel, EU funding contributed to the construction of a new wing. A multi-purpose room was built to both act as a lounge and for breakfast to be served. New multimedia and hardware were also installed there. In addition, and 3 new suites with circular whirlpool baths were added. These renovations even created jobs, as the team expanded with five new employees.

EU contribution: N/A (loan)

• Project Title: Il Mondo di Bua (loan from the Banca del Mezzogiorno, Italy)

Food and Drink 

The owner of the restaurant Il Mondo di Bua decided to restructure the building’s electrical, hydraulic and heating infrastructure, as energy consumption was the largest expense. With EU funding, Il Mondo di Bua replaced the traditional lamps with LED lighting, installed a photovoltaic system (solar cells) for electricity, and introduced a more energy-efficient oven and multi-fuel boiler. These changes allowed for higher energy and environmental efficiency. The company now saves approximately €60,000 in energy costs and 34,000 kg in CO² emissions per year.

EU contribution: N/A (loan)

• More information on InvestEU
• What is the InvestEU Programme?
• FAQ
• How to get financing
• Find your local funding intermediary via the map

Horizon Europe has a budget of around €95.5 billion for 2021-27 (in current prices). This includes €5.4 billion from NextGenerationEU to boost the economic recovery and make the EU more resilient for the future, as well as an additional reinforcement of €4 billion.

The funding amounts can vary depending on the specific type of project and the activities involved.

For Horizon Europe Cluster “Culture, creativity and inclusive society”:

• Universities and research institutes; 
• Local, regional and national public administrations; 
• Museums, cultural institutions and the cultural tourism industry; 
• Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the field of digital technologies such as augmented reality and virtual reality; 
• Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) active in the field of migration and radicalization.

For Horizon Europe Cluster “Civil security for society”:

• Universities and research institutes, especially in the areas of cybersecurity, security R&I, information and communication technologies, Artificial Intelligence, social sciences and humanities; 
• Industry and SMEs in the fields of cybersecurity, security R&I, ICT, Artificial Intelligence; 
• European standardisation organisations; 
• Ministries, national & local authorities; 
• Law enforcement agencies, border and custom authorities, crisis management security authorities, civil protection authorities; 
• Emergency services, hospital, medical centres; 
• First responders NGOs; 
• Critical infrastructure. 

For Horizon Europe Cluster “Food, bioeconomy, natural resources, agriculture and environment”:

• Universities and research institutes;  
• Civil society organisations including NGOs and consumer associations;  
• Public administration including legislators and implementing authorities;  
• Industry and SMEs;  
• End-users, including but not limited to farmers, foresters, advisors, municipalities, water utilities, citizens’ associations, professional associations.  

For Horizon Europe “Reforming European R&I”: 

• Universities, research centres; 
• NGOs, governmental organisations, civilian volunteer organisations, civil society organisations; 
• Citizens associations. 

Horizon Europe activities include:

• Fueling the EU’s scientific and technological excellence through the European Research Council; funding fellowships and researchers’ mobility;
• Supporting world-class research infrastructures;
• Tackling our biggest societal challenges, including the green and digital transitions and the sustainable development goals;
• Supporting policymaking with independent scientific evidence and technical support;
• Boosting the EU’s innovation uptake, competitiveness and jobs through the European Innovation Council and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology.

Within cluster 2 – Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society – research and innovation activities are offered to meet the EU’s goals and priorities for enhancing democratic governance and citizen participation. Safeguarding and promoting cultural heritage, and responding to and shaping social, economic, technological and cultural transformations are also conducted.

Developing new approaches, concepts and practices for sustainable, accessible and inclusive cultural tourism are among the research activities planned for this cluster. These opportunities will continue. Those already provided through the previous framework programme Horizon 2020 will be further developed.

Pillar 2 of Horizon Europe – Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness – supports research on societal challenges and reinforces technological and industrial capacities through clusters. It sets EU missions with ambitious goals tackling some of our biggest problems. Pillar 2 also includes activities pursued by the Joint Research Centre, which supports EU and national policymakers with independent scientific evidence and technical support.

• Project Title: SmartCulTour

Sustainable cultural tourism policies can significantly support the development of European regions. Cultural tourism, especially in rural areas as well as urban peripheries, can emerge as a factor of economic growth.

The EU-funded SmartCulTour project (Smart Cultural Tourism as a Driver of Sustainable Development of European Regions) intends to redefine the concept of cultural tourism. The objective is to provide European regions with strategies to engage stakeholders in co-creating smart cultural tourism practices.

