EURO-EMOTUR: Journey towards Digitalisation and Innovation

This call seeks applications by eligible European Tourism SMEs to be recipients of financial support via a system of vouchers – benefitting from analysis, support and mentoring, provided to improve consumer digital experience by applying neuromarketing methodologies.

Funding Information

• The overall indicative amount available under this call for proposals is EUR €450,000.
• The maximum amount of financial support for each Third-Party Beneficiary awarded via vouchers is €10.000.
• The average award is likely to be awarded €3.000-€5.000 in vouchers.
• Duration: 15 Months

Why should an SME Participate?

• While some businesses have become frontrunners in using data for tourism development, others struggle with setting foot on this path. In order to drive new investment in the digitization of the tourism industry and support the creation of better framework conditions, a digital industrial revolution is necessary.
• Euro-emotur will help the beneficiary SMEs to have a broader understanding and application of digital tools available whose application can lead making the tourism SMEs more profitable and competitive.
• The final result of the project will help SMEs to, for example, better design the customer experience, design their product and services and increase the efficiency of their communication and promotional activities.

Benefits

• Successful SMEs will benefit from the variety of the following opportunities:
  • Detailed audit of digital assets (website, videos, pictures, social media, etc.) via applying neuromarketing techniques including eye tracking, face coding, EEG and Physiographic analysis.
  • Evaluation of the emotional response from the consumers/tourists, measuring the digital performance.
  • Provision of a customized report containing current digital performance, guidelines and recommendations for the future, matching their needs with potential digital solutions and providers.
  • Access to education and training content targeted to tourism professionals from SMEs in order to increase their capacities.

Eligible Activities

• After the detailed audit and report, SMEs will be able to use the vouchers for services and training in the field of digital and innovation market solutions such as:
  • Virtual Reality
  • Increased Reality
  • Eye-tracking
  • Face Coding
  • EEG (ElectroencephalograpWEhy)
  • Digital Reputation
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Web usability
  • Content analysis: text, video and pictures
  • Benchmarking analyses and indexes
• Eligible activities from the COSME PROGRAMME
  • Support for travel, registration, and accommodation costs to attend courses.
  • Access to matchmaking events to create the digital tourism hub, fostering cross-sectorial and transnational cooperation: this will enable knowledge and tech transfer
    • Participation fees for digital-oriented events at EU level;
    • Coaching and mentoring sessions for a feasibility study and ad-hoc recommendations;
    • Payment for required suitable software licenses up to the end of the duration of the project and services to access new technology solutions previously recommended in the assessment. Investments in any physical infrastructure (backup generators, connectivity -cabling-, hardware are not eligible.
  • Attend online and offline trainings, workshops, study visits, awareness raising activities;
  • Developing of digital solutions, platforms for knowledge and expertise sharing, and local community involvement;
  • Creation of new digital content according to the recommendations and suggestions provided;
  • Other activities proposed by the Consortium in line with the objectives of the call.
• In order to select the service providers, and in parallel with this Call, Euro-emotur will launch an open Call for Expressions of Interest for Service Providers under which mentors, experts, consultants and technology/ innovation providers for digitalisation, innovation and digital solutions can present their candidatures to provide their services to SMEs.
•  After the evaluation process, awarded SMEs will be given access to the pool of service providers to find the most appropriate one(s) to support their project implementation.

Eligibility Criteria

• The programme is strictly limited to tourism SMEs in the following categories:
  • Travel agency, tour operator reservation service and related activities (N79).
  • Hotels and similar accommodation;
  • Holiday and other short-stay accommodation;
  • Camping grounds, recreational vehicle parks and trailer parks;
• Small and medium-sized enterprises.
• SME thresholds apply to candidate entities that may form part of a larger business group.
• Natural persons are not eligible.
• Only applications from legal entities duly established in the following countries are eligible:
  • EU Member States;
  • countries participating in the COSME programme.
• Exclusionary Criteria
  • SMEs cannot qualify for this call if they are already in receipt of support from any other active cos-tourinn call nor if they would through participation exceed the maximum state aid limits.
  • Non-SME candidates and natural persons.
  • SMEs from non-eligible countries.

For more information, visit ETOA.