EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME BLOG

EU ECO-TANDEM: The three-year Journey in the Sustainable Tourism Sector

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 14:23:15 GMT

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/

BEST PRACTICE FROM SLOVAKIA

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 14:18:56 GMT

City Pension Košice and Cyrkl are jointly implementing measures to improve waste management within the hotel environment.

City Pension Košice has the ambition to be an intelligent and ecological Pension for modern city guests by 2027. As part of the EU ECO-TANDEM project, this small family business in Košice decided to start its transformation into a sustainable Pension facility in cooperation with Cyrkl, experts in sustainability in waste management.

As Tomáš Marcinko, owner of the Pension says: "We are planning step by step implementation of the waste management upgrade for our Pension based on consultations and recommendation from our partner Cyrkl. Travel has changed radically after the Covid crisis, accommodation facilities should prepare for the inevitable changes that await us. City Pension Košice is aware of the necessity to adapt to changes, which is why we are changing into an innovative Pension for modern city guests. Even though we are not a large player on the market, we have been a stable player since 2011 and we care about our city and communities in Košice."

Thanks to the EU ECO-TANDEM project City Pension and Cyrkl cooperated in TANDEM as follows:

Waste Analysis took one-week monitoring of the waste produced by the employees and visitors resulting in identifying key areas where it is possible to increase the rate of waste sorting.
Waste sorting support and employee education were provided by comprehensive consulting services, personal visit to the Pension, and discussions with the client.
Bio-waste under the microscope . Cyrkl's analysis pointed out shortcomings in this area with specific recommendations proposed, including how to properly collect kitchen bio-waste and how to subsequently dispose of it.
Zero waste practices in practice . The Pension was provided with specific recommendations and guidelines for the purchase of ecological items, cosmetics, and cleaning products without packaging to reduce the generation of plastic packaging waste.

What is the lesson learned? The best waste is no waste!

BEST PRACTICE FROM GERMANY

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 14:17:56 GMT

Among all the projects that were implemented in Germany funded by the EU ECO-TANDEM BIZ Programme, the local Grant Manager ITKAM selected the Progressive Web App plazy Wiesbaden as one of the best practices. Find out more in this article!

Get to know the TANDEMEEs

Protagonists of this successful story are:

- The SME Wiesbaden Congress & Marketing GmbH (WICM), the organisation promoting tourism in the city of Wiesbaden. The WICM team is coordinated by Nina Cordt, the director of tourism marketing.

- Hamburg-based start-up plazy GmbH founded by Inka Schmeling & Kathrin Sander

The project

After the pandemic of Covid-19, the city of Wiesbaden focused on digital marketing activities and campaigns to convince people to travel to Wiesbaden and to inform them through contactless tools before and while travelling.

Wiesbaden was looking for an interactive way to inform (potential) tourists in a personalised, digital and eco-friendly way. This digital travel guide should give different made-to-measure possibilities to inform before and while travelling to Wiesbaden.

plazy GmbH provided the city of Wiesbaden with just what it was looking for!

Together, the two partners developed within the framework of the EU ECO-TANDEM Biz Programme, a Progressive Web App that allows tourists to receive a digital travel guide fully customised to their expectations.

A pilot version of the App was officially launched during the ITB trade fair in Berlin.

Why is the plazy Wiesbaden PWA a best practice

- The project is already in a very advanced state: the pilot version of the App is online and running.

- The App enables contactless visitor management and avoids paper waste.

- The App helps to channel the flow of visitors by diversifying itineraries in such a way that the accumulation of large crowds at neuralgic tourist points can be counteracted.

- While selecting the points of interest, priority is given to small businesses implementing sustainable practices and complying with plazy’s sustainability criteria.

It is not only us who appreciate the work done by this TANDEM: In May 2023, the plazy Wiesbaden App won the Destination Camp Prize 2023!

Congratulations to WICM, plazy and all the German companies participating in the EU ECO-TANDEM Biz Programme!

The Protagonists... The EU ECO-TANDEM Winner TANDEMS!

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 16:21:12 GMT

The tourism industry is currently facing considerable challenges. Companies in the sector have to reckon with the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, the energy transition, the transition to less polluting means of transport, water management and waste management.

The 39 winning TANDEMs of the EU ECO-TANDEM Biz programme are tackling such challenges with their sustainable tourism projects. The 39 TANDEMs, each consisting of a tourism SME and a start-up, received micro-financing to implement a sustainable tourism pilot project from 15 February to 15 May 2023.

The TANDEMs, awarded during the AWARDING CEREMONY held at the BIT international tourism fair in Milan on 14 February 2023, are:

MOBILITY MANAGEMENT CHALLENGE

1) SME QUOVAI srl (IT) + startup Etikbnb (DE)

2) SME APS Molise Explace (IT) + startup I Bicipedi srls (IT)

3) SME Penzion ZET (SK) + startup Everyone on the bike (SK)

4) SME Chianciano Associazione Turistica (IT) + startup Up2You srl (IT)

5) SME Istes srl (IT) + startup Declaps S.R.L. (IT)

6) SME Piceno 2.0 srl (IT) + startup Retroreisen (DE)

7) SME Nextwork società cooperativa (IT) + Fine & Wein (DE)

8) SME Greener Vibes (IT) + startup CYRKL Zdrojová platforma, s.r.o. (SK)

9) SME Medintur (IT) + startup socialbnb (DE)

10) SME ccf-gmbh (DE) + startup Plazy GmbH (DE)

11) SME HolidayPirates (DE) + startup Faircations GmbH (DE)

12) SME AUTHENTIC PUGLIA TOURS (IT) + startup REDOMAP (IT)

13) SME Buspaket Derenbach (DE) + startup Travel The World GmbH (DE)

14) SME OutBe s.r.l. società benefit (IT) + startup TRIARK S.R.L.S. (IT)

COVID-19 RECOVERY MEASURES CHALLENGE

15) SME Trawellit srl (IT) + startup boatsandgo (IT)

16) SME Pintaudi Tourism (DE) + startup BRUNETTI SAS di Brunetti Mario Co . (IT)

17) SME Moxie. s.r.o. (SK) + startup ELEXIA s.r.o. (SK)

18) SME Wiesbaden Congress & Marketing GmbH (DE) + Plazy GmbH (DE)

19) SME JUNITY, s. r. o. (SK) + startup Ing. Norbert Pánisz novotravel (SK)

ENERGY CONSERVATION CHALLENGE

20) SME Nebo nad Stiavnicou (SK) + startup Obnova s.r.o . (SK)

21) SME Maladinovo s.r.o (SK) + startup Solved s.r.o. (SK)

22) SME Agritours Slovakia CK s.r.o. (SK) + startup d.sign s.r.o. (SK)

23) SME Legendhotels Slovakia s.r.o . (SK) + startup A.F.F. s.r.o. (SK)

24) SME TatryPEM s.r.o (SK) + startup Klimapatenschaft Tourismus GmbH (DE)

25) SME mein kleinHOTEL Franchise und Vertriebs GmbH (DE) + startup L & C creative office (DE)

26) SME Ecotravia (DE) + startup L & C creative office (DE)

27) SME SLC - VIP HOSPITALITY SERVICES di Silvia Lambertucci (IT) + startup Klimapatenschaft Tourismus GmbH (DE)

28) SME Casa Canale (IT) + startup Traveleco s.r.l. s.b. (IT)

WATER CONVERSATION CHALLENGE

29) SME JANIS LIPTOV,s.r.o. (SK) + startup Solved s.r.o. (SK)

30) SME Gymes turist s.r.o. (SK) + startup Solved s.r.o. (SK)

31) SME SCamp s.r.o. (SK) + startup Atelier Papaver s.r.o . (SK)

WASTE MANAGEMENT CHALLENGE

32) SME Kaštieľ Gbeľany, s.r.o. (SK) + startup CYRKL Zdrojová platforma, s.r.o. (SK)

33) SME Hotel michelangelo srl (IT) + startup CYRKL Zdrojová platforma, s.r.o. (SK)

34) SME Marina di Petrolo s.r.l (IT) + startup CYRKL Zdrojová platforma, s.r.o. (SK)

35) SME Mountain Gate Suites & Spa s.r.o. (SK) + startup CYRKL Zdrojová platforma, s.r.o. (SK)

36) SME Elegance travel s.r.o (SK) + startup CYRKL Zdrojová platforma, s.r.o. (SK)

37) SME Amenite Italia srls (IT) + startup greenstorming GmbH (DE)

38) SME DAIRA spol. s r.o. (SK) + startup JRK SLOVENSKO s.r.o (SK)

39) SME Martox s.r.o. (SK) + startup CYRKL Zdrojová platforma, s.r.o. (SK)

Throwback to... EU ECO-TANDEM Awarding Ceremony @BIT Milano!

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 16:12:28 GMT

On 14 February 2023, the Awarding Ceremony of EU ECO-TANDEM was celebrated at the international trade fair BIT - Borsa Internazionale del Turismo in Milan.

During the Awarding Ceremony, 39 TANDEMs composed of a tourism SME and an innovative start-up from Italy, Germany and Slovakia were awarded for their innovative green solutions proposed in their Plan of Action. The TANDEMs were about to start the implementation of a sustainable tourism pilot project! The awarded companies are the winners of the EU ECO-TANDEM Biz Programme , which promotes green tourism initiatives through co-funding from the European Union's COSME programme.

The ceremony was opened with welcome greetings from the project coordinator (Marika Mazzi Boém, Innovation Strategy Director, X23 Srl).

After the opening speech, the leading personalities from the world of tourism and sustainability gave the attendees inspiring speeches on the importance of green transition the tourism sector:

- Maria Elena Rossi, Marketing and Promotion Director of ENIT- The Italian National Tourism Board;

Maria Elena Rossi gave a warm welcome and brief introduction of the Awarding Ceremony.
- Angela Gerekou, President of the Greek National Tourism Organisation;

Angela Gerekou showed the participants a stunning video of Greece, and introduced the country’s tourism situation. How important it is to incorporate sustainability in this industry.
- Francesca Martignoni, Tourism Marketing Specialist;

Francesca Martigoni gave a speech on WHY AND HOW TOURISM MUST BECOME SUSTAINABLE? The role of technology in tourism innovation.
- Vanda Maráková, Director of the Matej Bel University, Slovakia, Department of Tourism.

Professor Maráková gave a speech on the Sustainability Skills for Tourism Businesses

Afterwards the 39 TANDEMs were called to the stage (in person or virtually) and awarded one by one by the project partners X23, SocialFare, ITKAM and SBA.

The awarding event was rich in moments of exchange and interaction, to share - almost in the final stage of the project - experiences and results, and to celebrate and disseminate the positive impacts that EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME has had in the field of sustainable tourism.

Almost 200 people attended the event in person and more than 300 watched the livestream.

The EU ECO-TANDEM team is grateful to have been able to celebrate this moment with the protagonists of our Biz Programme. Until 15 May 2023, the TANDEMEEs will have time to implement the projects selected for funding.

To stay up-to-date, keep following our eco-blog and our social media!

And in case you missed the Awarding Ceremony, watch the livestream now!

SUSTAINABILITY IS THE NEW ERA OF TOURISM

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 16:07:41 GMT

After the COVID-19 pandemic, the vision of tourism development in Italy for the next few years is focusing on VALUE GROWTH, meaning to be capable of generating economic, social and cultural sustainability. The value of the tourism offers, the value of tourism and local businesses, are of importance of the market.

Creating a model for measuring the sustainable tourism will be essential in order to:

· support the development of innovative products and services while reducing impact on the environment,

· focus on issues related to the conservation of the ecosystem, biodiversity as well as reduction of the impacts of climate change

· promote a sustainable development, as a contribution to the green recovery and to overcome the effects of the crisis in the context of the Covid19 pandemic.

Furthermore, before leaving on vacation, Italians look for information on naturalistic aspects (45%), on the historical and cultural context (36%), on food and wine specialties (26%), on the socio-economic context (13%) and on local crafts (11%).

In addition to being a driver of choice, sustainability must be able to be verified through certifications: 53% prefer a certified structure while on vacation as long as the price is the same, 14% also and are willing to spend more (22% among those with a high economic status).

The survey also shows that Italians consider eco-sustainable tourism to be very / quite interesting (48%) and the related certifications for tourism companies that guarantee respect for the environment (49%). Only 17% are aloof and unaware.

The generation gap on the issue of sustainability is evident. The Millennials (from 1981 to 1995) and the so-called Generation X (from 1960 to 1980) are the ones most interested in a sustainable approach to vacation.

The very young of Generation Z (before 2010s) and the Baby Boomers (1946 - 1965) follow, while only the Veterans (born before 1946) are negatively distinguished.

12.9% of Italian hospitality companies believe that slow tourism is the strong point of their tourism offer. The same figure is close to 20% in the North East and 19% in the North West, it stands at 14% in hotels while it exceeds 18% in campsites and agritourism.

Thinking about the post-pandemic world, there is a 13.4% growth of Italian hospitality companies believe that slow tourism will be the strong point of their tourism offer of the future. To spend quality time with family, to slow down the pace of the days are some of the needs of tourists related to a sustainable holiday, in search of the absence of chaos and mass tourism.

The EU ECO-TANDEM programme at the fair TTG Travel Experience in Rimini

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 15:44:32 GMT

EU ECO-TANDEM Programme, aimed at promoting sustainable development in the tourist sector, has been featured for the second time at the TTG Travel Experience, one of the most important touristic fairs that took place in Rimini, last 13rd October.

“EU ECO-TANDEM, a follow-up to the Italian matchmaking event: sustainability explained by the project ambassadors”, was the title of the meeting, organized by ENIT-Italian National Tourist Board, the Communication Leader of the project.

The event has offered a unique opportunity to share experiences, ideas, reflections, results and objectives regarding the project coming from the tourism and sustainability sectors, in particular from the TANDEMS that have been formed, ready to face the green challenges they will be involved in over the near future.

These “TANDEMS” are the result of the extensive participation by companies in the matchmaking events held during September/october in Berlin, Bratislava and in Italy in a hybrid format, during which non-tourism start-ups and SMEs in the tourist sector had the chance to meet and “match up”, with the support of technicians and experts in the sector.

Now, the second phase of the project is about to begin: from the 24 ^th of October the TANDEMS will be editing their Plan of Action to rise to the challenge they have identified together. They will have to submit their Plans by December 7, 2023. The best of these Plans will be rewarded with a voucher to implement their project in early 2023.

The green heart of ECO-TANDEM is ready to grow!

Ample attention will also be reserved for the other projects co-funded by the European Union of which ENIT is a partner. The EU project WeMED_NaTOUR, coordinated by ENIT, is dedicated to the coastal destinations of the western Mediterranean, with the aim of developing transnational, eco-smart tourism packages for the school tourism market.

The ECO-CRUISING FU_TOUR project, coordinated by X23 Srl (Italy), of which ENIT is a partner, seeks to exploit the ecological potential of the SMEs in the tourism sector in the western Mediterranean and cross-border cooperation to create new market opportunities for eco-cruising tourism, focusing in particular on Millennials and Gen Z.

Throwback: Matchmaking events in September 2022

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 15:36:24 GMT

In September 2022, we finally brought together (in person or online) the tourism and non-tourism companies that had registered for the EU ECO-TANDEM Biz Programme.

Project partners from Italy, Germany and Slovakia organised 3 local matchmaking events. Let's have a look!

September 6 ^th – German matchmaking event at Rent24 coworking

Our partners ITKAM and HHL kicked off the matchmaking series with an hybrid event in Berlin, one of the European Capitals of startups!

The Berlin event was an opportunity for German participants and their pre-matches to receive more detailed information about the next steps, to network and to clarify some doubts about the programme rules.

On the day of the event, 16 TANDEMs made their creation official by signing the Commitment Agreement.

September 13rd – Slovak event in Bratislava

One week after, our Slovak partner SBA hosted the second matchmaking events in Bratislava. The hybrid event was addressed mainly to a Slovak public.

As with the event in Berlin, participants received information about the project and were able to network.

The event was also attended by local tourism representatives, such as Marek Harbuľák, president of the Slovak Tourism Association and František Stano, executive director of Bratislava Region Tourism. Ample space was given to the presentation of sustainable tourism initiatives in Slovakia.