Running from 2020 until 2023, the project will develop a decision support system to extensively monitor the target regions, combining traditional and non-traditional data sources. Inclusive desk research will determine which sustainable cultural tourism policies could have a positive impact. Proposals for local projects will then be made.  Each project will then be tested in six living labs.

EU contribution: €2,980,000.50

• Project Title: TExTOUR

TExTOUR (social innovation and TEchnologies for sustainable growth through participative cultural TOURism) (brings together 18 experts, entrepreneurs and partners from business, civil society and government to co-design, validate and upscale policies and strategies to boost socio-economic territorial development through cultural tourism.

TExTOUR uses ICT and social innovation tools to work with 8 cultural tourism pilot projects in lesser known areas. They collaborate to design methodologies for developing cultural tourism (CT) strategies in these areas.

Each pilot sets up lab communities, composed of a wide range of stakeholders who bring their own skillset to help develop CT. Stakeholders are guided through in CT labs on how to implement, monitor and secure approval of ad hoc strategies for cultural tourism.

The project started in 2020 and will run until 2024. It develops procedures, services and tools and carries out proposed activities. The results of these activities are then used to prepare a modular and scalable EU action plan for developing cultural tourism.

In parallel, a technological platform has been designed and tested to assess CT policies and strategies envisaged by public and private stakeholders. It provides data analytics-as-a-service, as well as other assessment services. Content curation and validation processes are also built in.

EU contribution: €3,950,468.75

• Project Title: Crosscult

CrossCult (empowering the reuse of digital cultural heritage in context-aware crosscuts of European history) aims to boost the development of new businesses by using digital cultural assets to reinterpret European history.

This project created cross-border perspectives by connecting digital historical resources and creating new ones through public participation. CrossCult brought together computer scientists, researchers in the humanities, historians, and private companies from seven European countries.

EU contribution: €3,503,358 (2016-19)

• Project Title: POLARIS

Siberia, Lapland, Patagonia and regions with similar features are destined to experience changes due to global warming and globalisation. Their fragile ecosystems could be easily damaged by mass tourism and an uncontrolled development strategy.

This project provided an analysis of how to protect and promote territories and heritage. It also provided training for local officials and postgraduate degrees on tourism, geography and policies. These initiatives aimed to improve know-how and promote practices on how to make use of this heritage in a sustainable way.

EU contribution: €327,900 (2013-17)

• Horizon Europe website 
• Find calls for proposals 
• Research and innovation – legal texts

The ESF+ has a total budget of over €99 billion.

N/A

The intended audience comprises social investors, EU public and private organisations, non-governmental organisations, EU citizens, young people, children, and people from vulnerable groups.

Grants, procurements and financial instruments.

1. Further support youth employment: The tourism ecosystem employs a higher share of young people compared to the overall economy. Young people in or entering the labour market have been disproportionately hit by the crisis. EU countries with a large number of people aged 15 – 29 that are not in employment, education or training should invest at least 12.5% of their ESF+ resources in this key area. All other EU countries must allocate an appropriate amount of their ESF+ resources to targeted actions to support youth employment measures.
2. Accompany the green and digital transitions: The ESF+ makes a strong contribution to the green and digital transitions by driving investment in jobs and skilling opportunities so that workers can thrive in a climate-neutral, more digital and inclusive society.

The European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) is a key financial programme for investing in people. It provides much-needed resources to EU countries to help societies and economies recover after the coronavirus crisis. The ESF+ finances the implementation of the principles from the European Pillar of Social Rights.

• Project Title: Duaal Traject Grootkeuken & Catering / Dual learning industrial kitchen and catering

This project fits into a larger framework of an experiment in dual learning development and could be implemented in various sectors. The main goal is to professionalise the hotel and food service sector, and strengthen cooperation between education and the hospitality sector.

EU contribution: €60,000

• Project Title: Digital Leadership Culture

The pandemic has had a significant impact on Danish tourism. After the lockdown ended and restrictions were eased, visitors returned – but in far fewer numbers, and with new habits, needs and expectations. This project aims to strengthen the digital competences of managers and key employees in 420 Danish SMEs. With this new expertise, businesses will be better able to safeguard their long-term survival.

EU contribution: €5,083,722

• Home | European Social Fund Plus (europa.eu)
• Cohesion Open Data Platform
• ESF+ on Funding & tender opportunities
• Find calls for proposals

It has a total budget of €120 million.

N/A

The Member States’ administrations choose which projects to finance and take responsibility for day-to-day management.

The Cohesion Fund (CF) supports environmental infrastructure and priority EU projects in Trans-European Transport Networks. It also covers projects of energy efficiency, use of renewable energy or sustainable urban mobility presenting clear environmental benefits.

