Cross-Re-Tour: Cross-Domain Open Innovation Programme for Tourism Sector

This call for proposals aims to support the most promising projects that demonstrate sustainability and innovation, offering direct financial support and the chance to participate in the Cross-domain Open Innovation Programme taking place across 8 countries.

Cross-re-Tour seeks innovative projects in the tourism sector that align with at least one of the following business areas established by Cross-Re-Tour:

• Water
• Energy
• Plastic
• Transport
• Food
• Equipment and Furniture
• Client Nudging
• Staff Nudging

Projects must showcase innovation in operations, processes, products, or business models, with a clear sustainability impact. Projects are furthermore encouraged to:

• Incorporate cross-domain innovation (transferring solutions from other sectors to tourism)
• Apply corporate solutions in the context of SMEs
• Promote more inclusive markets

Funding Information

• Amount: Applicants can request either €20,000 or €30,000 as a fixed sum of direct financial support, fully financed at 100%. Total funding available: €2,400,000.

Eligible Project Activities

• Mandatory activities: Participation of at least one company representative at the Cross-domain Open Innovation Programme launch and training event in Riga (Latvia) 6-8 May 2025 and at the “Show and Share” final event in Valletta (Malta) in spring/ summer 2026.
• Planning and development of green and/or digital innovation studies, strategies, concepts, and/or action plans. This may include: feasibility studies or impact assessments; exploration, screening or benchmarking e.g. of tools and solutions; business plans for innovative approaches; adaptation of internal policies; risk assessment and mitigation plans; development of metrics and KPIs for innovation success; establishment of collaboration and partnerships; and participatory methods involving staff, customers and stakeholders in the process.
• The improvement of green and/or digital innovation capacities of staff. This may include: training; coaching; mentoring; peer learning; cross-departmental collaboration; participation in workshops and conferences; access to online learning platforms; certification programmes; the establishment of innovation labs or hubs for experiential learning; and/or other means and methods for skills development of staff members.
• Implementation or piloting, adjusting or upscaling of green and/or digital innovation measures. This may include: use or deployment of tools and solutions (for purchases see the below information on cost eligibility); implementation of strategies, adaptation of operations, products, and processes; process and impact monitoring; staff, customer, stakeholder and community engagement; etc.

Eligible Costs

• Each selected innovation project will be awarded a fixed lump sum amount of EUR 20,000 or EUR 30,000 (as selected). Project justification and reporting will therefore not be based on a cost declaration but on project results.
• The project financial support (grant) can however only be used for the implementation of the above-mentioned project activities. Accordingly eligible costs include:
  • Travel, accommodation and subsistence costs for the attendance of the two mandatory Cross-Re-Tour project events and other well-justified causes. Travel costs to attend the programme events are set at a fixed rate of EUR 1.000 for each of the events.
  • Fees for service providers (e.g. consultants, experts, mentors, technicians, etc.)
  • Specific training and capacity building necessary for the implementation of your project.
  • Costs for the development, and/or implementation of innovation measures.
  • Costs for sustainability certification and transition processes including EMAS registration and/or EU Ecolabel/other recognised certification schemes, leading on to environmental sustainability.
  • Purchase of tools, solutions, goods, software, equipment, licenses, etc. IMPORTANT: This cost category can only amount to a maximum of 30% of the total project cost and are only eligible if well justified as an integral, instrumental and necessary part for a successful implementation of the project proposal and innovation measure or pilot. They need to be duly highlighted in the project financial plan and explained in the project proposal.

Ineligible Costs

• Internal staff costs for the implementation of the project activities.
• The development or improvement of a physical infrastructure, such as, for example, office furniture or renovation of the building will not be considered as eligible activities.
• Any type of cost for activities that have received funding from another source or that have already been implemented/purchased before the award of the financial support and the launch of the Cross-domain Open Innovation Programme.

Eligibility Criteria

• The call for proposals is open to tourism SMEs according to the European Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC registered under the NACE Codes indicated in the call guidelines or SMEs able to justify a direct operation in the tourism industry. Companies need to be registered in one of the following countries:
  • The Netherlands
  • Spain (Catalonia)
  • Germany
  • Slovenia
  • Portugal
  • Montenegro
  • Latvia
  • Malta
• Tourism SME applicants may set up partnerships and submit a collaborative innovation project. Partnerships can be set up with a maximum of 3 other tourism SMEs and/or public/private entities essential for project realisation. A minimum of 70% of the total funding amount needs to be dedicated to tourism SMEs.

For more information, visit European Commission.