September 14 ^th – Italian online event

The event was co-hosted by X23 and SocialFare (Emma Tsai, Quynh Nhu Nguyen, Matteo Lupetti) and had the opportunity to have as a keynote Silvia Livoni Colombo, an expert in territorial and lifestyle marketing and cycle tourism.

During the event, the participating companies received information about the next steps to finalise TANDEMs, had the opportunity to network and discuss the challenges for sustainable tourism. Highlights of the day were Silvia Livoni Colombo's talk on the perspectives of green tourism, as well as partner Uni Graz's sneak peak on the Masterclass in which companies are invited to participate.

For the latecomers: mini-matching on October 4 ^th

To give even latecomers a chance to find a match, we organised one last online mini-matchmaking on 4 October 2022.

Companies had the opportunity to introduce themselves and network, in order to find the right match.

20 companies participated in the mini-matchmaking, of which more than half found a partner.

With 56 TANDEMs created, we are now ready to go. Stay tuned for the EU ECO-TANDEM Biz programme!

The new phase EU ECO-TANDEM Biz Programme is taking off!

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 15:16:40 GMT

The EU ECO-TANDEM team is thrilled to announce that the EU ECO-TANDEM Biz Programme is finally taking off!

The matching phase ended on 15 October and resulted in the creation of 56 TANDEMs made up of European SMEs and start-ups mainly from Italy, Germany and Slovakia.

78 tourism SMEs took part in the matching phase, as well as around 40 non-tourism start-ups. The non-tourism startups, although not eligible for funding, will support their partner tourism SME in the ecological transition.

The TANDEM cooperation

The companies forming a TANDEM chose each other on the basis of their common interest in solving one of the 5 sustainability challenges identified by the EU ECO-TANDEM team:

· 22 TANDEMs will tackle the challenge “ mobility management ” and will foster green mobility

· 9 TANDEMs will respond together to the green challenges that the Covid-19 pandemic has posed to the tourism sector

· 12 TANDEMs will collaborate on the topic of energy conservation , to reduce the tourism carbon footprint.

· 3 TANDEMs will address the issue of water management , to make the tourism sector ready to the challenges of climate change.

· 10 TANDEMs will work on the ' waste management ' challenge, to promote the valorisation of discards and increase the life cycle of products used in the tourism sector

What’s coming next

Starting from mid-October 2022, the Tandems will have 45 days to finalise and submit their Plan of Action. The members of our High-Level Advisory Board will then assess the plans of action received and select the winning TANDEMs. The TANDEMs receiving a voucher will implement their projects in early 2023.

We wish all TANDEMs a fruitful collaboration. Looking forward to the results!

Get to know our team! Interview #8 Green Evolution

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 14:58:06 GMT

Get to know our team! Interview #8 Green Evolution

A few words about Green Evolution...

- Green Evolution (GE) was created in 2009 by a group of environmental, engineering, financial and legal experts who are specialists in environment, energy and carbon finance. Through innovative technical & financial services, Green Evolution’s vision is to help create a sustainable and secure future based on a carbon-neutral model. GE offers integrated environmental services, specialized technical-economic services related to sustainability, carbon finance, projects that exploit flexible mechanisms, renewable energy, energy conservation and energy efficiency and covers all needs with respect to energy inspection, carbon accounting and carbon/energy management. Its mission is to facilitate and assist all levels of government, private sector companies in their efforts to effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions, mitigate climate change, act responsible and transform the business model towards cyclic economy and sustainability.

- GE is participating as a Partner in National and EU co-founder projects : Holistic energy-efficient retrofitting of residential buildings (HERB) (HORIZON / 2011-2015), Boost sustainable tourism development and capacity of tourism SMEs through transnational cooperation and knowledge transfer (EU ECO-TANDEM) (COSME / 2020-2023), boost managerial, innovative, blue, green and digital skills of tourism WestMed SMEs but ultimately public and private stakeholders in charge of the promotion of EU and West European coastal and maritime destinations through specialized capacity building programme, knowledge and tech transfer, preparing the transfer of good practices and multiplying the results (ECO-CRUISING FU_TURISM) (COSME / 2022-2025).

Question 1

Tell us something about yourself and your role in the organization.

I am Ioannis PAPPAS, CEO & Co-Founder of GREEN EVOLUTION SA, and Director for Mediterranean Region of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). I am Mechanical Engineer, with PhD in Applied Mechanics, with over 30 years’ experience in several fields of science, focusing on Sustainability for Tourism, Energy and Environmental Efficiency in Infrastructure and Buildings, Advising in standardization of companies and technological implementation of climate adaptation and mitigation methodologies. Also, i have a role as Lead GSTC Assessor for Destinations, Auditor / Assessor for Sustainable Tourism Certification Standards, focusing on Hotels, Tour Operators and Destinations, Lead Trainer and Assessor for GSTC in Southeast Europe Region. I have participated in several groups of experts and peer committees on the Sustainable Tourism and Green Transition, while i am an experience trainer on Sustainability, Energy, Buildings and Tourism in Private and Public Universities around the globe. Finlly, I have participated as Senior Researcher in a large number of National and EU-Funded Projects on Sustainability.

Question 2

In which ways is your organisation committed to sustainability?

Green Evolution and its collaborators have worked in a number of applied research and technological development projects, demonstration and/or commercial application projects, energy policy studies, development of energy information systems and energy modelling, for Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (nZEB) and Passive House Standard, investment feasibility studies, techno-economic feasibility studies, environmental impact assessments, market research as well as activities for the promotion and dissemination of RES in Sustainable Buildings. Examples of RES applications are related with Wind, Solar, Biomass and Geothermal Energy, especially for off-grid or isolated areas. Green Evolution Staff and Partners have certifications in Energy Design and Consulting, like Certified Passive House Designer, Certified Passive House Consultant, LEED Consultant, European Energy Manager (EuReM) and more.

Question 3

Which are your personal motivations to join the team of EU ECO-TANDEM?

The GREEN EVOLUTION network participates in initiatives to raise awareness of all the stakeholders directly or indirectly about the importance of sustainable tourism and to assist them in local or regional decision-making in the areas of sustainable development policy. As a Sustainability Advisor of GREEN EVOLUTION and an SME owner, joining the team of EU ECO-TANDEM was in perfect alignment with the training solutions and advisory we offer as a company and a good opportunity for international cooperation and networking with SMEs in the field of sustainable travel and tourism.

Question 4

Why do you think sustainability represents a big potential for the tourism industry?

The tourism industry contributes significantly to the total energy consumption and the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Europe. Also, the growth of the tourism industry is exponential during the last decade, making the need for change in regard to sustainability ever greater. Specifically, the hotel industry alone needs to reduce its carbon emissions by 66 per cent per room by 2030, and by 90 per cent per room by 2050 to ensure that the growth forecast for the industry does not lead to a corresponding increase in carbon emissions. The industry will need to go even further to help limit warming to 1.5 ^o C and avoid the very worst impacts of climate change

Question 5

Why should a tourism SME join the EU ECO-TANDEM programme?

- First of all, for the education and training provided since it focuses a wide range of topics in regard to sustainable tourism and circular economy, as well as industry specific skills improvement around the standards for sustainability in travel and tourism.

- For the great opportunity to be part of a worldwide network of companies and achieve transnational cooperation while building powerful connections in the tourism industry for boosting sustainable innovations.

Question 6

Describe the EU ECO-TANDEM programme in three words.

- Awareness

- Networking

- Capacity building

Question 7

A last question! Which is your favorite type of sustainable vacation?

My favorite type of sustainable vacation would be on an island, out of the 20 top destinations, in a small sustainable boutique hotel surrounded by nature. Of course this includes good local gastronomy and local excursions and activities.

The EU ECO-TANDEM is the Italian national winner of the European Enterprise Promotion Awards 2022 edition!

Fri, 29 Jul 2022 10:32:48 GMT

The Italian Ministry for Economic Development announced yesterday the national winners of the European Enterprise Promotion Awards 2022! The EU ECO-TANDEM Programme is one of the only 2 winners selected so far. The team is proud and grateful by this recognition, which is one of the prestigious recognition at the national and European level.

Since 2006, the European Enterprise Promotion Awards have been recognising those who promote entrepreneurship and small business at the national, regional and local level. The award specifically recognises projects that have an impact on the local economy but are also transferable to other regions in Europe.

The EU ECO-TANDEM got selected as winner under the category of “Support for sustainable transition.” Indeed, EU ECO-TANDEM has been actively raising awareness of and providing capacity building around eco-sustainable tourism, holding the aim of boosting the development of green tourism. This is achieved by assisting European tourism SMEs and startups along their eco-sustainable transitions through various activities such as the EU ECO-TANDEM Academy , and the EU ECO-TANDEM BIZ Programme .

So what are the next steps for this exciting journey?

The winners of all national pre-selections will compete in the European SME Assembly in Prague, on November 28-30th 2022. The most creative and inspiring entrepreneurship initiatives in Europe will be selected for the Grand Jury’s Prize! EU ECO-TANDEM can’t wait to see all the brilliant initiatives and to be showcased during the SME Assembly!

Follow along our journey by subscribing to our Newsletter!

Get to know our team! Interview #7 Uni Graz

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 13:12:53 GMT

Get to know our team! Interview #7 Uni Graz

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | 25th July, 2022

A few words about Uni Graz...

The University of Graz , founded in 1585, is Austria's second oldest university and one of the largest in the country with 31,000 students and 4,700 employees. As a comprehensive university, the University of Graz regards itself as an international institution for education and research committed to research and teaching for the benefit of society. This connection to society is very important to foster mutual knowledge creation and exchange for the benefit of the social, cultural and economic development. Therefore, we build our profile by determining research focuses under the consideration of socially relevant research questions. Innovative interdisciplinary research and cooperation are amongst the subjects especially encouraged. The Regional Centre of Expertise (RCE) Graz-Styria, a center for sustainable social transformation at University of Graz, applies this approach in its projects and ECO-TANDEM is one of them.

Question 1

Tell us something about yourself and your role in the organisation

Question 2

In which ways is your organisation committed to sustainability?

Through research, teaching a nd as an employer, the University of Graz has a great influence on society and assumes responsibility for sustainable action in the social, ecological, and economic areas of sustainability. Sustainability as well as climate and environmental protection have been important components of the University of Graz for many years. The university's goal is to continuously promote awareness of sustainable development among all employees and students and to take the role and impact of these global multipliers seriously. It commits itself to following the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations as a guiding principle for its activities.

This can be seen through numerous initiatives in research and teaching, in which the University of Graz plays a pioneering role in the national and international context. To this end, it places particular emphasis on fields of excellence that are characterized by outstanding performance, international success and socially relevant aspects. University of Graz has defined five so-called fields of excellence. Researchers join together to answer important questions beyond the traditional boundaries of the subjects and develop strategies to help shape the future. One of these fields of excellence, Climate Change Graz, deals with man-made climate change, which is one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century. Sustainability issues are also anchored in the Research Network Environment and Global Change (EGC Graz), as well as in numerous other projects, curricula and courses.

The University of Graz follows environmental guidelines. Numerous sustainable offers are made available for employees and students, for example in the area of mobility. The university carries out ongoing improvements in the area of building infrastructure in order to reduce energy consumption. The barrier-free University, promotion of women, diversity management and the promotion of the compatibility of work and family are only a few examples of the social sustainability activities within the university.

Question 3

Which are your personal motivations to join the team of EU ECO-TANDEM?

At the RCE Graz-Styria we follow a transdisciplinary approach in our projects. That means involving stakeholders from outside the university in our research and teaching to create results that are valuable and accepted by society. The ECO-TANDEM project is a good example, where theory meets practice. With the tandems that are created in the course of the project we can really make a difference and contribute to make the tourism sector more sustainable.

Question 4

Why do you think sustainability represents a big potential for the tourism industry?

Sustainability is a necessity and the only way to go in the future! Sustainability - or rather sustainable development - is a dynamic process and we have reached a point where we cannot continue following unsustainable practices. That concerns all fields of human action but especially tourism, which has a huge economic value for many people. We are facing economic, political and health crises, but also challenges related to overtourism and above all the effects of climate change. In such a challenging and at the same time highly competitive environment it is essential for any tourism business to be as sustainable as possible and become more resilient. That means genuine commitment in terms of following a vision that takes into account social, economic and ecological goals.

Question 5

Why should a tourism SME join the EU ECO-TANDEM programme?

The ECO-TANDEM project supports tourism businesses to find their way to a sustainable future. Through the activities in the project SMEs can gain knowledge and skills, establish contacts, and of course receive financial help to implement sustainable practices in their business.

Question 6

Describe the EU ECO-TANDEM programme in three words.

Innovative, future-fit, collaborative

Question 7

A last question! Which is your favourite type of sustainable vacation?

Our team members like to spend their holiday time sustainably. Sometimes less is more. That can apply to travel distance, going to destinations that are close by and can be reached without a plane. But it is also true for the level of comfort in accommodations. To appreciate the small things in life (and on holidays) can enrich the experience while being sustainable at the same time!

Let’s match sustainability in tourism! EU ECO-TANDEM matchmaking events

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 13:12:52 GMT

Let’s match sustainability in tourism!

The EU ECO-TANDEM matchmaking events

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | 25th July, 2022

After the closing of the pre-matching phase, it will be time to celebrate our TANDEMs!

In the first half of September 2022, 3 matchmaking events will be organised in Italy, Germany and Slovakia.

Read on to find out more!

The matchmaking events: when and where

Berlin, September 6 ^th 2022 – hybrid event

Bratislava, September 13 ^th 2022 – hybrid event

Italy, September 14 ^th 2022 – online event

For whom:

TANDEMEEs of the EU ECO-TANDEM Programme

What will happen during the events?

Official TANDEM creation through the signing of the commitment agreement

Presentation of the TANDEMEEs

Plan of action Q&A

Networking

If you are a participant of the EU ECO-TANDEM Programme: please notice that your participation in one of the 3 events is mandatory. Please discuss with your partner in order to select a common date.

All events will be in English and can be attended also remotely.

The EU ECO-TANDEM team is looking forward to meeting all the TANDEMEEs in person or virtually in September 2022!

Registrations are open! Apply bellow to participate.

Agenda Matchmaking Event #Germany (download)

EU ECO-TANDEM Biz Programme: what's coming next

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 13:12:47 GMT

EU ECO-TANDEM Biz Programme: what is coming next for the shortlisted SMEs and startups

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | 25th, July

The first round of applications for the EU ECO-TANDEM Biz programme ended on 1 June 2022!

In this first wave, 75 companies applied, of which 68 were considered eligible and will advance to the next stage.

Among the applicants are:

tourism SMEs, such as tour operators and hotels or other type of accommodations
start-ups and innovative tourism companies with a strong focus on sustainability
service and consultancy companies

The tandems: how it will work

You are one of the startups and SMEs pre-selected to be part of the EU ECO-TANDEM Biz Programme and you are wondering what is coming next? Just keep on reading this article!

1) Pre-matching phase (July - August 2022)

A matchmaking platform were set up on b2match. The shortlisted participants were invited to join the platform and network with potential partners. Enter the platform and start browsing the profiles of the other participants. The ECO-TANDEM team will support you in finding the most suitable partner for your needs and suggest a pre-match during 1:1 interviews

2) The matchmaking events (7th, 13th and 14th of September 2022)

This is it, you have found your TANDEM partner.

During the matchmaking event you and your partner will formalise the cooperation by signing the EU ECO-TANDEM commitment agreement. A total of 3 matchmaking events will be organised, one per country (Germany, Italy, Slovakia)

The events will be organised in hybrid form: you can decide whether to participate in person or remotely.

BREAKING NEWS! For all companies that missed the chance to apply in spring 2022, the registrations were open again from July 7 ^th to July 25 ^th . More companies will be shortlisted in August!

EU ECO-TANDEM presented in the International Tourism Congress in Uruguay!

Tue, 31 May 2022 09:21:32 GMT

On the 18th of May 2022, held the 67th meeting of the UNWTO Regional Commission for the Americas. The congress was held in Uruguay and it analysed the challenges presented by tourism activity in its reactivation stage. Technicians, lawyers, and specialists from the sector were gathered offering their knowledge, experience, and views on various topics. EU ECO-TANDEM is honoured to be presented during the congress thanks to one of the EU ECO-TANDEM Ambassadors- Gianluca Rossoni from Tourism Law .

Gianluca Rossoni is a lawyer specialising in the tourism field. He presented the EU ECO-TANDEM’s mission, achievements the project had so far, and last but not least, the EU ECO-TANDEM BIZ Programme, to more than 200 participants.

