• On Wednesday, November 6, the European Economic and Social Committee (Room JDE 63) will host the hybrid FU-TOURISM Open Day: Belgium Edition, an initiative of the EUR 4 million European project FU-TOURISM.

• Supported by SME Week and EURegionsWeek Close to You, the event aims to present the FU-TOURISM Acceleration Programme, which offers 60 tourism SMEs (10 of them Belgian) 20,000 of financial assistance and tailor-made business support.

• The event will be streamed online with simultaneous interpretation available. Register here: https://bit.ly/Opendaybelgium.

On Wednesday, November 6, the European Economic and Social Committee will host the FU-TOURISM Open Day: Belgium Edition. This hybrid event, organized by the Spanish-Belgian Finnova Foundation, will bring together Belgian and European tourism SMEs, policymakers, and industry experts to explore new funding and partnership opportunities designed to drive sustainability and digital transformation within the sector.

The event, which will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., will showcase the FU-TOURISM Acceleration Programme, aimed at accelerating 60 European SMEs from Croatia, Spain, Belgium, Greece, Austria, and Poland with expert guidance and financial support of €20,000 per company, enhancing their success in the era of sustainability and digitalization in tourism. The FU-TOURISM Acceleration Programme not only fosters SME growth but also creates a collaborative network where institutions, economic development agencies, and strategic stakeholders can exchange ideas on critical areas like digitalization and the green transition in tourism.

The FU-TOURISM Open Day: Belgium Edition will also serve as a networking platform to strengthen ties within the European tourism economy, particularly among the six participating countries in the Acceleration Programme. This collaborative environment will enable institutions and companies to exchange experiences, build strategic partnerships, and enhance sector capabilities toward greater sustainability and resilience.

Topics will range from the benefits of the Acceleration Programme and strategies for collaboration with key stakeholders to success stories of transformative projects within European tourism. Attendees will gain insights on critical topics, such as green transition initiatives and digital innovation in tourism, while engaging with key figures in the industry. The event will feature:

• Ms. Isabel Yglesias, EESC member and EU rapporteur on tourism
• Mr. Frank Bosteels, CEO of the Belgian Travel Confederation
• Mr. Tim Fairhurst, Director-General, European Tourism Association (ETOA)
• Ms. Dorota Tomalak, Deputy Head of Natural Resources, Committee of the Regions

Juanma Revuelta, CEO of Finnova Foundation, emphasized the importance of such initiatives for local businesses: “Projects like FU-TOURISM are a testament to European collaboration’s power in driving sustainable tourism. Belgian SMEs and other European partners can harness this program to become leaders in green tourism and digital innovation.”

To register for the event, follow this link: https://bit.ly/Opendaybelgium.

FU-TOURISM: ACCELERATING A MORE SUSTAINABLE AND DIGITAL TOURISM SECTOR

With a €4 million grant from the European Commission under the Single Market Programme, the FU-TOURISM project supports the ecological and digital transition of tourism SMEs.

Out of the 35 project proposals submitted to the European Commission’s call for the Single Market Programme “SMP-COSME-2022-TOURSME”, only 6 were approved. FU-TOURISM stands out as the project with the largest budget, highlighting its importance to the business sector and the recognition of its comprehensive approach to sustainability and digitalization in the tourism industry.

The project is backed by a strong consortium comprising institutions and companies from seven European countries. Among the prominent members are: Finnova (Belgium), leading the project’s transferability and communication actions; Envolve (Greece); SYNYO (Austria); Vestbee (Poland); and Open Impact (Italy), with coordination by Eupolis Grupa (Croatia) and Valencia City Council through its innovation hub, Valencia Innovation Capital. This team collectively provides SMEs with financial resources and specialized training to foster growth and resilience.

This inaugural FU-TOURISM Acceleration Programme will be followed by a second round in 2025, offering additional support to 42 SME associations, each receiving €30,000 in funding.

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