ERDF/CF, as the rest of the EU cohesion policy funds, are managed predominantly via shared management.

In each Member State and partner countries, managing authorities are entrusted to allocate funding and set up a management and control system to ensure the implementation of the fund based on agreed programmes (which are also developed and implemented in a multi-level governance approach, in line with the partnership principle).

These entities are then responsible for launching the respective calls for projects according to addresses specific needs in the context of the agreed programme.

As part of the EU’s long-term budget from 2021 – 2027, cohesion policy has provides plenty of possibilities to strengthen the foundations of a more resilient and sustainable tourism ecosystem. It is also helping to address the green and digital transitions and needs through the Transition Pathway for Tourism. Investments in tourism are possible through all 5-policy objectives supported by the ERDF. They must comply with the relevant objectives, enabling conditions or minimum requirements established for   the adopted EU cohesion policy programmes.

Following the adoption of these programmes, most of the ERDF support has been concentrated under a specific aim in policy objective 4 (A more social and inclusive Europe). This is dedicated to strengthening role of tourism in fostering socio-economic development, social inclusion, and social innovation. This is part of integrated sustainable territorial development strategies under policy objective 5 (A Europe Closer to citizens).

Under the European Territorial Cooperation strand of ERDF, Interreg programmes support cross-border (Interreg A and IPA), transnational (B), interregional (C) and outermost regions’ (Interreg D) cooperation.

Tourism is among the most popular supported sectors under these programmes, following the same scope and narrative as under ERDF. In some cases, support for cross-border cooperation in the field of tourism has also been embedded in support for sustainable tourism in national and regional cohesion policy programmes.

The Cohesion Fund is also one of the funds for delivering EU Cohesion policy. It is  aimed at Member States whose Gross National Income (GNI) per inhabitant is less than 90 % of the EU average and who support TEN-T and environmental projects, as they can also have an impact on the tourism ecosystem.

Under the European Urban Initiative (EUI) funded by ERDF, sustainable tourism was included as one of the three topics targeted in Innovative Actions, the second EUI call for proposals.

• Project title: Sardinia Observatory for Tourism, Craft and Commerce

The project uses the potential of digitalisation to encourage innovation, economic growth, B2B and market competitiveness for Tourism, Crafts and Commerce in the region of Sardinia. The Observatory’s Tourist Movement Dashboard serves as an interactive system for analysing and displaying data on the movements of tourists in Sardinia, out of which annual trend reports are produced.

The facilitated open data looks into tourist movements, broken down by reference markets, and on the capacity of accommodation facilities

EU contribution: € 2.4 million (ERDF)

• Project title: Revitalisation of a former industrial complex “Rikard Benčić” into a cultural district

With the help of ERDF investment, an abandoned industrial area in Rijeka, Croatia, is being transformed into a modern cultural and tourism district housing the city’s museum, library, and a creative space for children. The investment forms part of the Rijeka 2020 European Capital of Culture project and is jointly funded by the ERDF, the city, and national government.

In line with changing urban needs and developments, the project promotes cooperation between three cultural entities and the institutions, in collaboration with Rijeka’s citizens for any further planning and development of the cultural district.

EU contribution: €15 800 000

• Project title: Electro-solar boat to discover the Charente

The project facilitates the discovery of the river’s heritage through environmentally friendly alternatives that do not affect the environment. In this case, the project consisted in the acquisition of a solar-powered boat to replace a heavy, old, fuel-intensive boat and in the implementation of circular business models within the company responsible for the tourism service.

As a result, the project has been awarded the French prize for sustainable tourism in the ‘open’ category.

EU contribution: € 80 000

• Project title: Raised Bogs – A Unique European Area situated in the Polish-Slovak borderland

To explore peatland between Poland and Slovakia, the project “Raised Bogs” developed a cross-border accessible site consisting of two museums, one in Poland and the other in Slovakia, and an extension of a cycling route passing by historical, cultural and natural sites around the Tatras Mountains.

In addition, the project also focuses on sustainability and addresses the challenge of reconciling larger-scale tourism to the area with properly conserving the peatland and related heritage sites from potential damage. It serves an important role in raising awareness among residents and tourists alike – especially school age children – of the significance of the peatland and the need to protect it for future generations.

EU contribution: € 911 188.11

• Project Title: Bookingbility

With the support of ERDF, an online platform has been created in Sicily, Italy, to help disabled people find and book accessible accommodation that caters to their special needs. The project provides for people with various requirements. This includes those in wheelchairs, but also children, the elderly, mothers pushing strollers, slow-moving individuals, those who cannot see or hear, and people with allergies or dietary problems.