EU ECO-TANDEM aims at boosting the development in the tourism sector, tackling the eco-challenges by cooperation between the tourism key players- SMEs and startups. The project had achieved great performance. Such as the EU ECO-TANDEM Academy organised in 2020. The ten-week-long education and training programme had almost 500 applicants, max 208 attendants per webinar, with 80% of the academy participants confirming that the education and training programme had increased their knowledge.

Gianluca Rossoni told the project that the audience was curious and was having positive feedback from the audience. The audience also raised several questions. It is truly nice to see all the important key players in the tourism sector are also passionate about sustainable tourism, and it’s efficient to raise awareness to an audience that has much power to determine the future of tourism.

Thanks again to Gianluca Rossoni for this amazing opportunity of showcasing EU ECO-TANDEM to such an audience.

If you would like to learn more about the congress, check out the UNTO website: https://www.unwto.org/news/unwto-enjoys-high-level-meetings-with-america-region-leaders

And the Ministry Tourism of Uruguay:

https://www.gub.uy/ministerio-turismo/comunicacion/noticias/ministro-viera-dio-apertura-1er-congreso-internacional-turismo

And if you want to apply for the EU ECO-TANDEM BIZ Programme, you still have time! Seize this golden opportunity now joining many other tourism SMEs and startups to work in tandem, tackling the most identified challenges in the tourism sector, don't miss it!! https://x23eupro.grantplatform.com/

Biz Programme Q&A session on April 21st 2022

Wed, 13 Apr 2022 16:02:51 GMT

Are you preparing your application for the EU ECO-TANDEM Biz Programme and you still have some open questions?

Join our online Q&A session on April 21 ^st at 3 pm!

The EU ECO-TANDEM team will:

· Present in detail the application and selection process

· Answer all your questions related to the application!

Don’t miss the chance to win 13.000 € voucher and realise a sustainable tourism project.

Apply for the EU ECO-TANDEM Programme by May 15 ^th 2022.

The Q&A session will take place on Webex!

EU ECO-TANDEM Biz Programme: registrations open until May 15th

Wed, 13 Apr 2022 15:59:39 GMT

To all tourism SMEs and startups out there! The European Commission, through our EU ECO-TANDEM Programme, is financing the eco-transition of your company!

Make sure you apply for the EU ECO-Tandem Biz Programme by May 15 ^th 2022 !

What is the EU ECO-TANDEM Biz Programme?

The Biz Programme enables tourism SMEs and startups to work together on innovative sustainable tourism projects. Every TANDEM (composed by 1 startup and 1 SMEs) will get the chance to win a 13.000 € voucher to finance a sustainable tourism project.

Are you wondering how you can register?

First, check the call for participation to know if you can join according to our eligibility criteria. The document is downloadable at this link.

Once you have established that you are eligible, register on the dedicated platform . You have time until May 15th to finalise your application.

At this link you will find documents that may be useful to you.

PS when you register you will be asked to select one of our eco-challenges. Don't know what we are talking about? Have a look at this page.

What will happen after May 15 ^th ?

A pool of external experts will select the SMEs and startups that will access the second phase. Through one-to-one interviews with our partners and a matchmaking platform, we will help you find your TANDEM partner.

After the tandems are pre-matched, you will be invited to join a matchmaking event in Italy, Germany or Slovakia in September 2022.

After the signing of the contract, you will have 45 days to create an action plan outlining your project idea, detailing how the grant will be used and the expected results. You will be also supported by our external TANDEM advisors.

The action plan will be evaluated by the High-Level Advisory Board, that will select 32 TANDEMs for funding.

Do you have any questions concerning you application?

Join our upcoming online Q&A session on April 21 ^st !

The 5 eco-challenges for sustainable tourism innovators

Wed, 13 Apr 2022 15:54:54 GMT

In recent years, the tourism sector has been facing new challenges: the Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing problems such as mass tourism, pollution and wasteful use of natural resources.

With our EU ECO-TANDEM project, we want to tackle the eco-sustainable problems in the tourism value chain.

Over the past months, with the help of the tourism companies and startups that participated in our activities, we have outlined 5 eco-sustainable challenges that TANDEMs consisting of a startup and a tourism company can help solve through their cooperation. Biz Programme participants are asked to select one of the 5 challenges, which will form the framework for the sustainable tourism project they will implement.

Let’s see the challenges together!

1) Energy conservation measures, through which businesses can become more energy-efficient. This can include for instance renewable energy programs (i.e., solar and wind power), energy-efficient air conditioning and procurement of electricity from a renewable electricity supplier

2) Waste management measures, that include recycle, reduce, reuse, destroy, process and control waste

3) Water conservation measures, to preserve and develop water resources, preventing water pollution

4) Mobility management measures that promote sustainable mobility and foster travelers’ virtuous behaviors

5) Covid-19 recovery measures, enabling an eco-transition that takes into account the needs for safety that emerged as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Do you have a sustainable tourism idea but you’re not sure about what challenge it fits the best in? Reach out to the EU ECO-TANDEM team!

Get to know our team! Interview #6 SBA

Wed, 13 Apr 2022 15:52:08 GMT

Get to know our team! Interview #6 SBA

A few words about SBA….

Slovak Business Agency (SBA) is the oldest specialized non-profit organization for the support of SMEs in Slovakia. SBA was founded in 1993 by a common initiative of the EU and the Slovak Government. It is the unique platform of public and private sectors supporting the growth of Slovak SMEs for more than 25 years. Currently SBA is employing more than 250 staff members located in all 8 geographic regions in Slovakia and offer various non-financial and financial services. SBA is also very active in international projects aimed on the SME support under the authority of the EU. Thanks to the membership in Enterprise Europe Network (EEN), SBA helps SMEs to make the most of the European marketplace.

Question 1. Tell us something about yourself and your role in the organization

Katarína Gavalcová

Katarína has been working at SBA for 5 years as a Manager of International Activities and since May 2021 as the Head of the International Projects Department. Katarína has been managing international projects funded by EU programs on different topics but her main focus is on the field of sustainability, social enterprises, digital transformation and female entrepreneurship.

Veronika Blizman Servilová

Veronika is a member of the International Projects Department team at SBA. She is performing activities related to the preparation and implementation of international projects co-founded by EU including project planning and monitoring, cooperation with the project team and foreign partners. She has experience with Erasmus+ projects and also with a research project funded by EEA and Norway Grants, while she has participated in projects focused mainly on social issues. Currently, she is part of the project team within the EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME project.

Rastislav Amrich

Rastislav has a role of an expert in the field of sustainable tourism. As an expert in this field, he works for the Association of Hotels and Restaurants of Slovakia, the Association of Tourism of the Slovak Republic, as an advisor to the State Secretary at the Ministry of Transport and Construction of the Slovak Republic. He is also the founder of the Institute of Climate Neutrality, within which they initiated, in cooperation with partners, the introduction of a national system of voluntary sustainability commitments for companies and municipalities - the Green Slovakia initiative.

Question 2. In which ways is your organisation committed to sustainability?

SBA recognizes the importance of the circular economy and sustainable behaviour. SBA strives to set up its processes and behave more sustainably at multiple levels. Internally, the International Projects Department initiated "SBA on the Road to Zero Waste", which brought together an ever-growing group of enthusiasts who are trying to prevent waste and save resources in their daily operations. SBA also sorts various types of waste for which it regularly receives green certificates.

SBA is also constantly initiating projects aimed at educating entrepreneurs in the field of green transformation and sustainability. Based on one of the international projects on this topic, SBA, as a co-founder, initiated the creation of the Circular Slovakia Platform - a private-public platform in which the public, private and third sectors work together to exchange knowledge and stimulate business in the circular economy.

SBA also signed a memorandum under the Green Slovakia initiative and joined the national system of voluntary sustainability commitments for companies and municipalities.

Question 3. Which are your personal motivations to join the team of EU ECO-TANDEM?

Small steps can add up to big results. In SBA we feel responsible for the environment and we are trying to do small steps to help the environment through our personal attitude and also participating in the projects related to the topic of sustainability and circular economy thanks to which we can raise awareness about its importance and support the green transformation of our local businesses and all society mindset. It is important to bring a solution that makes it possible to act and realize the vision of green tourism with concrete solutions and financial support, not only in the form of visions - and this is a big added value that EU ECO-TANDEM offers.

Question 4. Why do you think sustainability represents a big potential for the tourism industry?

Tourism has a great impact on the development of the local economy, it is strongly linked to other sectors of the economy with a large multiplier effect, so we personally consider it a very important sector for the decarbonisation of the economy.

Tourism sector has been very marked during recent years. We believe that implementing sustainable solutions can help get it up and running again.

Question 5. Why should a tourism SME join the EU ECO-TANDEM programme?

The EU ECO-TANDEM programme offers a great opportunity for tourism SMEs. It could be the first step in their way on their journey to become more sustainable or support their already existing initiatives. It allows to learn more about the tourism industry and its future through the ECO-TANDEM Academy and also to cooperate at the European level. Taking part in the project enables to expand the network of contacts for all participants and it also allows international cooperation of European SMEs and startups. Furthermore, the EU ECO-TANDEM Biz Programme offers financial support for tourism SMEs to finance their green transition and achieve more sustainable approach. Tourism SME has the opportunity to gain the solution and partner for the implementation of green innovation, including funding of up to EUR 13,000 per project.

Question 6. Describe the EU ECO-TANDEM programme in three words.
supportive, educational, transformative

Question 7. A last question! Which is your favourite type of sustainable vacation?

There are many possibilities for spending a sustainable holiday. Personally, we always like to try some of them and incorporate some sustainable aspects to our vacation e.g. buy local products, consume local food, hiking, using bikes. We also take into account the way of transport and when it comes to air travel, we try to stay longer and do not do it often. Rastislav's ideal vacation is at an eco -sea resort or eco-friendly hotel by the sea, where he is able to travel by electric car.

Housesitting: a low-cost idea for your sustainable vacation

Wed, 13 Apr 2022 12:43:02 GMT

Are you looking for a sustainable holiday that doesn’t cost the earth? Housesitting might be the right option for you!

What is housesitting?

Housesitting consists of staying at someone else's home while they are away, often looking after their pets or garden.

When you become a housesitter, accommodation is free of charge and allows you to discover new places without having to pay for it.

Of course, this entails responsibilities, but the benefits are considerable:

· You will be able to discover new places, living like a local and meeting new people.

· You will be able to do slow tourism, discovering destinations off the usual tourist routes.

· You will save money (think about how much you would spend for a week or two in a eco-hotel...)

Housesitting: a sustainable trend

Housesitting not only meets the needs of those who want to travel on a budget, but is also a sustainable trend.

Staying at other people's homes reduces the environmental impact of tourists, who reuse what is already present in the area by avoiding “house waste”: the empty space that remains when homes are left unoccupied by their traveling tenants.

Housesitting also reduces the negative impact that mass tourism has on territories: for example, by counteracting gentrification and the use of living space that would be needed by the community for tourism purposes only.

Popular international platforms for housesitters

Did we convince you and now you are considering housesitting for your next trip?

Have a look at the platforms below to find landlords worldwide!

1) Trusted Housesitters

2) Nomador

3) Housecarers

4) Housesitmatch

5) Mindmyhouse

News from our Ambassadors edition #2 !

Thu, 07 Apr 2022 14:32:59 GMT

In this new edition of our campaign “News from our Ambassadors”, we are very happy to introduce a recent broadcast by Radio Vacanze – “La Voce del Turismo” – the first Italian web radio entirely dedicated to tourism! Our two amazing Ambassadors, Daniela Sestieri and Barbara Barella successfully hosted the Borghi & Dintorni programme, in which they promoted the EU ECO-TANDEM BIZ Programme!

"La Voce del Turismo" emerged in 2014 from an idea of Gianluigi Leoni, a travel agent and owner of the agency "Viaggio e Vedo”. In this programme, you can find information, entertainment and commentary programmes about the travel industry, conducted by experts in the tourism sector with decades of experience! Each interview is a mix of professional information, travel suggestions, experiential emotions and good music.

Radio Vacanze is open to the world! With 90,000 listeners, Italian speakers from all over the world can listen to Radio Vacanze! You can listen to the radio from all devices such as Alexa, Spotify, iTunes, it also has its own YouTube channel and can also be used on mobile phones with Android and iOS applications.

Congratulations to Barbara and Daniela for this great programme! Thank you for promoting the BIZ Programme and for supporting the eco-sustainable culture!

In the first episode, Barbara and Daniela talked about sustainability, and more particularly about the Biz Programme, promoting its aims and objectives as well as giving all the information to register. Listen to the podcast here: https://radiovacanze.com/borghi-e-dintorni/ !

News from our Ambassadors edition #1!

Tue, 29 Mar 2022 08:05:10 GMT

News from our Ambassadors edition #1!

“News from our Ambassadors” is a new series of interesting news, green initiatives and activities coming directly from the EU ECO-TANDEM Ambassadors !

Today we are going to introduce a sustainable initiative: “Journalists on bikes” by our Ambassador Giambattista Marchetto!

On Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 April, "journalists on bikes'' initiative is back on track scouting news and ready for the "zero emissions" challenge. The year of Bike&Wine Press kicks-off in the beautiful "Langhe" (Piedmont, Italy), a wine-growing landscape that is a Unesco WH heritage site. The initiative is in partnership with the Consortium for the protection of Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe e Dogliani, Tourism Board Langhe Monferrato Roero, Assosport, Fiab, Adsi and Arga/Fnsi and with Bikesquare as technical partner. On the saddle, for the first time the social sommelier Sara Grosso, who will "guide" journalists Andrea Guolo, Giambattista Marchetto and Danilo Poggio along the roads of the territory.

The aim of the Bike&Wine Press format is to support the post-Covid restart of a strategic sector such as wine tourism, in a sustainable way. The sector has an estimated turnover of 2.5 billion, and the initiative will have journalists joining and enjoying the beautiful landscapes travelling by bike across Italy and will have the chance to visit the wineries in the areas concerned, thus avoiding the usage of cars, minibuses, reducing emissions and exhausting queues for parking. This will allow a full sustainable wine tourism experience in connection with nature, using e-bikes. In this way, information professionals are also challenging themselves to meet a true sustainable change in travel while collecting the information needed to do their jobs.

More info:

Info Bike&Wine Press

Andrea Guolo, 338 2712616 direttore@italianwinetour.info

Giambattista Marchetto, 348 5192852 direttore@vinonews24.it

EU ECO-TANDEM presented during the EU Industry Week!

Mon, 28 Feb 2022 09:18:16 GMT

EU ECO-TANDEM is presented during the EU Industry week 2022- “Towards a full green and digital transformation: the role of EU SMEs and startups in the travel and tourism industry”!

The EU ECO-TANDEM Programme is honored to be presented during the EU Industry week 2022- “Towards a full green and digital transformation: the role of EU SMEs and startups in the travel and tourism industry” , an satellite event organized by X23. The event had been celebrated with success on the 21st of February, here are some highlights of it!

The event opened the door of knowledge of a new era of tourism, where green and digital economy are key enablers for a more responsible, resilient and sustainable society. In this 2-hours event, the speakers took the participants through the latest tourism market trends; innovation and technology knowledge sharing; business growth in the tourism sector.

EU Industry week and EU ECO-TANDEM

Experts in the sustainability and tourism sector: Ioannis Pappas (GREEN EVOLUTION) presented a thorough analysis of the current Market Trend of the tourism industry; Elena Di Raco (ENIT) explained why Eco-Sustainable Tourism can be an opportunity for SMEs; Sonia Barani (ITKAM) described the current trends of the tourism industry concerning digitalisation and sustainability.

Then, Anastasiia Yakush, project manager of EU ECO-TANDEM presented the programme. Including information of the programme’s three pillars:

EU ECO-TANDEM Academy , made by several education and training programmes with 463 applicants, 10 modules and a total of 60 hours of activities. At the end of the training 80% of the attendees estimated that it increased their knowledge.
BIZ programme , a matchmaking event where tandems between innovators and interested SMEs are created in practice. At the end of the process plans are evaluated and prizes assigned to the best ones.
N etwork creation , one of the ultimate goals of the programme. Powerful connections would boost sustainable innovations in the value chain.

