August 2026
Tourism is one of Europe’s economic backbones — but it’s also one of the sectors most exposed to shocks. The COVID-19 pandemic laid that vulnerability bare, wiping out revenue for hundreds of thousands of small and medium-sized tourism businesses across the continent and forcing many to rethink how they operate.
In response, the European Union launched a landmark call in 2022, through the Single Market Programme (SMP) — funding Cross-Re-Tour — to help tourism SMEs recover from the crisis and begin transitioning toward a greener, more digital future. Just over a year later, a new call set out to carry that momentum forward with renewed focus: not just recovery, but long-term resilience.
SMP’s 2023 Call, titled “Transitioning to a more sustainable and resilient ecosystem – empowering tourism SMEs”, aimed to help tourism businesses across Europe strengthen their competitiveness while advancing the sector’s green and digital transition, in line with the EU Transition Pathway for Tourism.
Under this call, four projects were selected for funding: DETOUR, INSPIRES, PHOENIX 4.0, and TASTE. Though each takes a different angle, all four share a common mission: equipping tourism SMEs with the funding, training, tools and networks they need to become more sustainable, digital and resilient. All four projects launched in November 2024 and are set to run through 2027. The sections below take a closer look at each of these four projects.
FOUR PROJECTS: A SHARED MISSION
Funding & financial support
Training & capacity building
Green & digital transition
Resilience & competitiveness
Cross-border cooperation
Knowledge transfer & best practices
Implementation of the EU Tourism Strategy
DETOUR
The project aims to strengthen sustainable tourism SMEs across Italy, Türkiye, Bulgaria and Greece through training, funding, digital tools and cross-border cooperation. It focuses on four key routes: the Via Francigena, the Lycian Way, the Sultan’s Trail, and Greece’s Network of Mountain Routes (Olympus, Kissavos, Mavrovouni).
Full Project Name
Developing Resilient Tourism Ecosystems along Mediterranean Routes
Project Timeline
November 2024 – October 2027
Countries Involved
Italy, Bulgaria, Türkiye, Greece
Partner Organisations
Municipality of Fidenza (coordinator, Italy); Antalya Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism (Türkiye); European Association of the Via Francigena Ways (Italy); DMO ES.CO. – Esquilino Community – The Gateway to Rome (Italy); Culture Routes Society (Türkiye); Management Organization of Thrace Tourist Region (Türkiye); Mediterranean Centre of Environment (Greece); and Training 2000 Piccola SC.(Italy)
Contact Person
Simona Spinola, Communication Expert simona.spinola@viafrancigene.org
“DETOUR is about rethinking the way we experience and develop long-distance trails. By connecting destinations, local businesses and communities, we want to turn the journey itself into an opportunity for sustainable tourism, cultural exchange and local development.”
Elena Dubinina, DETOUR Team Leader, European Association of Via Francigena Ways
MAIN ACTIVITIES
- Tailored training and mentoring for SMEs (Jan–Apr 2026) on digitalisation, sustainability, accessibility and business resilience
- Blended face-to-face/online learning via the DETOUR Moodle platform
- Capacity-building programme for key tourism stakeholders (Aug–Nov 2025)
- Open Call for financial support for SME/DMO collaborative projects (€15K–€25K/project)
MILESTONES
- 39 tourism professionals certified as DETOUR trainers through the capacity-building programme
- 85 SMEs completed training and mentoring; 205 learners used the Moodle platform
- 63 collaborative projects selected for funding (22 Italy, 15 Türkiye, 13 Bulgaria, 13 Greece) Projects start 1 September 2026
NEXT STEPS
- Support implementation of the 63 projects (from 1 Sept 2026) via technical assistance and mentoring
- Assess and document successful, replicable solutions
- Disseminate good practices across Europe
- Strengthen cross-border cooperation into a lasting network for slow tourism
- Ensure tools and partnerships remain available for future replication
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INSPIRES
The project supports European tourism SMEs in accelerating the green and digital transition through funding, capacity building and international cooperation. By fostering innovation, resilience and knowledge exchange, the project helps tourism businesses implement sustainable solutions while contributing to the objectives of the EU Transition Pathway for Tourism.
