The FU-TOURISM acceleration programme drives resilience and sustainability in european tourism in response to climate challenges
The European project FU-TOURISM, funded with €4 million through the Single Market Programme, has launched the call for its “FU-TOURISM Acceleration Programme.” This initiative targets SMEs, startups, and scale-ups from Croatia, Spain, Belgium, Greece, Austria, and Poland. Selected SMEs will receive up to €20,000 and tailored training to support their transition towards sustainable and digital tourism by developing new products, services, projects, or innovative business models.
The programme will select 60 SMEs, 10 from each participating country, that are already operating or seeking to begin activities in sustainable, green, and digital tourism. Applications are open until 31 January 2025, and interested SMEs can apply via the official website: https://www.fu-tourism.eu/open-call/
Through this initiative, FU-TOURISM aims to support the business sector while also contributing to the European Union’s objectives of tackling shared challenges in the tourism industry through innovative solutions. Selected companies will address priority challenges identified during FU-TOURISM’s mapping process, which serves as a reference for defining eligible innovative solutions under this call. Among the issues to address is the promotion of responsible tourism practices that minimise the impact of climate change.
According to the European Travel Commission (ETC) report “Crises in Tourism: Impacts and Lessons from European Destinations,” European tourism destinations have faced various crises, from natural disasters to pandemics. This highlights the urgent need to develop resilient infrastructure and preventive strategies against these impacts, many of which are directly linked to climate change.
The recent isolated high-altitude depression (DANA) in Valencia, Spain, has exposed the climate vulnerability of Mediterranean regions and other areas of Europe, as well as the pressing need for scalable and replicable solutions. Intense rainfall, river overflows, and flooding have led to human losses and destroyed entire localities in the city and province. This tragedy has left lasting impacts on affected communities and infrastructure, including the tourism sector, with severe damage to beaches and key attractions. In this context, FU-TOURISM extends its deepest sympathies to all those affected. Valencia is one of the cities associated with the project and home to two of its partners: the City of Valencia and its innovation platform, València Innovation Capital.
To mitigate the effects of DANA, local authorities and the tourism sector are adopting various strategies to reduce vulnerability and enhance responsiveness to extreme events.
In this context, FU-TOURISM joins the cause, calling on SMEs from Spain, Croatia, Belgium, Greece, Austria, and Poland to submit proposals to the FU-TOURISM Acceleration Programme. These proposals should aim to strengthen the tourism sector against climate change impacts, promoting more resilient, responsible, and sustainable tourism. They should also propose solutions for implementing preventive strategies to help Mediterranean destinations and other vulnerable European regions adapt to this new climate reality. These solutions will not only address the challenges of a changing climate but also support local communities and tourists during times of crisis.
A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON TOURISM CRISES IN EUROPE
With €4 million in funding from the European Commission’s Single Market Programme (formerly COSME), the FU-TOURISM project aims to support the green and digital transition of European tourism SMEs. The project provides capacity-building and strategy development support to two major pilot destinations: Valencia, Spain, and Poreč-Parenzo, Croatia. Operating under the Destination Management Organisation (DMO) model, these destinations will serve as examples of best practices and support SMEs through collaboration in 4-Helix Living Labs.
Alongside the City of Valencia with València Innovation Capital as an affiliated entity and the Town of Poreč-Parenzo, this initiative brings together a consortium of seven European countries. Six of them provide direct support services to SMEs through experienced partners from across Europe: Finnova (Belgium), Envolve (Greece), SYNYO (Austria), Vestbee (Poland), Open Impact (Italy), and Eupolis Grupa (Croatia), with CEDRA as an affiliated entity.
Out of the 35 project proposals submitted under the European Commission’s Single Market Programme call “SMP-COSME-2022-TOURSME,” only six were approved. FU-TOURISM stands out as the project with the largest budget, underscoring its importance for the business sector and the recognition of its comprehensive approach to sustainability and digitalisation in tourism.
The Hispano-Belgian Finnova Foundation played a pivotal role in initiating this innovative project, inviting the City of Valencia and its innovation centre, València Innovation Capital, to participate as a DMO. This recognition is due to their demonstrated efforts in tourism digitalisation and sustainability, as well as Valencia’s designation as the European Green Capital 2024.
“Supporting entrepreneurs with European funds is essential for fostering innovation and competitiveness in the tourism sector. This programme not only provides the necessary financial resources but also offers specialised guidance and training, which are crucial for SMEs to adapt and lead in an ever-evolving market. At Finnova, we are committed to promoting projects that drive sustainability and digitalisation, and the FU-TOURISM Acceleration Programme is a clear example of how European collaboration can create a positive and lasting impact,” says Juanma Revuelta, CEO of Finnova.