The programme’s obtained results so far were also described:

The programme had made improvements in skills and competences in the field of sustainable management, at company and individual level;
the establishment of cross-sectoral and transnational cooperation;
the implementation of innovative solutions for sustainable tourism;
triggering the eco-transition towards sustainable approach and provision of service starting the path towards concrete certification;
expansion of the business thanks to transnational cooperation.

Speakers

Ioannis Pappas ( GREEN EVOLUTION ): The current Market Trend of the tourism industry;

Elena Di Raco ( ENIT ): Green is the New Black: Why Eco-Sustainable Tourism is an Opportunity for SMEs;

Sonia Barani ( ITKAM ): The current trends of the tourism industry - digitalisation and sustainability;

Anastasiia Yakush ( X-23 ): ECO-Challenges: Presentation & Discussion // EU ECO-TANDEM programme: unlocking the micro-funding potentials;

Urška Jež ( Transformation LightHouse ): How to hack innovation for the tourism sector

Maja Pokric ( AR/VR Tech ): AR/VR tech and and new technologies introductions Maja Brkljačić ( Algebra Lab ): Technology vs the future - The New Era of Tourism and Entertainment

Anastasiia Yakush ( X-23 ): The EU DigiTOUR - Project Introduction, Micro funding opportunities

We are grateful to host an engaging audience that animated a discussion on the eco-sustainability challenges and possible developments of the tourism sector. In case you miss the event, watch the livestream now!

If you are intrigue with the topic of sustainable tourism, and would like to be on board with EU ECO-TANDEM’s green mission, sign up to the EU Climate Pact now!

ECO-TANDEM Biz Programme: Rules for Participation

Thu, 13 Jan 2022 15:18:06 GMT

The launch of the EU ECO-TANDEM Biz Programme is getting closer: starting from mid-March 2022, tourism SMEs and startups will be able to apply for the programme! Selected participants will have the opportunity to work in TANDEM on innovative sustainable tourism projects and the lucky winners will receive a €13.000 voucher to implement their project!

Thinking about applying to the program? Check out the information below to learn how it works and who can participate.

Who can participate?

Two types of companies can participate in the programme.

1) Tourism SMEs that are lagging behind in the ecological transition and wish to transform their business model in a sustainable way.

In particular, companies in these categories can apply:

Hotels and similar accommodation
Holiday and other short-stay accommodations
Camping grounds, recreational vehicle parks and trailer parks
Travel agencies, tour operator reservation service and related activities

2) Tourism and non-tourism startups

With startup we refer to an independent organisation, which is younger than five years and is aimed at creating, improving and expanding a scalable, innovative, technology-enabled product with high and rapid growth.

Both entities must be established in a EU member state . As Germany, Italy and Slovakia are the focus countries of the project, 60% of the available places will be reserved for candidates from these countries. The remaining (40%) can come from the other EU Member States, but companies from Greece and Austria can benefit from an added point in the evaluation.

To validate the status of tourism SME or startup, a formal, updated Business Register extract provided by the Chamber of Commerce, a statute or any official document where the NACE code is demonstrated will have to be submitted to the Consortium partners during the selection process.

What do we expect from you?

When participating to the EU ECO- TANDEM BIZ Programme, the applicant should:

Tackle one the challenges defined by the EU ECO-TANDEM Programme
Be open to cooperation and to the eco-sustainable approach
Define a clear plan of action for solving the challenge together with the partner startup/SME,
Searching for the solutions bringing a more sustainable behaviour, processes, and service

for clients

Have an absence of conflict of interest
Sign a commitment with respect to the plan of action
Implement the agreed plan of action, also by the use of the voucher according to the rules
Report in a timely manner the use of funds in order to receive the reimbursement using the tools requested by the consortium

How does the programme work?

March 2022 – April 2022

You will be able to submit your application for the programme on our website.

July 2022

The startups and SMEs in the three countries will be selected to be invited to the matchmaking events. During the matchmaking events, the TANDEMs will be officially created.

September - October 2022

The TANDEMEES will work on their Plans of Action ;

December 2022

Once the selection procedure is closed, the winning TANDEMs will be invited to the awarding ceremony, where. they will receive a voucher of 13,000 € to finance the pilot project to be realised

How does the financing work?

The maximum amount of financial support per TANDEM cannot exceed 13.000 €

a. If the TANDEM is formed by 2 tourism SMEs, the financial support will be distributed equally to the two parties (EUR 6.500 each);

b. If the TANDEM is formed by 1 tourism SME and 1 non-tourism SME or startup, the total amount of the voucher (EUR 13.000) will be assigned to the EU tourism SME only.

Don't miss this amazing chance and stay tuned for the launch of the call!

Call for ECO-TANDEM Ambassador still open!

Thu, 13 Jan 2022 15:03:10 GMT

Do you work in tourism, are you a sustainability lover and do you have a strong network on- and offline?

You could be the person we are looking for!

Apply as an EU ECO-TANDEM Ambassador to contribute to the cause of sustainable tourism by involving companies and startups in the EU ECO-TANDEM project!

Who are the EU ECO-TANDEM Ambassadors?

The Ambassadors are tourism and/or sustainability experts who will support the project team in promoting the EU ECO-TANDEM Biz Programme. During the Biz Programme, for which applications will open in spring 2022, tourism SMEs and start-ups will have the opportunity to collaborate on innovative sustainable tourism ideas and win a €13,000 voucher.

What are the tasks of the Ambassadors?

The Ambassadors will contribute to promoting the events and activities of the EU ECO-TANDEM programme, in particular between January 2022 and May 2022, when it will be possible to apply for the Biz-Programme.

The Ambassadors will commit to:

Publish at least 5 posts on their social media profiles
Nominate 6 candidates in relevant fields (tourism or sustainable fields) for the upcoming Biz Programme.
Promote EU ECO-TANDEM in two online/offline events.

Each Ambassador will be selected for a period of one year, that can be renewed in case of interest.

Why should you become an Ambassador?

Ambassadors will benefit in terms of visibility and networking. As part of EU ECO-TANDEM, they will be able to get in touch with a wide network of European players in the field of sustainability, tourism and innovation. Furthermore, Ambassadors will be promoted through EU ECO-TANDEM social channels, newsletters and the project website.

And last but not least… the Ambassador most active on social media will be awarded the EU ECO-TANDEM Ambassador Prize. The prize will be presented during the award ceremony of the Biz Programme's winning companies, to be held in Brussels in early 2023.

How and when to apply

The first round of applications will close on 15 January 2022. Applications for the second round will open right after.

Tell us your opinion on eco-sustainability challenges!

Thu, 13 Jan 2022 15:03:08 GMT

Our EU ECO-TANDEM Programme project aims to promote the eco-transition of the tourism sector through innovative solutions resulting from cooperation between tourism companies and start-ups.

Companies participating in the Biz programme (if you don't know what that is, have a look here ) will be asked to solve eco-challenges of sustainable tourism.

In order to fully realise which are the most urgent problems to be solved and to make our contribution through the Biz programme, we ask for your support!

To all tourism SMEs and startups: answer our survey by 21 January 2022 and let us know:

- What challenges are you facing right now

- What are the most urgent problems to be solved by sustainable tourism in Europe

We are very grateful for every contribution!

Get to know our team! Interview #5 HHL

Thu, 13 Jan 2022 15:03:06 GMT

A few words about HHL….

HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management’s history and tradition is a story of pioneering success that goes back to the 19th century. The foundation of the Handelshochschule Leipzig in 1898 marks the birthplace of management education and is the first business administration faculty in German-speaking countries.

We educate entrepreneurial, responsible and effective business leaders through outstanding teaching, research and practice. We are driven by excellence in teaching and research to benefit our students, stakeholders and society. Our academic quality is underscored by our global outlook and a lifelong premier service and support network. Our teaching activities aim at providing students with state of the art knowledge. To do so, we combine theoretical perspectives with critical thinking and real-life case studies. Ultimately, our courses shall prepare students to effectively deal with the challenges arising from firms’ business oprtations in a globalized economy.

Question 1

Tell us something about yourself and your role in the organization.

Prof. Dr. Tobias Dauth

Prof. Dr. Tobias Dauth is a full professor for International Management. He also serves as the Academic Director for the Executive Education department at HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management.

He is a member of the German Academic Association for Business Research (VHB), the European International Business Academy (EIBA) and the Academy of International Business (AIB). Moreover, he serves as reviewer for several international academic journals.

His work has peen published in several peer-reviewed journals such as the Journal of World Business, International Business Review or the European Management Journal.

Among other European institutions from Austria, Greece, Italy and Slovakia, HHL is carrying out the program activities. At HHL, Prof. Dauth leads the EU Eco-Tandem program.The Tandem project is based on cooperation and knowledge/tech transfer between SMEs and start-ups by solving challenges together according to a tandem approach and methodology.

Felix Schumann

Felix Schumann serves as an Associate Program Manager for the Executive Education Department at HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management. Mr. Schumann serves as the HHL Project Manager for the EU Eco-Tandem program.

Question 2

a)In which ways is your organisation committed to sustainability?

HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management is committed to contributing to a socially and environmentally sustainable economy and society. HHL expresses its conviction that academic institutions should systematically integrate corporate responsibility and sustainability issues into their curricula, research, teaching methods and their institutional strategy. Therefore, we aim to deeply embed environmental, social and governance (ESG) topics in our #HHLspirit and all our core activities including research, teaching, and on-campus activities.

In particular, students are involved in sustainability projects on campus and we have integrated further sustainability topics into the HHL curriculum and our study programs. Our students develop an understanding of policies, technologies, and financial models that support sustainable development. In today's global economy, it is important to learn how to develop sustainable solutions that reduce environmental impacts and increase benefits to society and ecosystems.

b)Which are your personal motivations to join the team of EU ECO-TANDEM?

As the tourism industry continues to expand and evolve, it produces significant impacts on natural resources, consumption patterns, pollution and social systems. In order to manage and mitigate such negative impacts of tourism there is a need for sustainable/responsible planning and management throughout the tourism industry. Economic, social and environmental aspects of sustainable development must account for the interests of all stakeholders including the local communities, tourists, private organisations and public bodies. Regardless of who we are, where we live, and what we do, we all have a moral obligation to each other, our future generations, and other species to sustain the planet.

Therefore HHL is contirubting to the EU Eco-Tandem program, which is co-funded by the European Union, to boost sustainable tourism development through transnational cooperation and knowledge transfer. The project is about finding ways and encouraging traditional tourism SMEs and (and non-tourism) innovative startups and innovators for a mutual benefit corporation (TANDEM-concept). The scope is to scout innovative solutions for helping traditional SMEs to adopt a more eco-sustainable approach in the tourism industry.

Question 3

Why do you think sustainability represents a big potential for the tourism industry?

The tourism industry is facing new challenges (over tourism, COVID-19) that will shape the way we address sustainability in the upcoming years. The UNWTO (United Nations World Tourism Organization) defines sustainable tourism as “tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment, and host communities.” Tourism SMEs need to embrace the opportunity that the challenge of sustainability offers, as a possible driver of innovation and growth. A sustainable approach essentially involves recognising that tourism can provide many benefits. However, it also creates burdens, which if not recognised and managed, place destinations and their future at risk. Sustainable tourism practices are therefore about planning, developing and managing tourism in a way that ensures that

Negative impacts are managed and minimised, and the net benefits tourism
can create for places and people are enhanced;
Natural resources are conserved, and biodiversity protected;
Cultural traditions and heritage are respected, celebrated and preserved;
Local economies and livelihoods are strengthened;
The wellbeing and quality of life of communities are enhanced and they are involved in tourism decision-making

Question 4

Why should a tourism SME join the EU ECO-TANDEM programme?

Participate in a recognized European research program and benefit from its visibility in highlighting your contribution to tackling issues in environment, society and economy
Improve your global business network and work in a collaborative environment with people from different European countries
Keep yourself informed about the state of the art, recent developments and the latest trends towards more sustainability in tourism
Gain recognition for you contribution, as participants experience and engage in an important scholarly and social activity

Question 5

Describe the EU ECO-TANDEM programme in three words.

International, sustainable, innovative

Question 6

A last question! Which is your favourite type of sustainable vacation?

Housing: Use of eco-friendly hotels or accommodations
Transportation: Use of sustainable mobility
Activity: Go hiking in the mountains

Thank you so much HHL for answering the questions, giving us a deeper understanding of the EU ECO-TANDEM partners.

Digital technologies: an asset for the eco-transition of the tourism industry

Thu, 13 Jan 2022 15:03:04 GMT

In recent years, the tourism industry has been undergoing major transformations, which have been further accelerated by the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. The dominant trends certainly include sustainable tourism and the digitalisation of the tourism industry.

Both of these transformations are considered fundamental to ensure the long-term development of the tourism industry: it is no coincidence that sustainability and digitalisation are two of the aspects taken into account by the European Union in the awarding of the European Capitals of Smart Tourism.

These two transformational factors, while seemingly different, are actually very much linked. Digital technologies, from whose up-taking the entire tourism industry benefits, can be a real asset for the eco-transition of tourism companies.

How?

1) Through Web 2.0, tourism destinations can increase their visibility and adapt their tourism offerings to the expectations of potential customers. Social media are essential tools to reach the audience of millennials and Generation Z. Through online platforms and communities, moreover, tourism destinations can interact with and receive feedback from (potential) customers and adapt their tourism offerings quickly according to market expectations.

2) The sharing economy and IoT can be used to improve tourists' customer experiences and reduce the carbon footprint of their vacations. Many tourist destinations have equipped themselves to promote smart mobility through car- and bike-sharing, making e-bikes, e-scooters and e-cars available to vacationers to rent during their stay. Smart devices used in hotels can also increase energy efficiency. For example, with smart systems that automatically adjust the intensity of lighting and heating in order to avoid waste.

3) New possibilities are also provided by AR/VR technologies. Virtual reality tours have been the tool used by several of museums and art galleries during the pandemic of Covid-19, in order to promote culture whilst making experiences accessible to worldwide users. From Louvre in France to the Casa Azul in Mexico. This type of experience is sustainable, since it surely does not produce CO2, and contribute to make tourism more accessible, even to segments of the population that are physically unable to travel.

4) Finally, as pointed out during the international conference “Measuring Sustainability in Tourism – Opportunities and Limitations”, who took place in Berlin in February 2019, statistical data can make the difference for future sustainability: big data and open data can be used indeed to effectively develop methodologies in order to isolate the contribution made by tourism to environmental pressures. Data allow companies and other entities to monitor waste production, water consumption, land acquisition, and air and noise pollution by different forms of transport at local level and might be very useful for protected areas as well as for cities.

Are you interested in discovering more about the latest tourism trends related to sustainability? Keep following our ECO-Blog!

Sustainable Solutions for the tourism of the future: EU ECO-TANDEM Info-day & Workshop

Wed, 22 Dec 2021 16:40:09 GMT

Sustainable Solutions for the Tourism of the Future: EU ECO-TANDEM Info-day & Workshop organised by UNI GRAZ

The ECO-TANDEM project aims to make organisations and companies in the tourism sector to become more sustainable. Tourism in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and startups will be paired as TANDEMS which will work together to tackle tourism challenges and win up to 13,000 EUR!

On 17 December 2021 University Graz organised the EU ECO-TANDEM Infoday and Workshop titled "Nachhaltige Lösungen für den Tourismus der Zukunft" ("Sustainable Solutions for the tourism of the future"). The meeting took place online and gathered participants representing SMEs, startups and national tourism agencies.

Mario Diethart, MSc and Dr. Thomas Höflehner facilitated the meeting on behalf of the University of Graz and the Regional Centre of Expertise Graz-Styria .

During the 90-minute event, Mario Diethart and Dr. Thomas Höflehner presented the EU ECO-TANDEM project and its green activities, highlighting the ECO-TANDEM ACADEMY and the upcoming event- the Biz Programme . Participants were engaging and asked many questions regarding the Biz Programme.

The second part of the event was designed as a workshop, where UNI GRAZ together with the participants identify and discuss the challenges in the tourism industry. The participants shared the challenges they face in their business. Based on this information, Thomas Höflehner facilitated a discussion on the three most pressing challenges, namely environmental protection, integration of local population, and digitalisation. The participants collected solutions to the challenges and discussed possible involvement of the SMEs and startups in the workshop. This activity gave a first impression of the potential benefits that tandems can bring!

Congratulations UNI GRAZ for the great event! Stay tuned for the upcoming Biz Programme, and we invite you to share with us the challenges you face, we might come up with an innovative solution!