Full Project Name
Innovative Networks Supporting Pathways for Resilience, Innovation, and Sustainability in European Tourism SMEs
Project Timeline
November 2024 – October 2027
Countries Involved
Belgium, Bulgaria, Finland, Germany, Poland and Spain
Partner Organisations
Erlebnis Bremerhaven GmbH (Lead Partner, Germany), Affiliate entity: City of Bremerhaven – Department of Economic Affairs, Tourism and Science (Germany), Tourism Province of Antwerp (Belgium), Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vratsa (Bulgaria), Official Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Shipping of Seville (Spain), Podkarpackie Region (Poland), Lapland University of Applied Sciences (Finland), European Cultural Tourism Network (ECTN, Belgium)
Contact Person
Erlebnis Bremerhaven GmbH inspires@erlebnis-bremerhaven.de
“INSPIRES demonstrates that sustainable tourism transformation succeeds when funding, knowledge sharing and international cooperation go hand in hand. By connecting SMEs across Europe, we are creating practical solutions that strengthen resilience and competitiveness while supporting the transition towards a more sustainable tourism sector.”
Helmut Berends, Project Coordinator, Erlebnis Bremerhaven GmbH
MAIN ACTIVITIES
- 2 Open Calls for financial support to SME-led projects on sustainability, digitalisation and resilience (€15K/€25K per project)
- Mentoring, coaching and tailored training for beneficiaries
- Training modules on Risk Management, Circular Economy, Regenerative Tourism and Digital Transformation
- Workshops, networking and peer-learning across tourism organisations and regions
- Good practice transfer between European regions
- Support for innovative business models and stronger tourism ecosystems
MILESTONES
- Successful implementation of two European SME calls (August 2025 and March 2026), with 60 SME projects funded in all six EU partner countries
- Five training modules developed (Risk Management, Circular Tourism, Regenerative Tourism, Diversity & Inclusion, Smart Tourism)
- European network established linking SMEs, tourism authorities and support organisations
- 47 best practices collected, supporting the EU Transition Pathway for Tourism
NEXT STEPS
- Continue mentoring, training and networking support for funded SMEs
- Document and share successful project outcomes
- Promote transfer of best practices
- Strengthen cooperation with other European initiatives
- Develop policy recommendations for a more resilient, sustainable tourism ecosystem
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PHOENIX 4.0
The project empowers tourism SMEs to become more resilient, sustainable and digital. The project provides practical support through self-assessment tools, training, expert guidance, collaboration opportunities and financial support for SME-led projects. By connecting tourism SMEs with experts, partners and European networks, PHOENIX 4.0 supports the transition towards a more competitive and future-ready tourism ecosystem.
Full Project Name
Resilient Ecosystem for Empowering Tourism SMEs
Project Timeline
October 2024 – August 2027
Countries Involved
Croatia, France, Iceland, Kosovo, Slovenia, Spain
Partner Organisations
ARCTUR (Slovenia), ANYSOLUTION (Spain), Catalan Tourist Board (Spain), Dubrovnik Development Agency (Croatia), Iceland Tourism Cluster (Iceland), Open Tourisme Lab (France), Prishtina REA (Kosovo)
Contact Person
Lucija Barisic, PHOENIX 4.0 project coordinator / ARCTUR, Lucija.barisic@arctur.si
“PHOENIX 4.0 helps tourism SMEs move from awareness to action by combining practical tools, expert support, training and collaboration opportunities. Through this approach, we are supporting SMEs in becoming more resilient, sustainable and competitive.
