Deadline: 30-Jun-23
The SMEs Transition for a European Circular Tourism Ecosystem (TRACE) is launching an Open Call for SMEs Support in the tourism and culture sector to receive training and specialised consultancy for the development of circular business strategies and access environmental certification.
The TRACE Support Program will directly involve SMEs that will be projected to become “champions” of sustainability and inspire other micro and small-sized enterprises in their local contexts.
The TRACE Support Program consists of targeted training and specialized consultancy activities to support, accompany and advise European tourism and culture SMEs to enhance and monitor the sustainability performance of SMEs in the tourism sector integrating the circular economy , boost their awareness and capacity of integrating sustainable innovations in their business strategy, develop a strategic and investment plan for circular economy , and apply for environmental certification (eg EU Ecolabel, EMAS or others).
Activities will focus on sustainability aspects such as analysis of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) emissions, development of sustainability plans, support for application to EU eco-label and other certification processes, and monitoring of a set of key indicators for the level of sustainability and circularity. Particular attention will be given to the enhancement of skills and capacities of the involved SMEs internal staff, through training and capacity building activities, and a series of direct support services dedicated to certification processes, sustainable finance and innovation management. Thus, the whole TRACE Support Program aims at supporting tourism SMEs in taking their first steps towards the sustainability journey.
What does TRACE offer?
The services support under TRACE Support Program for tourism SMEs will be delivered by the TRACE Consortium members and are divided into three interconnected phases:
- Phase 1: Capacity Building Support
- The aim of the activities under Phase 1 is to strengthen the capacity of the involved tourism SMEs to add value to modern business and society. TRACE Consortium will provide the SMEs with tools and methodologies aimed at recognizing and maximizing opportunities for tourism while putting sustainability, circularity, regeneration and positive societal impacts at the core of their business models. The main objectives are: enhancing skills and capacities of selected SMEs through action learning training, workshops & peer learning; raise awareness and inspire SMEs through study visits & awareness raising activities; establish new cooperation activities of involved tourism SMEs through matchmaking, knowledge sharing, and best practices exchange.
- Phase 2: Assess & Recommend
- The involved tourism SMEs will be provided with a self-assessment questionnaire in order to map and assess their needs and challenges towards sustainable and circular tourism. Based on the self-assessment feedback, training, peer learning and knowledge exchange under Phase 1, the involved SMEs will be able, also with the support of the Trace mentoring programme, to develop their Sustainability Plan.
- Phase 3: Circular Business Direct Support.
- The aim of the activities under Phase 3 is to enhance sustainability strategies and practices related to circular and sustainable tourism for the SMEs involved in the programme, providing direct support to 30 individual tourism SMEs selected between those participating Phase 1 and Phase 2 activities. Direct support will be provided with a focus on the environmental assessments and certifications towards circular and sustainable tourism (e.g. EU Ecolabel, EMAS, PEF/OEF schemes or other); and strategic business development for sustainability and circularity, including business modelling, business planning, and investment strategies to enhance sustainability, resilience, cooperation and competitiveness of the SMEs.
The support within Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3 for SMEs provided by TRACE Consortium members under the form of services are valued approximately EUR 4,000 per SME. In addition to these services provided by the Consortium, within Phase 4 beneficiaries will be awarded with direct funding in the form of grants of maximum EUR 7,200 to deploy their Sustainability Plan.
Beneifts
- 100 SMEs will receive a Grant up to € 7.200 in 5 European countries: Italy, Belgium, Spain, Romania, Cyprus.
- Sustainability assessment, circularity action plans.
- Mentoring programme, peer learning & knowledge sharing.
- Action-learning trainings, sustainability webinars.
- Study visits and local matchmaking.
- Monitoring sustainability and circularity KPIs.
- Boosting business development.
- Certification schemes.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible, the applicants must:
- Be a Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME):
- An SME will be considered as such if complying with the European Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC and the SME qualification guide;
- SMEs that do not have yet annual turnover or balance sheets are also considered eligible given that they fulfil the mentioned criteria of the SME definition;
- In case an SME enters the TRACE Support Programme, it will remain eligible even if, at a certain point during the programme execution, it does not fulfil criteria of the SME definition;
- Be SMEs working in tourism sector, ideally demonstrating or aiming for innovation in tourism, preferably within the following categories, in line with these Eurostat classes:
- I5510 — Hotels and similar accommodation.
- I5520 — Holiday and other short-stay accommodation.
- I5530 — Camping grounds, recreational vehicle parks and trailer parks.
- I5610 — Restaurants and mobile food service activities.
- I5630 — Beverage serving activities.
- N7710 — Renting and leasing of motor vehicles.
- N7721 — Renting and leasing of recreational and sports goods.
- SMEs in other sectors (e.g. R – arts, entertainment and recreation) can take part in the selection process, while they need to demonstrate that their activities are linked to the tourism sector.
- Be a legal entity established in one of the following countries:
- Italy
- Belgium
- Spain
- Romania
- Cyprus
- Applicants that are legal entity SMEs established and based in the other European Union or EU Associated Countries are eligible to participate in TRACE Support Programme (e.g. action-learning trainings, awareness raising towards sustainability and circular tourism webinars, networking activities etc.) but are excluded from receiving funding support;
- Not have had convictions for fraudulent behaviour, other financial irregularities, unethical or illegal business practices;
- Not have been declared bankrupt or have initiated bankruptcy procedures;
- Are not under liquidation or is not an enterprise under difficulty according to the Commission Regulation No 651/2014, art;
- Are not excluded from the possibility of obtaining EU funding under the provisions of both national and EU law, or by a decision of either national or EU authority.
For more information, visit TRACE.