After three years of project implementation, the EU ECO-TANDEM project is coming to an end. We have carried out numerous activities that contribute to a greener and more sustainable tourism, and helped numerous tourism professionals in capacity building, provide professional guidance and financial support.

We met and involved around 650 stakeholders in the tourism and sustainability sectors, who accompanied us on this journey. EU ECO-TANDEM created a network of cross-border and transnational cooperation, fostering knowledge sharing and ECO responsible shift, thus supporting the traditional SMEs to adopt a more responsible and eco-sustainable mindset and approach in the delivery of their services, products, or processes. 

The EU ECO-TANDEM has conducted three project activities in total: EU ECO-TANDEM Academy; BIZ Programme; and the Network.

The EU ECO-TANDEM Academy is a 10-week online course that is composed of theory-based ECO-TANDEM Education Programme and the practically oriented ECO-TANDEM Training Programme. 463 people registered to the Academy in which 80% of applicants stated that they had increased their knowledge and capacity in sustainable tourism. The positive feedback and recognition of the Academy led to a good start of the project. The attendees are enthusiastic and are ready for the upcoming journey of the EU ECO-TANDEM project, the BIZ Programme.

The Consortium partners organised 9 info-days and 9 workshops in Italy, Germany, Slovakia, Austria, and Greece) The events help us not only to better understand the tourism SMEs, i.e. what are the obstacles they faced when green transition? What are the main eco-challenges they are currently facing, but also to promote sustainable tourism and the upcoming project activity- the BIZ Programme, which is the protagonist of the EU ECO-TANDEM. The BIZ Programme values cross sectorial and transnational cooperation. Each TANDEM is composed of one traditional tourism SME and one innovative startup that provides sustainable solutions to tackle the eco-challenges. The TANDEM will then analyse the eco-challenge, obstacles, and come up with a solution. Eventually, 39 TANDEMs were selected as Winner TANDEMs and were provided with financial support.

Of course, the project has received valuable support from our network. All these endeavours are not possible if there were not the External TANDEM Advisors and the High Level Advisory Board members. The knowledge and support they provided throughout the BIZ Programme was indispensable. The 2 pools of experts assisted the project selecting the most suitable and competitive companies and the Plan of Actions that are the most effective with the biggest potential to bring a green change in the tourism sector. 

The EU ECO-TANDEM Ambassadors are also one of the reasons for the project’s success. The 29 Ambassadors from 13 countries across the globe have been helping EU ECO-TANDEM to promote and disseminate the project on a wider scope. The project was broadcast on podcast, radio, online newspapers, and was even presented at an international tourism congress! 

Now the project is coming to an end, looking back it is an intense but insightful, challenging but exciting journey. And we are happy to see the impact we make in the tourism sector. Spreading knowledge and awareness in the sustainable tourism sector, helping tourism companies to green transition their business, elevating the tourism offers. The results were celebrated during the BIT event in Milan on the 14th of February 2023, where over 100 stakeholders visited the ceremony and witnessed the achievement we have done!

The journey to sustainable tourism is not over yet, check out our website to continue our journey with us! https://www.eu-ecotandem.eu/