EU ECO-TANDEM Slovak Info day

Tue, 23 Nov 2021 11:20:50 GMT

EU ECO-TANDEM Slovak Info day:

“Solutions for sustainable tourism”

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | 23 November, 2021

The EU ECO-TANDEM Programme is happy to share a few moments from the EU ECO-TANDEM Slovak Info day, “Solutions for sustainable tourism” , organized on the 26th of October in Bratislava by the Slovak Business Agency , Association of Hotels and Restaurants of Slovakia & Institute of Climate Neutrality - Initiative Green Slovakia .

The INFO DAY started with the presentation of the opportunities offered by the international project EU ECO-TANDEM and its Biz Programme, which will soon open a call for tourism to small and medium sized enterprises and start-ups working together on eco-innovative pilot projects.

Next on the agenda was the presentation of the first voluntary initiative for the implementation of the principles of sustainability in Slovakia. The Green Slovakia Index is also aimed at strengthening cooperation between the public and private sectors. The partners of the initiative from the public and private sectors presented their experiences with the initiative.

The event closed with a Road Show intended for members of the Association of Hotels and Restaurants of Slovakia . During which, the president of the AHRS presented current news, activities, and useful information for owners, operators and managers in the HORECA sector.

We are so grateful to have an engaging audience, that we could have a discussion on the eco-sustainability challenges. The participants had the opportunity to add identified challenges through the Slido application and shared their experience with us! The participants were really interested in the EU ECO-TANDEM Biz Programme ; if you are a tourism SME or an innovative startup, we are sure you wouldn’t want to miss out on learning more about this programme! Here’s the good news! We are looking forward to the next event in Slovakia, the workshop “Green Innovations for Tourism Enterprises!” . Starting from 14:00 to 16:00 on the 23rd of November, 2021.

The workshop will be focusing on the EU ECO-TANDEM project, and the upcoming Biz Programme, where the SMEs and the startups in the tourism and innovative sectors could learn more about how you can win the voucher up to 13,000 euro!! Furthermore, the workshop will also shed lights on the implementation of the principles in Slovakia, thanks to the first voluntary initiative Green Charter - Green Slovakia Index!

Stay tuned for the upcoming news! Subscribe now to our newsletter to stay in the loop.

Watch now the recording of the EU ECO-TANDEM Slovak info-day!

Sustainable tourism and innovation: EU ECO-TANDEM Info-day & Workshop

Fri, 05 Nov 2021 15:38:44 GMT

Sustainable tourism and innovation: EU ECO-TANDEM Info-day & Workshop organised by SocialFare

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | 5th November, 2021

Two appointments for professionals, SMEs, startups, young entrepreneurs and interested students to innovate the world of tourism with a focus on sustainability!

A TANDEM programme to boost capacity building and accelerate innovation: the EU ECO-TANDEM project aims at revoluting the tourism industry towards an eco-sustainable transition.

Join us on the EU ECO-TANDEM Infoday and Workshop , organised by SocialFare . The events will be held online in Italian:

EU ECO-TANDEM Infoday / 17 November 2021 at 5pm CET
EU ECO-TANDEM Workshop / 23 November 2021 at 5pm CET

The events are open for traditional tourism SMEs, startups, tourism professionals, innovators, young entrepreneurs and students that want to learn more about this opportunity.

INFO-DAY

Find out more about the EU ECO-TANDEM Project and how it can support the Italian tourism industry. Thanks to a transnational programme, the project aims at supporting traditional SMEs paired with innovative startups, for a responsible eco-tourism.

A programme which helps you acquire new skills to innovate services, products and processes towards eco-sustainable solutions. The most innovative solutions will have the opportunity to get microfunds for implementing a shared action plan (up to 13k € per Tandem).

When: Wed 17th November, 5pm CET .

WORKSHOP

Tourism, innovation, sustainability: what are the new challenges for the tourism industry and how can they be tackled? Take part in the workshop to:

discover the EU ECO-TANDEM Biz Programme , its opportunities and funds for SMEs and startups
contribute to the definition of the challenges SMEs and startups will work on in synergy, after being selected for the Biz Programme

When: Tue 23rd November, 5pm CET.

Glamping, Workation, Staycation: trends in the eco-sustainability tourism

Thu, 28 Oct 2021 11:26:00 GMT

Glamping, Workation, Staycation: trends in the eco-sustainability tourism

Have a look at the latest tourism trends!

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | 28 October, 2021

If you think that holiday-making in the post-Covid world will be the same as it was before the pandemic.... you are very much mistaken!

The pandemic has enhanced trends in tourism, which existed before the pandemic but have boomed during Covid-19.

Glamping. Workation. Staycation. Let's find out more about these tourism trends.

Glamping

The word “Glamping” comes from the combination of “glamourous” and “camping”. This new format of vacation combines the luxury of a hotel with the romance of an outdoor holiday. Those who don't like the inconvenience of camping, but still want to spend a holiday immersed in nature, can overnight in 'luxury tents' such as Safari tents, Bell tents, treehouses, cabins and pods. The accommodations facilities are furnished with every comfort and allow their guests to enjoy breathtaking landscapes and unspoiled nature, while having all the comforts of a luxury hotel.

Once glamping always glamping … 81% of glampers say they would like to repeat the experience in the future!

Over the last years, the market size of glamping has been steadily growing and this trend is showing no signs of slowing down. The glamping market amounted to 1.88 billion in 2020. By 2028, a further growth of 14% is expected.

Europe dominates the glamping market, with a 35% market share in 2020. Among European countries, France is on the podium of best practices with 8,000 campsites.

In terms of target groups, glamping is particularly popular with young people aged 18-32 (44% market share). However, this trend is also expected to become increasingly popular in the 33-50 segment, with an expected growth of 14% by 2028.

Workation

During the pandemic, millions of people found themselves stopping going to work every day and turning their home into an office. Even companies that were sceptical about home office have realised in the meanwhile that working from home provides a better work-life balance for the employee, which in many cases improves productivity. This has led to an increase in the geographical flexibility of workers, who can work from anywhere in the world.

The tourism market has responded with Workation.

Why work in winter from a rainy Northern European country when you can go to the beach after working on the edge of the Mediterranean? Workation enables workers to relocate with their laptop for a short or mid-term period to a more inspiring location.

The Portuguese island of Madeira is among the forerunners in the workation and has recently launched the first village for 100 digital nomads. Guests of the village have access not only to free internet and coworking space, but also to networking activities, fun events and workshops. A distinctive feature of the Madeira Digital Nomands Village is the desire to create contacts between workers and locals, as well as the focus on the impact of workers on the environment.

Digital Nomad

Setting travel trends in stone during a global pandemic might be a stretch but there are still hints as to where the world of travel is headed, at least in the near future. One travel trend in particular has been gaining traction recently: workationing.

Staycation

The term Staycation refers to holidaying close to home. This type of holiday became very popular during the pandemic, due to the restrictions caused by Covid-19.

Holiday makers rediscovered tourist destinations close to home that they would never have considered before. It allows one to dedicate oneself to activities for which one has no time in everyday life.

The Staycation trend, however, has a longer history. The term was born after the 2008 crisis, when families had to limit their holiday spending and preferred destinations close to home in order to save on travel costs.

Staycation is a trend that is good for the wallet, and is a popular holiday format for students or low-income families. However, saving money is not the only benefit of staycation: avoiding air travel or long car journeys cuts down on carbon emissions for transport and avoids overloading already crowded motorways.

But the benefits don't end there: staycation helps to combat overtourism, promotes the economy of your region, reduces the stress caused by long journeys and allows you to do activities you don't have time for in everyday life.

Get to know our team! Interview # 4 ITKAM

Thu, 28 Oct 2021 11:00:37 GMT

Get to know our team!

Interview # 4 ITKAM

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | 28 October, 2021

A few words about ITKAM….

ITKAM – Italian Chamber of Commerce for Germany is a bilateral non-profit organization, active in Germany since 1911.

Our main goal it to foster the internationalization of Italian companies in Germany and to promote economic relations between the two countries.

We have three offices in Germany: the headquarters in Frankfurt and offices in Berlin and Leipzig. In addition, we have representative offices in other cities in Germany, Italy and Austria. Our network consists of more than 400 member businesses and institutions. We provide more than 500 companies with consultancy services every year.

We have been active in the field of European projects for several years. We have experience with the COSME, Erasmus+ and Interreg programs. Our focus is on tourism, sustainability, digitalization and vocational training.

Q1 Tell us something about yourself and your role in the organization

Sonia Barani

Ronny Seifert

Q2: In which ways is your organisation committed to sustainability? Which are your personal motivations to join the team of EU ECO-TANDEM?

Sustainability has been one of our focus in recent years. We are implementing and have implemented several projects to promote the ecological transition of companies, not only in the tourism sector.

For example our Interreg Alpine Space project AlpBioEco, promoting the bioeconomy in the Alpine space. In the course of the project, we used waste from walnuts, apples and herbs and turned it into eco-innovative products –e.g. by developing cosmetics based on apple pomace with a local farmer. The European Commission has recognised the innovative potential of the project, selecting us as a finalist for the RegioStars Awards 2021.

We decided to join the EU ECO-TANDEM team because we strongly believe in a global need to promote sustainable tourism, as ITKAM but also as individuals.

In our private lives, we try to pay attention to the aspect of environmental sustainability: choosing the train instead of the plane or using the bicycle instead of the car for example.

Q3: Why do you think sustainability represents a big potential for the tourism industry?

The ecological transition will be a must for tourism companies in the near future. Consumers of tourism offerings, especially Millennials and the younger generation, are much more aware of the ecological impact of their holidays. This is even truer after the Covid-19 pandemic. If a tourism company wants to remain competitive it must make environmental awareness an integral part of its business model.

Q4: Why should a tourism SME join the EU ECO-TANDEM programme?

EU ECO-TANDEM is aimed at all those tourism companies that are interested in the ecological transition, but do not know where to start.

The project represents a unique opportunity for tourism SMEs: by collaborating with start-ups and experts from our network, companies can introduce sustainable innovations into their business model. For startups on the other hand, the programme is useful because SMEs already have a network of customers, the infrastructure and a strong knowledge of the market.

Finally, the voucher awarded to the winning companies is certainly a good initial help to implement a sustainable tourism pilot project!

Q5: Describe the EU ECO-TANDEM programme in three words.

Cooperation. Sustainability. Innovation

Q6: A last question! Which is your favourite type of sustainable vacation?

Ronny: Cycling, camping and travelling by train

Sonia: Travelling by train, avoiding mass tourism destinations, living like the locals.

High-Level Advisory Board: Let’s meet our experts!

Thu, 28 Oct 2021 10:38:27 GMT

High-level Advisory Board

Let's meet our experts!

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | 27 October, 2021

The EU ECO-TANDEM Biz Programme, the program allowing SMEs and startups to develop innovative sustainable tourism projects, is about to start.

Participating companies and startups will be able to count not only on the ECO-TANDEM team, but also on a network of experts who will guide and evaluate them along the way.

This network includes the members of the High-Level Advisory Board: 8 international experts in finance, tourism and/or sustainability who will have the important task of evaluating the applications to the program and select the winning TANDEMs at the end of the journey.

Let's find out more about the Board members!

Finance

Germany

Slovakia

India

Tourism & Sustainability

Spain

UK/Hungary

Italy

Italy

Connect with them on LinkedIn to know more about their activities and interests!

Info-day EU ECO-TANDEM in Germany

Thu, 28 Oct 2021 10:38:26 GMT

Info-day EU ECO-TANDEM in Germany:

Funding Programme for Sustainable Tourism

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | 27 October, 2021

Big news for all SMEs and startups based in Germany!

Are you interested in sustainable tourism and you want to get your idea funded? EU ECO-TANDEM is here to help you!

Get to know how to apply for the programme on our upcoming EU ECO-TANDEM infoday in Leipzig & Online.

During the event you will be able to know more about the EU ECO-TANDEM Programme, to learn some best practices of sustainable tourism and how to convince investors with your plan of action!

EU ECO-TANDEM Infoday

Online Event

November 2nd 16:00 – 18:00

Events in Italy: EU ECO-TANDEM Info-Day and Workshop!

Wed, 29 Sep 2021 11:54:17 GMT

Events in Italy:

EU ECO-TANDEM Info-Day and Workshop

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | 29 September, 2021

Eager to know more about the EU ECO-TANDEM Programme activities and next steps?

Then don't miss the chance to join us on the EU ECO-TANDEM INFO-DAY and EU ECO-TANDEM WORKSHOP ! Organised by X23 and ENIT , the events will be held in the Italian language and physically happening in Rimini, Italy.

The EU ECO-TANDEM Team invites traditional tourism SMEs, startups, innovators, students, young entrepreneurs, tourism professionals who are in the public and private sectors, destinations and local administrations to learn more about what you can do to protect the earth while traveling! Becoming sustainable can be done on every level, let’s join this green revolution and make a difference together with the EU ECO-TANDEM Programme !

THE INFO-DAY

"EU ECO-TANDEM Info-Day"

On the 13th of October, starting from 4:30 to 5:30 PM CEST, the ECO-TANDEM team will give an in-depth presentation of the programme and digitalisation in tourism.

The info-day is a great opportunity to discover how the EU ECO-TANDEM Programme aims to reshape tourism services, products and processes in compliance with more responsible and eco-sustainable solutions. Our programme offers you the possibility to set up new collaborations to boost sustainable tourism development through transational cooperation and knowledge transfer.

If you are interested in the programme but you are not sure if this is the right one to help you with your business transformation and network, you should not miss the opportunity to learn more about it! Discover how you can be part of our mission!

THE WORKSHOP

"Fund raising, Connecting for Greener Future"

On 14th of October, starting from 3:00-4:00 PM CEST , the ECO-TANDEM Workshop will be held. During the workshop, you will be able to learn more about the programme, and expand your network with other green-minded, mission-driven people who are working in the same field; or experts in the sustainable sector.

Discover how to participate in the EU ECO-TANDEM Biz Programme in order to obtain micro-financing for the green transition. The workshop will illustrate the rules or participation, the funds available to SMEs and startups in the tourism sector, as well as providing a highly interactive session to get to know the needs of SMEs when facilitating the transition to a more eco-sustainable tourism.

The EU ECO-TANDEM Team will dive into challenges faced by the tourism industry nowadays and how can we tackle by creating synergies between the key actors. Let’s discover how to innovate and become a true leader in the post-pandemic society!

The workshop will be live streamed! Get yourself registered here for the live event.

Join this green revolution for our earth, for Italy, and the future generation!

Let the EU ECO-TANDEM Programme help you to reach your green objective and tackle the challenge you are facing!

______

(*) Tourism SMEs include: a) hotels and similar accommodation; b) holiday and other short-stay accommodation; c) camping grounds, recreational vehicle parks and trailer parks; d) travel agency, tour operator reservation services and related activities.

ITKAM TALK: Sustainable Tourism. An engine for recovery - Join us on September 27, 2021!

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 13:35:52 GMT

ITKAM TALK: Sustainable Tourism. An engine for recovery - Join us on September 27, 2021!

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | 13 September, 2021

After the great success of the first edition of ITKAM TALKs , the s eries of online events in cooperation with Villa Vigoni - German-Italian Centre for European Dialogue, ITKAM realizes a brand new edition!

The tourism sector is a fundamental pillar of the European economy and is at the center of attention for the economic recovery and the Next Generation EU plan. The creation of discussion for ums and open space to boost cooperation and knowledge transfer is key to contribute to more sustainable and resilient tourism. The next edition of ITKAM TALK - Sustainable tourism: an engine for recovery, stands for this mission!

Save your date on 27th September 2021, at 6 PM CEST, and let’s explore together:

The highly digital and sustainable planning of the accommodation facilities in Cortina by Ambiente for the Winter Olympics MilanoCortina 2026 and
The best practice of Klimapatenschaft GmbH for social and environmental engagement in tourism.

Of course, the EU ECO-TANDEM is proud to take part in the ITKAM TALK! Our activities will be presented by Sonia Barani , Project Manager at ITKAM , Consortium Partner of the programme. The EU ECO-TANDEM is a well-balanced mix of sustainable education & training programs for tourism companies and professionals. We are finding ways and encouraging traditional tourism SMEs and tourism (and non-tourism) innovative startups and innovators for a mutual benefit corporation by scouting innovative solutions for helping traditional SMEs to adopt a more eco-sustainable approach in the tourism industry.