In doing so, it seeks to combine tourism and the ability to respond to hospitality needs requiring extra care, dialogue and technical knowledge so that those with special needs have enough accurate information to select the alternatives best suited to their requirements.

EU contribution: € 162 791

• Project Title: North East Meltemi

Meltemi is a project financed under the “Nautical Routes for Europe” call. The objective of the MELTEMI project was to bring together Greek and Turkish Aegean coastlines that were less known or less accessible. To help local economies, the project strived to promote those islands, their communities of artisans, their gastronomical tradition, unique cultures and beaches created for sailing, surfing and kiteboarding. MELTEMI also organised beach clean-ups and published recommendations on how to adapt sailing tours for people with disabilities to make sure historical and natural treasure are accessible to all.

EU contribution: €284,900 

• Project Title: Mar das Illas

The project helps new start-up businesses that give fishers’ earnings a boost, while also ensuring the continuity of traditional fishing practices and diversification into pesca-tourism. Mar das Illas also tried to increase the visibility and local awareness of the natural environment and its conservation.

EU contribution: €85,229 

• Project Title: Discovery of shellfish farming in the Pays d’Auray

The Pays d’Auray has been shaped by fishing and shellfish farming. These sectors are influenced by residential demand. As a result, a private-public partnership was created to develop a targeted tourism offer for the discovery of fishing and shellfish farming. For instance, visits to shellfish farming sites were organised.

• European Regional Development Fund
• Cohesion Fund
• European Urban Initiative
• Interreg
• Accessing the funds
• Cohesion Open Data Platform
• Inforegio in your country

The EAFRD budget for 2021-27 amounts to €95.5 billion, which includes an injection of €8.1 billion from the next generation EU recovery instrument. The budget for 2014-20 amounts to around €100 billion.

The maximum amount of support must not exceed €7,000 per farmer and €50,000 per SME.

The intended audience comprises Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), Large Enterprises, Government bodies, Municipalities, Communities & NGOs, and Knowledge Centers.

This funding provides for:
• Administrative and technical support activities required to implement the CAP, including surveys and monitoring, audit and inspection measures, and the maintenance of agricultural accounting IT systems;
• Promotion activities for EU agricultural products by international organisations, executive agencies, and the Commission itself.

EU countries had the possibility to include tourism-related investments in their CAP Strategic Plans, which are being implemented from January 2023 onwards. Such support could, for instance, include initiatives for territorial economic development and rural infrastructure, the renewal of villages and/or actions to:

• Conserve small-scale built heritage (e.g. chapels, bridges, public amenities);
• Build and renovate tourist offices;
• Update visitor information;
• Other leisure, recreational and/or sports activities.

Many rural areas in the European Union suffer from structural problems such as a lack of attractive employment opportunities, skill shortages, under-investment in connectivity, infrastructure and essential services, as well as youth brain drain. It is fundamental to strengthen the socio-economic fabric in these areas, particularly through creating jobs and generational renewal.

Bringing jobs and growth to rural areas will promote social inclusion, and help develop smart villages across the European countryside. New rural value chains such as renewable energy, the emerging bioeconomy, the circular economy, and various types of tourism activities can offer good growth and job creation for rural areas.

• Project Title:Diversifying a farm’s income by investing in agrotourism (Arcevia, Italy)

To diversify a farm’s income, Rural Development Programme support was used to renovate a 19^th century house to offer accommodation in six apartments, with 24 beds. The entrepreneur envisaged hosting tourists for at least 4 months a year to provide him with a significant income flow. This will compensate for years when olive production is low.

EU contribution: €80,736.30

• Project Title: Chevetogne – combining a wetland ecosystem observation area with social tourism

This project for Chevetogne campsite involved rehabilitating and landscaping part of an old caravan park bordering the ponds. This area stretching over three hectares was restored into a wetland and accompanying nature observation area, along with a biodiversity lab. The restored area will accommodate some picnic facilities and two play areas for children. An additional development will extend the walking trail for people with reduced mobility.

EU contribution: €387,000

• Project Title: Historical and Folklore Museum of Nikiti

Nikiti is a village in Chalkidiki, Greece. Its economy is based on agriculture and tourism. The area is full of hotels and tourist accommodation, but was lacking in cultural facilities such as museums and exhibition centres. In order to fill this gap and create tourist attractions, an old school building was transformed into a folklore museum. The grant helped to finance the renovation and also created jobs for the local community.

Total budget: €206,545

• The common agricultural policy funds 
• Fi-Compass 
• Calls for tenders 
• Calls for proposals / grants for information measures 
• Key policy objectives of the new CAP