Browse the new Guide on EU funding for tourism!

The European Commission recently published its web-based guide on European funds to support the recovery and development of the tourism sector across the Union within the 2021-2027 programming period. This guide will help you find appropriate funding to boost the sustainable tourism sector in your mountainous region.

The guide contains:

• A list of 15 EU funding schemes relevant for the tourism sector (from EAFRD to LIFE, ERDF etc.)
• An explanation the scope and types of activities funded by each funding scheme in the tourism sector
• Examples of previously EU-funded projects on tourism
• List of actors that can offer you technical support for preparing your proposal

Did you know that the Erasmus+ programme supports tourism?

Though the Erasmus+ programme has no direct tourism component, you can use these funding schemes to finance the skill development and training of staff, young people and adult in the tourism sector. Projects can cover mobility, developing competence and employability of young people in tourism, digital skills in cultural heritage, learning hospitality, and tourism research innovation. For instance, via this funding scheme, the Next Tourism Generation NTG Alliance project was funded: the first European partnership and alliance for improving a collaborative and productive relationship between education and industry in tourism.

Did you know that the Single Market Programme supports tourism?

The Single Market Programme, replacing the former COSME programme, has €4.2 billion budget for the 2021-2027 period and it will support the EU countries to become more recover from the COVID-19 crisis.  In the 2021, this programme will issue 4 calls of proposals dedicated to the tourism sector.  In the past, this programme funded the FAMOUS Project – Movie Travel aiming at creating itineraries and cultural experiences across UNESCO sites that have appeared in well-renowned movies or that host international film festivals.

Some other funding schemes like the Recovery and Resilience Facility or REACT-EU are also explained in the guide. They can be used to enhance the recovery of the tourism sector in mountainous areas in post-COVID times. In region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, REACT-EU is for instance being used to finance the “mountain loan”, a financial support given to tourism businesses located in ski resort municipalities.

Many financial opportunities can be used in the 2021-2027 period to support sustainable tourism. If you want to build a project proposal and are looking for partners, you can use Euromontana’s project platform and competence matrix (for members only).