Eager to know more? Check out the Programme Agenda and register now! Don’t miss the chance to join us and interact with the speakers during the live session!

27th SEPTEMBER 2021, 6 PM

Moderator: Dr. Christiane Liermann Traniello

What‘s coming next? The EU ECO-TANDEM Biz Programme!

Tue, 20 Jul 2021 16:16:22 GMT

What's coming next?

The EU ECO-TANDEM Biz Programme!

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | 14 July, 2021

After the great success of the ACADEMY, the EU ECO-TANDEM team is thrilled to announce that we will soon be launching the EU ECO-TANDEM BIZ Programme!

What is the EU ECO-TANDEM Biz Programme?

During the EU ECO-TANDEM Biz Programme, TANDEMs composed of a start-up and a traditional SME from the tourism sector will work together on an eco-innovative pilot project. The best pilot projects will be awarded with a TANDEM voucher of 13.000 €, to be used to implement the pilot project within the tourism SME.

Who can join the programme?

Startups and tourism SMEs based from all across Europe with a specific focus on Italy, Germany and Slovakia. Companies that have participated in the EU ECO-TANDEM ACADEMY will benefit from extra points when assessing their application.

What is the timeline for SMEs and startups?

March 2022 – April 2022

You will be able to submit your application for the programme on our website.

July 2022

The startups and SMEs in the three countries will be selected to be invited to the matchmaking events. During the matchmaking events, the TANDEMs will be officially created.

September - October 2022

The TANDEMEES will work on their Plans of Action ;

December 2022

Once the selection procedure is closed, the winning TANDEMs will be invited to the awarding ceremony, where. they will receive a voucher of 13,000 € to finance the pilot project to be realised

Stay tuned for more information!

Five facts demonstrating how sustainable tourism can boost your business

Tue, 20 Jul 2021 16:16:20 GMT

Five facts demonstrating how sustainable tourism can boost your business

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | 20 July, 2021

Being sustainable is not only good for your image, but also for your turnover.

Not convinced? The EU-ECOTANDEM team has collected 5 facts to prove it to you!

Fact n.1 - Ecotourism is a growing market

A survey conducted by Booking.com showed that over half (53%) of global travelers want to travel more sustainably in the future. A more eco-conscious mindset is emerging in 2021, as coronavirus has amped people’s awareness of their impact on the environment and local communities.

Fact n.2 - Institutions will finance sustainable tourism projects in the coming years

SMEs interested in the eco-transition will have the chance to benefit from public funding.

In particular, European institutions are:

• making funds available to promote the eco-transition of the tourism market;

• increase holidaymakers' awareness of the environmental impact of their tourism choices.

Fact n. 3 - Sustainable tourism generates turnover

53% of global travelers are willing to pay more for products that demonstrate environmental responsibility - 13% more than a year ago. According to Deloitte, this trend is particularly pronounced among millennials and Generation Z.

Fact n.4 - You can have an impact on your region

The ecological transition of companies has a significant impact on local communities. Tourists themselves are paying attention to this aspect: according to a survey conducted by Booking.com among holidaymakers, more than half of respondents (55%) want to see how their money is going back into the local community .

Fact n.5 - Increased competitiveness on the global market

In the future, travellers will be more and more keen on choosing sustainable holidays. Start the eco-transition NOW to have an advantage over your competitors.

In case this is not enough … Did you know that the hotel sector accounts for around 1% of global carbon emissions, and this is set to increase?

Be a game changer and join our EU ECO-TANDEM Programme!

Get to know our team! Interview #3 ENIT

Tue, 20 Jul 2021 16:16:17 GMT

Get to know our team!

Interview #3 ENIT

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | 20 July, 2021

A few words about ENIT...

The Italian Government Tourist Board, formerly the Ente Nazionale Italiano per il Turismo ('Italian National Agency for Tourism') is the Italian national tourism board. The national Tourist Board is situated in Rome. ENIT works for Italy to promote the Country all over the world. The promotion is carried out with a corporate strategy developed by the headquarters in Rome and implemented through 28 local offices and numerous partnerships with Embassies, Italian Culture Institutes abroad, the Italian Trade Agency, chambers of commerce, Regions and local authorities.

Q1: Tell us something about yourself and your role in your organization.

Q2: In which ways is your organisation committed to sustainability? Which are your personal motivations to join the team of EU ECO-TANDEM?

Enit's strategy is based on sustainability as a tool to be made available and promoted for the growth of the sector. Enit is one of the oldest entities in the world. I would like to underline this because this longevity is symptomatic of the importance of the role of connection between public and private and of planning tourism promotion strategies through tourism bodies. It is no coincidence that Enit, which last year celebrated its 100th anniversary, determined the Italian recovery in the post-war period precisely through tourism, a decisive sector that affects over 12 percent of GDP. The connection function of Enit within the Italian System supports and determines the dialogue between operators in the private and public sector, acting as a bridge and synthesis of the moments of each to ensure the uniformity of the promotion tools and awareness of environmental awareness - assess the environmental situation of a company. More than ever, at this moment Enit is a control room to harmonize requests, proposals and debates, an ideal bridge between institutional representatives and the private world. The agency that historically played a role in reviving Italy after the war, has the know-how to tackle this emergency as well. The Italian lifestyle will come back stronger than before. The virus leads us on the path of exploiting resources. A model of tourism that favors sustainability is emerging and it is an opportunity for all operators in the sector to raise quality standards and carry out the renewal and adaptation that the sector requires. We need people who are able to rethink and reuse open spaces, for example, people who enhance and transform places for sharing, who know how to bring technology to the service of tourism and who are able to position the Italy brand on the web. It has always been a battle supported by ENIT and also contemplated in the Agency's three-year plan to distribute the flows over different periods of the year and to develop the promotion of lesser-known locations. It will be time for walks, for the rediscovery of naturalistic and open-air paths that require small groups. It will also be the time for the most exclusive experiences to be made accessible to all with the appropriate precautions. But tourism needs to be rethought to allow even those in difficult conditions to safely access places to enjoy Italy. It is time to position themselves in a competitive way on all segments that allow operators an economic recovery of expenditure and flows.

Q3: Why do you think sustainability represents a big potential for the tourism industry?

Because it favors growth in value, i.e. in a system in which the anthropogenic load of tourism creates concentrations and increases concern for the protection of the territory and its excellence, sustainable tourism represents a potential of the industry for efficiency and innovation and is an asset for the protection of the territory.

Q4: Why should a tourism SME join the EU ECO-TANDEM programme?

Companies have already joined the Eco tandem program by participating in the Academy. Over 500 companies have taken part in the project in both its training and educational versions, demonstrating great interest in the issue and learning the principles of sustainability shared at European level for value growth and protection of the territory.

Q5: Describe the EU ECO-TANDEM programme in three words.

Smart, inclusive and shareable

Q6: A last question! Which is your favourite type of sustainable vacation?

For Enit sustainable holidays are Italy all year round. To achieve a sustainability capable of distributing the flows from large hubs to small tourist pearls throughout the territory, not only during the high season but also throughout the year to discover unprecedented moments of well-being.

Calling for TANDEM Advisors! Apply until September 25th, 2021

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 13:10:46 GMT

Calling for TANDEM Advisors!

The EU ECO-TANDEM Programme launched the application for TANDEM Advisors, calling tourism and sustainable experts to be part of the mission.

Apply until September 25th, 2021!

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | 14 July, 2021

The aim of the EU ECO-TANDEM Programme is to create tandems between traditional SMEs and innovative startups, using knowledge exchange; experience sharing; education and training; innovative methods and ideas, to tackle the environmental problems tourism caused, to make the tourism industry greener and more sustainable.

The EU ECO-TANDEM will conduct the matchmaking, in order to create compatible TANDEM, composed of one tourism SME and one startup. Creating TANDEM between traditional SMEs (microenterprises included) and innovative startups is key to reach the objective of the programme: to find the solution for the sustainable issue.

Each TANDEM will have to elaborate a Plan of action for the selected challenge related to sustainability and tourism. The EU ECO-TANDEM Advisors will be providing support and guidance alongside with the TANDEMS and ensuring the EU ECO-TANDEM team is on track with their learning.

The TANDEM Advisors are crucial to be involved in the programme, they will hold regular virtual meetings to carry out monitoring and evaluation activities, selecting the most high-quality, potential SMEs and startups, to create the tandems. Furthermore, the TANDEM Advisors can provide professional guidance and assistance to the tandemees, ensuring the project development and the quality of the project.

On 1st of July, 2021, the programme officialy launched the call for the TANDEM Advisors ! The goal of the call is to recruit fifteen experts from the tourism and sustainable sectors, to ensure the quality and the stable development of the project.

The TANDEM Advisors need to fit into the criteria of having sufficient availability to review the applications of the SMEs and the startups, and to provide general consultations to the assigned Tandems (if any). The candidates also need to be highly aligned with EU ECO-TANDEM’s purpose and mission, in order to provide relevant professional coaching and guidance.

Last but not least, the TANDEM Advisors would need to fall into one of the two categories: a) having a profound knowledge in the field of tourism or related industries; or b) have a deep understanding and knowledge of green-tech startups including agile methods, digitalization aspects and innovative technologies is required for the role as an external tandem advisor.

The application for the TANDEM Advisors will close on 25th September , lasting around three months. After the applications are evaluated and the decisions are made, the selected TANDEM Advisors will be informed by an official appointment letter and further information will be communicated through email at the end of September.

The TANDEM Advisors will provide their knowledge and the support to the project, while in return, the EU ECO-TANDEM team will provide visibility of them onto the social media platforms; invitations to participate to the recognised European Research Programmes; financial compensation; and expand the network with professionals from different fields. Being a TANDEM Advisor will also give the opportunity for professional growth, and to work for a good cause and mission- to improve the ecology situations negatively impacted by tourism!

The EU ECO-TANDEM programme is really excited to involve more professionals to be part of our programme, following our mission. We believe creating a green and sustainable future requires professionalism from different fields, and we are excited to see the impact EU ECO-TANDEM is going to make!

Feel inspired? Be part of our green mission! Apply now!

EU ECO-TANDEM ACADEMY: the results!

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 11:34:06 GMT

EU ECO-TANDEM ACADEMY: the results!

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | 14 July, 2021

During the event “EU ECO-TANDEM Program: sustainable innovation in the tourism industry” within the framework of EU GREEN-WEEK 2021 , our partners highlighted the good results of EU ECO-TANDEM Academy. Check out!

What was the EU ECO-TANDEM ACADEMY ?

The ECO-TANDEM ACADEMY offered two programmes designed for entrepreneurs, managers of SMEs and tourism professionals in the public and private sector: the theory-based E CO-TANDEM Education Programme and the practically oriented ECO-TANDEM Training Programme.

The EU ECO-TANDEM Academy was: more than 500 registrations, 60 hours of webinars, more than 200 participants per session and 10 modules for each programme, 107 certifications!

The Education Programme

The EU ECO-TANDEM Education Programme was a self-study e-learning course that allowed participants to access the content at their leisure. As a course participant you got an overview of recent developments and first-hand knowledge that you can apply in your daily work.

This programme, delivered by the University of Graz, consisted of ten modules following a scientific approach to provide abundant material about the tourism industry and its future. The modules included theoretical and practical inputs enriched by case studies (good practices) and optional real-time online meetings with experts and practitioners

The format: the results of a qualitative survey conducted with the participants showed that a very large majority of the participants appreciated the format of the self-study e-learning course. Indeed, 17 out of 30 people rated 5/5 and 10 people rated 4/5.

The knowledge: a large majority (20/30) of participants estimated that they increased “very much” their knowledge about sustainable tourism through their participation in the programme.

The Training Programme

The EU ECO-TANDEM Training Programme was a real-time, online training course that was targeted towards SMEs related to the tourism supply and value chain, with emphasis in accommodation facilities, tour operators, travel agents and technology-oriented start-ups. The industry-specific modules on offer aimed to improve skills and build capacity around the standards for sustainability in the tourism industry. Three of these modules overlapped with the parallel running EU ECO-TANDEM Education Programme.

The results:

The first important result to mention is the origin of the participants. 82% of them were actors of the tourism sector. Also 31% of the applicants were SMEs or startups.

The Training Programme was also 14 final groups between 29-30 members each (initially), 10 modules, 900 slides over 10 webinars, 30 hours of training, 208 max unique attendants per webinar, 168 mean unique attendants per webinar, about 122 questions in Zoom Q&A and 35 polls were conducted during webinars.

WEBINAR POLLS

Communication

In terms of communication, the majority of participants heard about EU ECO-TANDEM Academy through the communication actions of the partners (39%) or the EU ECO-TANDEM Other Social Media (30%) .

Origin of the participants

The two most represented countries were Italy and Greece. 53% of the participants came from Italy and 12% came from Greece.
30 countries were represented, 16 are not part of the European Union.

Sustainable Tourism

For 34% of participants, sustainable tourism was a way to support the local economy. For 30%, this was the only way against climate change.

In addition, 62% of participants believed that the perception of climate change is very real. COVID-19 has had an impact on the activities of participants since 70% of them believed that the impact of the pandemic on their activities is "high". 44% believed that tourist arrivals have fallen from 50% to 65% compared to 2019.

The EU ECO-TANDEM is not only the Academy! The Programme has a lot of upcoming activities, so stay tuned and keep an eye on our upcoming info days and the workshops!

EU ECO- TANDEM programme is hosting the event during the EU GREEN WEEK 2021!

giuseppe.laquidara@x-23.org (Giuseppe Laquidara) — Wed, 26 May 2021 15:54:40 GMT

EU ECO- TANDEM programme is hosting the event during the EU GREEN WEEK!

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | May 26, 2021

What is the EU Green Week? This European event will be dedicated to the ‘zero pollution ambition’. It’s an opportunity to engage with all stakeholders and interested citizens on how we can work together to make the ambition for a zero pollution and toxic-free environment a reality. The EU ECO-TANDEM programme couldn’t miss this opportunity and decided to join this amazing initiative!

Since our programme, co-funded by the European Union, was created to boost sustainable tourism development and increase the capacity building of traditional tourism SMEs through transnational cooperation and knowledge/tech transfer it’s suting just perfectly the GREEN WEEK scope! Each tourism SME participating can embrace the opportunity of solving the existing sustainability challenges, creating the possible driver of innovation and growth not only for the tourism sector but also for the whole economy!

Our project is structured around three pillars:

The EU ECO-TANDEM Academy : Transnational education and training programmes on sustainable tourism management, circular economy, industry-specific skills improvement around standards for sustainability in travel and tourism.
The Biz Programme : A cross-border programme to identify key challenges in the tourism value chain with specific regard to sustainability, matching SMEs and innovators to tackle ECO-TANDEM challenges.
The Network Creation : Based on transnational cooperation, the programme will build powerful connections in the tourism industry for boosting sustainable innovations.

EU ECO-TANDEM is proud to be an official partner of the EU GREEN WEEK 2021. The programme partners will present the opportunities that sustainable development represents for SMEs and the challenges for the tourism sector. They will present the programs of the EU ECO-TANDEM Academy as well as the reasons why sustainable development is an excellent engine for recovery and how innovation can support the transition to a green tourism.

Did we convince you to join?

Stay tuned on June 8th at 15:00 CEST on Zoom with a rebroadcast on our YouTube channel .

This one hour and a half event will be dedicated to the presentation of the EU ECO-TANDEM Programme project.

The EU ECO-TANDEM partners will be proud to present you:

- Introduction to the EU ECO-TANDEM Programme - by X23 - The Innovation Bakery

- EU ECO-TANDEM: EDUCATION AND TRAINING FOR A SUSTAINABLE TOURISM TRANSFORMATION - by Green Evolution and Universitat Graz .

- Sustainability as an engine for recovery: knowing the market - by ENIT (Italian National Agency for Tourism)

- The Involvement of the SMEs and the startups at the EU tourism market - by ITKAM (The Italian Chamber of Commerce for Germany)

- The TANDEM in the action: how innovation can support the transition to a green tourism - by X23-The Innovation Bakery

- Open discussion: the participants will have the opportunity to talk to the speakers, asking them whatever they would like to know about the programme and its future steps!

Who can participate? Whether you are an organisation who supports the eco- sustainable transitions in tourism, an educational or training body, a tourism professional, an entrepreneur, an SME, or just curious, you can attend this event. It's open to anyone who sees sustainable development as an opportunity for the future!

