FU-TOURISM

The European FU-TOURISM project, backed by a €4 million COSME grant, aims to revolutionize over 100 SMEs in the tourism sector. This initiative will foster a green, digital, and inclusive economy, enhancing the industry’s resilience and aligning with the European Green Pact’s goals. With a focus on sustainability and innovation, FU-TOURISM is set to create a lasting impact across seven European countries.

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 an environmentally conscious and digitally integrated 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 9^th and 10^th 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

Sustainable Tourism, Green Economy, Digital Transformation, COSME, Regenerative Economy, EU Green Pact