Supporting Competitive and Sustainable Growth in the Tourism Sector

Call summary

The main aim of this call is to strengthen the competitiveness and sustainability of the European tourism sector by encouraging the extension of the tourism season, by diversifying the EU tourism product and by enhancing its accessibility. Given these varied targets, this year's call is divided in three themes: 1. Increasing tourism flows in low/medium seasons for seniors and youth target groups Under this objective, the COSME programme intends to co-fund project partnerships that will facilitate the increase of tourism flows during the low and medium seasons, targeting seniors (any person over 55 years old) and the youth (aged between 15 and 29). 2. Diversifying the EU tourism offer and products - Promoting transnational thematic tourism products Under this objective, the COSME programme intends to co-fund project partnerships that will diversify the European tourism offer by supporting transnational tourism products in the fields of a) sport and/or wellness and b) cultural or industrial heritage. 3. Enhancing tourism accessibility – improving facilities and services for tourists with special access needs

Under this objective, the COSME programme intends to co-fund project partnerships that will maintain and expand the "Tourism for All" principle of the EU treaties, by providing accessible tourism services for tourists with special access needs.   

The general objectives of this call are to:

•  Stimulate the competitiveness of the tourism industry;.
•  Diversify, innovate and enhance the quality of the European sustainable tourism offer;.
•  Foster the dissemination of more sustainable and responsible business models across the EU tourism offer;.
•  Create a favourable framework for SME’s cooperation;.
•  Foster transnational cooperation between all actors along the tourism value chain;.
•  Facilitate long-term European public-private partnerships.