What will you get from participating? T his event will be an opportunity for you to discover an innovative project and great opportunities if you work in the tourism sector. Come and discover our solutions to the sustainability issues, discuss with specialists in tourism and sustainable development, propose your ideas!

Check out below the live streamed video!

With the support of the project partners:

-X23- The Innovation Bakery | Italy

-SocialFare (SF) | Italy

-The Italian National Tourist Board (ENIT) | Italy

-The Italian Chamber of Commerce for Germany (ITKAM) | Germany

-HHL Leipzig Graduated School of Management (HHL) | Germany

-The Slovak Business Agency (SBA) | Slovakia

-The University of Graz - RCE | Austria

-Green Evolution - GE | Greece

The EU Commission supports sustainable tourism in Kazakhstan: The SWITCH-Asia SUSTOUKA project

Thu, 20 May 2021 10:03:53 GMT

The EU Commission supports sustainable tourism in Kazakhstan: The SWITCH-Asia SUSTOUKA project

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | May 20, 2021

Nowadays, the tourism industry faces global challenges caused by climate change and over-tourism in every corner of the planet. Countries worldwide are tackling the problem by implementing different strategies and initiating programs to make a shift toward sustainable solutions and lower the negative impact caused by the industry. Rethinking the concept of tourism has led to prioritizing the preservation of natural resources, social and cultural values. Responsibility, awareness and sustainability are the main principles for programmes in the tourism industry. Undoubtedly, our planet is in need of initiatives to address the roots of the problem and combat them inward of the whole tourism value chain. Taking initiatives into action is providing organizations with vital insights and good practices for further development and improvement. Programmes addressed to tackle sustainability issues in the tourism industry are playing a significant role in the transition towards a green economy and preserving the environment for the future generations.

To align the experience and good practices of European organizations to respond to sustainable tourism challenges in Kazakhstan, the European Commission has supported the launching of the SWITCH-Asia SUSTOUKA project. The project participants are EKOTEK (Spain, coordinator), the Kazakhstan Tourism Association (KTA), the Kazakhstan Association of Hotels and Restaurants (KAGiR) and ECEAT (Netherlands).

According to the Euromonitor International rating of sustainable tourism, Kazakhstan has taken 62-nd place among 99 countries. Considering the huge touristic potential of the country and emerging ecological issues, the initiative of the project launching is an absolute necessity. The SWITCH-Asia SUSTOUKA project aims to improve the situation in the tourism sector of Kazakhstan in the fields of tourism development incautious to environment approach, cultivation of authentic tourism products, and adaptation of European work standards in the tourism industry to the local market. Project aims to raise awareness and promote tourism culture, increase quality of tourism services for disabled people and adapt the Travelife sustainability certification system in MSMEs of Kazakhstan. The project has recruited small and medium enterprises from the hospitality and tourism sectors for a six weeks long online eco-educational program. The educational programme is tailored by Travelife Accommodation Sustainability for the Kazakhstan market and allows to obtain an international sustainability certificate. For further actions, the project is planned to attract more than 50 MSMEs of the Tourist Accommodation Sector in Kazakhstan, promote governmental institutions’ commitment and financing bodies in SCP practices, and create a group of SCP experts once the project is finalized.

The project is once again highlighting the importance of finding common ground on an international scale in tackling sustainability issues of the tourism industry. It comes without saying that finding synergies and promoting sustainable solutions can benefit both the local economy and improve the environment. The contribution of experienced international organizations in knowledge transfer and fostering good practices is key for boosting green business approaches and the creation of proper governmental policies.

WEBINAR: "EU ECO-TANDEM: an opportunity to grow in sustainability with EU funds"

Thu, 20 May 2021 10:03:50 GMT

WEBINAR: "EU ECO-TANDEM: an opportunity to grow in sustainability with EU funds"

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | May 20, 2021

On Friday March 12th, 2021, the EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME members participated in the webinar "EU ECO-TANDEM: an opportunity to grow in sustainability with EU funds".

Three EU ECO-TANDEM representatives presented this webinar:

Elena Di Raco, Responsable Statistical Studies and Researches of ENIT, and Communication Manager Leader at the EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME
Marika Mazzi Boém, Innovation Strategy Director of X23-The Innovation Bakery, and Project Coordinator at the EU ECO-TANDEM
Anastasiia Yakush, Project Manager of X23-The Innovation Bakery.

It was a great opportunity for them to discuss the sustainability in tourism, the trends and challenges of this sector, in particular in terms of the “after COVID-19” crisis

Elena Di Raco presented the tourism figures by refocusing her pitch on Italy. She also spoke about the future of tourism especially in terms of sustainability and social responsibility. It showed the different aspects of a very large market of proportions with many opportunities. Elena also introduced the promotion strategy in the Italian market and the perspectives of the sector regarding culture and heritage, highlighting the potential of the Italian tourism sector.

Tourism in Italy: a rapidly changing market with promising prospects.

Marika Mazzi Boém, explained the current challenges faced by the tourism sector which led to the creation of the project (e.g, climate change, over-tourism, sustainability issues). Marika continued her intervention by highlighting the challenges, the objectives, the different modalities of the EU ECO-TANDEM project and its partners.

EU ECO-TANDEM: a comprehensive project that meets the requirements of a rapidly changing market facing major challenges.

Anastasiia Yakush presented the modalities of the EU ECO-TANDEM ACADEMY: theory-based ECO-TANDEM Education Programme and the practically oriented ECO-TANDEM Training Programme. Both programmes target SMEs and startups, and professionals in the tourism sector, offering10 weeks of education and training from March 22 to May 30, 2021.

Education & Training program: an opportunity for SMEs, startups and professionals in the tourism value chain to improve skills and build capacity around the standards for sustainability in the tourism industry.

This webinar highlighted the fundamental interest of the EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME project but also the challenges, the opportunities, the main objectives, the targets and the expected results of the project.

The webinar was broadcast live on social networks. You can find it in full here.

Preview : What will summer 2021 be like for tourism in Europe?

Thu, 20 May 2021 10:03:48 GMT

Preview : What will summer 2021 be like for tourism in Europe?

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | May 20, 2021

Tourism is one of the sectors that have suffered most from the travel restrictions due to Covid-19 over the past year. With the launch of the vaccination campaign in Europe, tourism businesses and travellers are now eager to know what the tourism outlook is for summer 2021.

Thanks to data provided by our project partner ENIT - Italian national Tourism Board, the EU ECO-TANDEM team is able to provide a small preview.

An international comparison: the current scenario

Although losses are not expected to be as heavy as in 2020, no country in Europe will escape the decimation of its tourism sector in 2021. The overall European scenario suggests a decrease of -49% for 2021 compared to the results of 2019.

Source: ENIT Statistics Department on Oxford Economics, March 2021

Comparing the main competitors, the positioning shows Croatia and Portugal as the worse performances. Turkey, Spain and Italy in a medium position, while the situation seems to be better in Greece and France.

Which cities will experience the greatest tourist flow.

For 2021, the ranking of the main international cities destinations of tourist flows will see at the top Marseille (-36%), Bergamo (-44%), Bordeaux (-46%), Lyon (-48%), Turin (-49%), Valencia and Bologna (both -50%). The “Big” cities will still suffer a lot in the short term: London -73%, Barcelona (-68%), Frankfurt -66%, Berlin -64%, Florence -58%, Rome -55%. Only in 2024, many of the biggest one will finally reach the top, getting positive variations: Athens +9%, Milan +7%, Berlin +2%.

Source:ENIT Statistics Department on Oxford Economics, March 2021

Forecasts on summer 2021

According to UNWTO, international tourist arrivals decreased by 85% compared to the same period in 2019. This represented a loss of some 260 million international arrivals when compared to pre-pandemic levels, adding to the pressure on some southern European countries, which rely heavy on tourism.

Looking ahead, UNWTO has outlined two scenarios for summer 2021 , which consider a possible rebound in international travel in the second half of the year. These are based on a number of factors, most notably a major lifting of travel restrictions, the success of vaccination programmes or the introduction of harmonized protocols such as the Digital Green Certificate, planned by the European Commission:

• the first scenario points to a rebound in July , which would result in a 66% increase in international arrivals for the year 2021 compared to the historic lows of 2020. In this case, arrivals would still be 55% below the levels recorded in 2019;

• the second scenario considers a potential rebound in September, leading to a 22% increase in arrivals compared to last year. Still, this would be 67% below the levels of 2019.

Considering all the challenges, the world and the EU are facing, the hope is to have the right conditions and timing to prepare for the safe restart of travel and tourism in Europe, in order to be ready for the summer season 2021!

Get to know our team! Interview #2 SocialFare

Thu, 20 May 2021 10:03:46 GMT

Get to know our team! Interview #2 SocialFare

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | May 20, 2021

A few words about SocialFare...

SocialFare is the first Center for Social Innovation in Italy. Incubator certified by the Ministry of Economic Development, it accelerates social impact startups and innovative solutions to contemporary societal challenges, while generating new economy.

Community engagement, capacity building and co-design are at the basis of our work: we apply Systemic design, Design Thinking, Theory of Change, social finance as core methodologies to develop impact projects with our partners and stakeholders.

Q1: Tell us something about yourself and your role in your organization.

Q2: In which ways is your organisation committed to sustainability? Which are your personal motivations to join the team of EU ECO-TANDEM?

All SocialFare programs and activities are inspired by the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030 Agenda. As our goal is to support entrepreneurial projects aimed at generating positive social impact on communities, our commitment to sustainability is a natural consequence and expression of our identity. For us, sustainability encompasses three spheres: environmental (respect for resources), social (well-being of people), economic (equity).

In our solutions we try to achieve the highest possible level of sustainability on these three spheres and at the same time, from a systemic perspective, to maintain a good balance between them. We try to break the status quo with continuous experiments that introduce new dynamics and perspectives to address the complexity and social challenges of this era.

Q3: Why do you think sustainability represents a big potential for the tourism industry?

Tourism is a key sector for the economy of many European and Mediterranean countries and we cannot underestimate its impact on social, environmental and economical issues on the whole international community. Developing sustainable practices will probably and hopefully be an essential asset for operators who want to play a role in the touristic economy in the next future and this is the right time to strongly promote and encourage the eco-transition.

Q4: Why should a tourism SME join the EU ECO-TANDEM programme?

Collaboration and dialogue with different realities from us are always positive and generative of new ideas, reflections, and innovations. And EU ECO-TANDEM programme aims to pry upright on this, adding another important component, which is a clear and shared goal: looking at rethinking new approach and methods of tourism with a view to environmental, social, and economic sustainability, the collaboration between such different subjects (i.e. start-ups and traditional SMEs) can truly represent a way of generating new economy.

By putting themselves into play at an international level, participants leave their comfort zone to co-design new resilient ways to react to the current context, which is particularly difficult.

Q5: Describe the EU ECO-TANDEM programme in three words.

Collaborative, innovative, focused.

Q6: A last question! Which is your favourite type of sustainable vacation?

In SocialFare, we consider collaboration with communities of practice and the local context as fundamental, as a starting point for defining shared and co-designed innovations. And in agreement with this belief, the ideal tourism for us is the one that really lives the local territory, with a view to a journey of discovery.

The renaissance of long-distance trains in Europe

Thu, 20 May 2021 10:03:45 GMT

The renaissance of long-distance trains in Europe

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | May 20, 2021

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in rail journeys and by the end of 2021 this will be further encouraged by the return of long-distance trains which will retrace the routes of the original trains operative in Europe between 1950s and 1970s. While in those years trains were the most chosen way of transport for travels, starting from the 1980s they have been progressively replaced by low cost flights.

These cheaper, faster and frequent flights have largely spread in the last thirty years becoming the most used way of transport for travels throughout Europe.

However, over recent years there has been a remarkable turnaround . In fact, according to Eurostat , in 2018 eight billion of passengers travelled on railway stations in Europe in the face of one billion people who travelled by plane.

The push towards a greater use of trains as means of transport comes, on the one hand, from the European initiatives and policies. The EU, in conformity with the Agenda 2030 - Sustainable Development Goals Programme adopted by the UN, set the aim of promoting a more sustainable mobility that leads to a reduction of CO2 emissions and encourage travelers to choose alternative means of transport to planes. In this regard, trains are surely the best option considering that the emissions per capita of a train are 1/10 of those of a plane!

Secondly, there is a strong will to reinforce the cross-border dimension of the European rail transport so that it may become a symbol of cohesion and European integration.

At the same time, tourists’ changing needs and priorities in the way of experiencing travel is pushing towards a larger use of trains. Apart from the ongoing sanitary emergency, for several years now tourists have been more likely to choose trains as alternative means of transport to planes or buses. This is because, especially among young people , there is a stronger environmental awareness also in the tourist sector, which is gradually motivating consumers to choose more environment-friendly ways of traveling together with the progressive rediscover of Slow Tourism. Additionally, new technologies make trains faster and more efficient rendering them an optimal solution that combines the respect for the environment and needs of comfort.

Concretely, the EU is implementing the TEE 2.0 Programme (TransEurope Express 2.0) , that will make the rail routes of the 1950s to 1970s operational again. The project was proposed by the German Minister of Transport Andreas Scheuer at the EU Council in 2020 and includes the partnership of several national railways companies: Deutsche Bahn (Germany), SNCF (France), OBB (Austria) and FFS (Switzerland).

Those travelers who don’t like to waste time in the travel will then have the possibility to travel by night, leaving for example from Wien and arriving in Paris the following morning, or starting from Zurich and getting in a few hours to Amsterdam.

Besides these night lines, the TEE 2.0 Programme includes also the realization of daytime routes that will be integrated with high-speed lines trains in order to establish a set of optimized railway connections, which will definitively offer the following routes:

Paris – Bruxelles – Köln – Berlin – Warsaw
Amsterdam – Köln – Basel – Milan – Rome
Berlin – Frankfurt – Lyon – Montpellier – Barcelona
Amsterdam – Bruxelles – Paris – Lyon – Barcelona

At EU ECO-TANDEM Programme we actively promote sustainable mobility in tourism and we are looking forward to travelling through Europe by train!

Astonishing start for the ECO-TANDEM ACADEMY Programme

Thu, 20 May 2021 10:03:43 GMT

Astonishing start for the ECO-TANDEM ACADEMY Programme

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | May 20, 2021

The EU ECO-TANDEM Programme Team is proud to announce that the EU ECO-TANDEM ACADEMY started on March 22nd 2021! One of our goals is to boost sustainable tourism development through knowledge transfer, and this is exactly what the EU ECO-TANDEM ACADEMY developed! A programme where theory meets practice , specially designed for entrepreneurs, managers of SMEs and tourism professionals in the public and private sector.

More than 650 participants from all over Europe – and even some non-European countries -registered for the two online courses that make up the ACADEMY, the Educational Programme and the Training Programme. Participants included companies and organizations from the tourism sector - including many hotels and tour operators - as well as academics, start-ups and public authorities.

To launch the EU ECO-TANDEM ACADEMY , two live events took place during the first week:

1) For the Educational Programme : the first live session with experts, with the Austrian company Weltweitwandern GmbH as special guest. Weltweitwandern GmbH is a tour operator specialising in intercontinental travel, combining sustainability and respect for local cultures. Founder and CEO Christian Hlade shared with the participants the motivations that led him to focus on sustainable tourism and the mission&vision of his company. A big thank Christian Hlade and his team for this inspiring contribution!

2) For the Training Programme: the first live training session, hosted by our project partner Dr. Ioannis Pappas, CEO of Green Evolution SA. About 200 participants took part in the webinar dedicated to the topic of Climate Change emergency and its connection with tourism, actively participating in the discussion and sharing their impressions and ideas. In the coming weeks, the participants of the Training Programme will be divided into working groups, to work concretely on a project assignment on the topic of sustainable tourism.

The ACADEMY will take place until 30 May, 2021, delivering 10 modules in each type of programme.

The EU ECO-TANDEM Education Programme is a self-study e-learning course that allows participants to access the content at their leisure. We developed ten modules following a scientific approach to provide abundant material about the tourism industry and its future. The modules include theoretical and practical inputs enriched by case studies (good practices) and optional real-time online meetings with experts and practitioners. The participant will get an overview of recent developments and first-hand knowledge that you can apply in your daily work.
The ECO-TANDEM Training Programme is a real-time, online training course that is targeted towards SMEs related to the tourism supply and value chain, with emphasis in accommodation facilities, tour operators, travel agents and technology-oriented start-ups. The industry-specific modules on offer aim to improve skills and build capacity around the standards for sustainability in the tourism industry. Three of these modules overlap with the parallel running ECO-TANDEM Education Programme.