Lucija Barisic, PHOENIX 4.0 project coordinator / ARCTUR
MAIN ACTIVITIES
- Built the Tourism SMEs Resilience Navigator, a digital self-assessment tool with automated recommendations
- Created a European trainer/expert network and a six-module Training Toolkit
- Delivered Train-the-Trainers and Train-the-SMEs sessions on resilience, sustainability, digitalisation and innovation
- Launched the PHOENIX 4.0 Academy (online learning) and PHOENIX 4.0 Lab (advisory support, webinars, peer exchange)
- Ran the Alliance Competition, an Open Call for financial support for collaborative SME projects on green/digital transition and resilience (up to €25K/project)
- Centralised everything via the PHOENIX 4.0 Connect platform
MILESTONES
- 200+ SMEs used the Tourism SMEs Resilience Navigator
- 57 active trainers from 19 countries; 205 SME participants across 12 online sessions
- PHOENIX 4.0 Academy and Lab: 422 participants, 34 online courses
- Alliance Competition: 176 applications, 45 projects selected (13 transnational)
- Community expanded through events, newsletters, videos, press releases and LinkedIn
NEXT STEPS
- Implementation and monitoring of the 45 selected projects over 9 months
- Support for beneficiaries: reporting, monitoring, guidance and evaluation
- Continued dissemination, exploitation and synergies with European initiatives
- Good-practice collection and expansion of Academy/Lab resources
- Preparation of the final impact report and project conference
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TASTE
The project strengthens the sustainability, digitalisation and resilience of the tourism sector by focusing on the intersection of food and tourism. Through training, advisory services, knowledge sharing and collaborative innovation projects, TASTE supports tourism SMEs in adopting greener, more digital and resilient business models while fostering cross-border cooperation across Europe.
Full Project Name
Transformative approaches for sustainable food in tourism
Project Timeline
October 2024 – April 2027
Countries Involved
Spain, Belgium, Italy, Slovenia, Latvia, Germany
Partner Organisations
Barcelona Chamber of Commerce (Spain), Agence Bruxelloise pour l’entrepreneuriat / hub.brussels (Belgium), Camera di Commercio di Torino (Italy), Regionalna razvojna agencija za Podravje – Maribor (Slovenia), Latvian Country Tourism Association “Lauku ceļotājs” (Latvia), SRH Hochschulen GmbH (Germany), B.Link Barcelona Strategic Projects (Spain)
Contact Person
Cristina Martín, Project Coordinator, Barcelona Chamber of Commerce cristina.martin@cambrabcn.cat
“TASTE demonstrates that sustainable food management can be a powerful driver for innovation, competitiveness and resilience in tourism. By combining training, advisory support and collaborative innovation, we are helping SMEs turn the twin transition into practical business opportunities.”
Cristina Martín, Project Coordinator, Barcelona Chamber of Commerce (Cambra de Comerç de Barcelona)
MAIN ACTIVITIES
- Identified and documented exemplary sustainable food tourism practices (circular systems, farm-to-table, local sourcing, digital tools)
- Delivered Training of Trainers, creating local multipliers via sessions, toolkits and study visits
- Provided Advisory Services: needs assessments and tailored roadmaps on sustainability, digitalisation and funding
- Ran “Go Green, Get Digital, Be Resilient” — an Open Call for financial support for SME projects (€15K/project +€10K top-up for top performers)
- Built peer learning through the TASTE community of practice and events (Challenge Day, Demo Day, Showcase Day)
MILESTONES
- 59 SMEs completed needs assessments and received individual roadmaps
- 21 stakeholders from 5 countries trained as multipliers through the Training of Trainers programme
- Mapping of sustainable food tourism resources completed (local, national, EU)
- 104 applications to the “Go Green, Get Digital, Be Resilient” Programme
- 40 collaborative projects selected for funding, involving ~100 SMEs
- Matchmaking ecosystem established for cross-border cooperation
- TASTE community launched for long-term knowledge exchange
NEXT STEPS
- Continued implementation and monitoring of the 15 top-up selected transnational initiatives
- Ongoing training, mentoring and community-building for SMEs and multipliers
- Publication and dissemination of best practices, gamified materials and knowledge resources
- Final showcase and dissemination activities to scale solutions and ensure long-term uptake
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