Those who successfully complete the EU ECO-TANDEM ACADEMY courses will be given priority to apply for the EU ECO-TANDEM Business Programme , which will be launched in autumn 2021! Stay tuned!

The EU ECO-TANDEM Team thanks the attendees for their enthusiasm and their active participation and looks forward to checking out all the feedback!

Get to know our team! Interview #1 Project Coordinator X23, The Innovation Bakery

Thu, 14 Jan 2021 15:32:04 GMT

Get to know our team!

Interview #1 Project Coordinator | X23, The Innovation Bakery

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | Jan. 14, 2021

A few words about X23 …

Committed to innovation, research, growth and scale-up, X23 is an independent multidisciplinary, self-sustaining research center founded in 1999. Started as Xóôlab (Ferrara - Italy, 1999) a polyhedral laboratory of scientists and performers devoted to experimental research, then merged with The Twenty-Three (Milan and Rome, Italy), a lab of high-skilled strategists in industrial processes and analysts in Economics (Behavioural Economics), today X23 is catalysing multidisciplinary pioneering projects, applying its own methodology, and committing a blend of specialised skills in R&D, business growth and scale-up process to make them unfold into the real world.

Innovation (and in particular social innovation as well as innovative ways of gathering people together) and R&D is our passion and focus, as we are fully convinced this is the unique driver for progress not only in business and economic terms, but ultimately for human life in society and the ecosystem as a whole, guided by the UN SDGs.

Q1: Tell us something about yourself and your role in your organisation

Q2: In which ways is your organisation committed to sustainability? Which are your personal motivations to join the team of EU ECO-TANDEM?

Strategically, the SDGs represent our guiding principles, specifically:

GOAL 3: Good Health and Well-being

GOAL 4: Quality Education

GOAL 5: Gender Equality

GOAL 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

GOAL 10: Reduced Inequality

GOAL 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

GOAL 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

GOAL 13: Climate Action

X23 designed the EU ECO-TANDEM given the specific focus on sustainability, and sustainable development. Throughout our work, we carry out extensive and diversified research connected to sustainability issues. This combined with our expertise in providing innovation support services to enterprises in the tourism sector and beyond, made the choice to design and implement organically the EU ECO-TANDEM the only logical step.

Q3: Why do you think sustainability represents a big potential for the tourism industry?

Let's start by saying that tourism is one of the most important industries in the world and is an essential mechanism for development in many communities, where the hopes for economic improvement is firmly based on the amount of tourism revenue. The development of tourism has generally been considered a positive contribution to economic growth. However, it is important to note that the tourism industry is facing significant transformations. Considering this the importance of sustainability in tourism comes to play with its economic improvements for the local economy that sustainable tourism development can produce in the long term, taking into account all the diverse impacts that affect the different sectors and industries of the local economy. Sustainable tourism presents a big potential for the industry with its adequate utilization and management of resources to achieve economic, social and cultural needs while maintaining social, cultural integrity, ecological processes as well as biological diversity for the present as well as for the future generations.

We believe modern tourism with its trends and characteristics can not be promoted without considering the environmental management as a main component of the economic aspects of tourism.

Sustainable tourism is really an issue of how best to encourage tourism growth while minimising costs (McKrecher, 2003: 4). Sustainable tourism entails adequate utilisation and

management of resources to achieve economic, social and cultural needs while maintaining social, cultural integrity, ecological processes as well as biological diversity for the present as well as for the future generations. Therefore, modern tourism with its trends and characteristics can not be promoted without considering the environmental management as a main component of the economic aspects of tourism. sustainable tourism is really an issue of how best to encourage tourism growth while minimising costs (McKrecher, 2003: 4). Sustainable tourism entails adequate utilisation and management of resources to achieve economic, social and cultural needs while maintaining social, cultural integrity, ecological processes as well as biological diversity for the present as well as for the future generations. Therefore, modern tourism with its trends and characteristics can not be promoted without considering the environmental management as a main component of the eco- nomic aspects of tourism.

Q4: Why should a tourism SME join the EU ECO-TANDEM programme?

Because in these turbulent, unstable, constantly changing times it is important to not remain still, but rather to take charge and action to put oneself in the forefront of the shifting industry. The present times are saying sustainability is needed more than ever, and a responsible approach in the tourism sector can really make the difference. Companies are in the need to find a new way in the tourism market, innovation and sustainability can open new opportunities for SMEs then. The fact is also that transition to sustainable and responsible tourism services is not an easy process, so working with a team of highly skilled expert professionals and highly innovative companies is a great starting point.

Q5: Describe the EU ECO-TANDEM programme in three words

Innovative, transnational and game-changing.

Q6: A last question! Which is your favourite type of sustainable vacation?

Well, a shout out from all the X23 people: zero-waste!, Reducing consumption, minimising waste and maximis recycling. Preferably a vacation to destinations committed to reducing waste, like for example the island of Capri in Italy, which banned plastic bags.

We are the future we want for our future generations!

Stay tuned for the upcoming interviews!

EU ECO-TANDEM: current challenges for tourism SMEs in the EU

Thu, 14 Jan 2021 13:24:03 GMT

EU ECO-TANDEM: current challenges for tourism SMEs in the EU

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | Jan. 14, 2021

The global tourism industry is undergoing a period of transformation: from the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, to trends promoting more sustainable, inclusive and responsible tourism, to changes in consumption patterns due to digitalisation, globalisation and climate change.

We at ECO-TANDEM aim to support European SMEs from the tourism sector getting through this change, making them greener, more innovative and competitive.

To do this best, we decided to directly ask European tourism stakeholders what are the biggest challenges they are facing. In autumn 2020, we carried out a survey involving some 160 SMEs, tourism associations and other public and private sector players from Italy, Germany, Greece, Slovakia and Austria, in order to understand their needs and expectations.

SOME TAKEAWAYS FROM THE SURVEY

• 98% of the respondents agree that knowledge sharing and collaboration between actors in the tourism sector is essential to move tourism forward. Unfortunately, the involvement of innovative players and tour operators to achieve more visibility for smaller destinations still constitute a poorly developed solution.

• Most respondents are convinced of the effectiveness of new technologies and communication methods in accessing new markets and believe they make sufficient use of them.

• Emerging market segments such as health, agro and eco-tourism still have an untapped potential.

• The vast majority of interviewed agree that the Covid-19 pandemic will completely change how the tourism industry works. The major change is related to the reduction of international travels, while other changes involve an increase in flexibility for travelers, choice of transportation and diversification of destinations.

• Respondents generally attribute some importance to achieving certifications of their skills and services, but they are not well informed about the availability of certifications related to sustainability (74% of involved SMEs are not aware of such certifications).

• The significant majority of respondents are not aware of any EU funding opportunities related to the development of their sector or business, rising to the vast majority (91%) in the case of SMEs.

From this survey it emerges that there is still a long way to go before making the tourism sector more innovative and ready for the challenges of tomorrow. Greater awareness of the possibilities offered by certifications, European funds and unexplored market niches is necessary, as well as closer collaboration between stakeholders in the sector.

Get in touch with us to find out how ECO-TANDEM helps you make your company ready for the challenges of tomorrow's tourism market!

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME: Roadmap for SMEs and startups

Thu, 14 Jan 2021 13:24:00 GMT

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME: Roadmap for SMEs and startups

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | Jan. 14, 2021

In the EU ECO-TANDEM programme we work on achieving eco-sustainability in tourism. However, we need to keep in mind that sustainability cannot be reached in one day: it is rather a step-by-step process.

The EU ECO-TANDEM programme is starting a journey towards sustainable tourism by fostering the cooperation between traditional tourism SMEs and innovative startups. Our goal? Reshaping tourism services, products and processes in compliance with more responsible and eco-sustainable solutions.

As traditional tourism SME are you interested in integrating sustainable solutions in your business? As a startup are you looking for new collaborations?

The EU ECO-TANDEM programme offers you the possibility to set up new collaborations, develop an eco-innovative tourism solution and get funded!

The following roadmap will show you the steps through which our team will accompany you.

Are you a tourism SME or a startup interested in sustainability?

Let’s join our EU ECO-TANDEM programme!

You will have the chance to meet other companies interested in eco-innovation!

You will start a TANDEM collaboration with another company or startup, and you will work at a joint pilot project idea

All project ideas will be evaluated by an international board

The most promising pilot project ideas will be awarded with a grant!

Eager to know more? Drop us an email!

info@eu-ecotandem.eu

Cycling across Europe – Five national cycle paths

Thu, 14 Jan 2021 13:23:59 GMT

Cycling across Europe – Five national cycle paths

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | Jan. 14, 2021

Exploring the countryside from the seat of your bike is quite a unique approach to travelling and an extraordinary experience. No wonder that cycling holidays are becoming more and more popular.

Are you already planning your next cycle trip?

Take a look at the 5 local cycling routes recommended by our team!

ITALY - AdriaBike - The Upper Adriatic Cycle Route

The best way to help to reduce the greenhouse gases generated by traffic is by promoting cycling as a form of sustainable transport. And this is exactly what the Italian-Slovenian border regions and the Italian Northern Adriatic regions did, by creating the AdriaBike route.

What is AdriaBike? It is a cycle route that smells of mountain air, sea and salt, as it connects the Alpine town Kranjska Gora (SLO) with Ravenna (ITA) through the most beautiful places of the Italian Northern Adriatic and the Italian-Slovenian border.

The itinerary, at a slow pace, extends through the beauty of cities of art such as Koper, Trieste, Venice, Padua, Ravenna with the multiform expressions of nature of the Julian Alps, the Karst Plateau, the lagoons and the Po Delta Park. AdriaBike is not just any cycle path, the road, which stretches for about 1000 km, offers a fabulous experience that, pedal after pedal, opens up unprecedented sceneries of beaches, lagoons, unspoiled nature and unexplored flora and fauna.

The stunning cycling path which connects the Slovenian Alps and lakes with the beaches and lagoons of the Italian Adriatic can be experienced in 3 different separate routes:

Kranjska Gora – Trieste. T he emerald green road (360 km) - from the heart of the Julian Alps, along the Bovec and Tolmin valleys, through the Karst until Koper and then Trieste.
Koper – Venice. The road of the Serenissima (358,2 km) - from Istria to the Venetian lagoon. A highly fascinating route amidst land, sea, beaches and lagoons
Venice – Ravenna. The road of the merchants and the burci (348 km)
Along the rivers and lagoons of the sailors’ trading routes to reach the ancient capitals of the Upper Adriatic.

One should take themselves on the AdriaBike journey in order to explore a road that, traveled by car, will not allow you to get to know extraordinary gulfs, islets and archaeological sites.

In order to learn more about the AdriaBike route please take a look at the following website .

GERMANY - Saale Radweg - Saale Cycle Path

With around 200 long-distance cycle routes, Germany is a paradise for cyclists of all ages. One of them, the Saale Cycle Path , is appreciated as one of the most romantic natural routes in Germany. The path taking the river Saale’s name covers 403 kilometres , running through the federal states of Bavaria, Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt, from the source of the Saale in the Fichtel Mountains above Jena and Naumburg to the Saale Estuary, where it joins the River Elbe by the town of Barby.

The path's quality has steadily improved during the years, which contributes to its increasing popularity. The route is divided into 9 stages and consists of mainly asphalted, waterproofed roads that are usually car-free. The path´s road conditions are quite varied, which makes it suitable for both families and sports lovers . The frequent dams and reservoirs of Europe's largest reservoir region and the mountainous landscape at the river´s upper reaches, with its many steep slopes, might be quite demanding and are therefore particularly suited for ambitious cyclists. From Saalfeld onwards the route becomes flatter and family-friendly, and remains almost always so until the river estuary.

What makes this path stand out is its landscape : valleys with little villages, castles, palaces and ancient ruins line the banks of the river. At approx. 107 km (stage 4) the colourful stalactite caves of Saalfeld Fairy Grottoes can be enjoyed. At half stage 5 (at approx. 186 km) the 1000-year-old Leuchtenberg Castle (”Queen of the Saale Valley.“) towers 400 metres high above the valley. Another must-visit approx. 76 km later, at stage 6, is the city of Naumburg, built around its UNESCO World Cultural heritage cathedral. Lush vineyards mark the landscape of the city´s valley in the famous wine growing region of Saale-Unstrut, a must for wine connoisseurs, who often have the opportunity to enjoy a quick rest stop and picnic on a bench, while tasting local wine. July is a good month for music lovers, who can enjoy the festival “TFF Rudolstadt”, welcoming artists from all over the world.

The route is easy to reach by train . Along the path there is a huge offer in accommodation options, many of which are specially prepared for the needs of long-distance cyclists. In many places, there are rental and charging stations for e-bikes and pedelecs (pedal electric cycles). If you feel like biking a little more, you can also combine the Saale cycle path with the same region's Unstrut cycle path (191 km).

To learn more about the Saale cycling path have a look here .

SLOVAKIA – CykloKorytnička

Picture: CykloKorytnička, Autor: Renáta Jaloviarová, Pravda [1]

Slovakia offers several bike paths suitable for families with kids, recreational as well as more demanding cyclists. One of the cycling routes recommended for the families seeking a thrilling adventure with their little ones is CykloKorytnička . The trail copies the former narrow-gauge railway on the route Ružomberok - Korytnica Spa. From Ružomberok, the trail passes through parts of Biely Potok, Jazierce, Podsuchá, Liptovská Osada, Patočiny, and Korytnica. [2]

Amongst many marvellous natural sights that can be admired along this cycle path is Revúca Valley, formed by the Revúca River. This stop is considered to be recreational as well as educational, as a number of info panels teach us more about the significance and the history of the original railway.

Just a few kilometres further down the trail you can wander around the picturesque village Vlkolínec. Traditional wooden cabins have been turned to an architectural gem when painted cheerful colours, thanks to what, this village is now recognized as a UNESCO heritage site.

Moreover, the highest waterfall in the Low Tatras National Park-55 meters high Brankovský waterfall is just around the corner in Podsuchá. A stop, that is not to be missed by any nature lover.

A cherry on top of this already unforgettable trip is Korytnica with its a healing mineral spring with high iron content, where you can relax, refresh and plan your next visit. [3]

The route is 23 km long with an elevation gain of 300 m and leads across the border of two national parks - the Low Tatras and the Great Fatra. [4] From this route, you can continue to others across the whole of Slovakia and spend an amazing holiday!

If you do not dare to go on a cycling holiday on your own just yet, you can also check out professionally organized cycling holidays: here!

AUSTRIA – Murradweg - Styrias most impressive cycling route, from the source of river Mur to the Border of Slovenia

The Murradweg (Mur-Cycling-Route) is considered by connoisseurs to be the most varied river cycle path in the Alpine region in terms of scenery, and its course - slightly downhill and to many culinary destinations - makes it a true pleasure cycle path. It starts in the Hohe Tauern National Park and follows the River Mur via Austria's second biggest city, Graz, to the wine and thermal spa country in the border triangle of Austria, Slovenia and Hungary.

The cycle route is divided into 8 daily stages and covers 452.9 km. The exceptionally well described route has a real riding time of 36 hours. The main online information portal of the Mur-cycling route provides additional detailed information about arrival options, places to see, accommodation as well as events and festivals along the route.

You can easily access the Mur-Cycling-Route by train from all over Europe. If you come from far away, you can even arrive by plane, as Graz Airport is connected to the Mur-Cycling-Route.

The portal provides also travel packages for cycle tourist, which are always a combination of arrival and return tickets, detailed travel documents, overnight stays as well as tickets for museums and festivals.

Via the Austrian mobility app called "Bus-Bahn-Bim" (English: Bus-Train-Tram) you can plan your arrival and departure individually if you prefer that. Should bad weather interfere with your plans, you can use this APP to request information on all public transport services offered on all sections of the Mur-Cycling-Route. For such days we recommend that you take the train which usually offers a bicycle transportation service too. The time gained can be used in the many Styrian museums along the route.

If you prefer to cycle with light luggage, you can additionally book a luggage service that will transport your luggage to your respective next overnight accommodation.

Learn more about the Mur-Cycling-Route here .

GREECE - Dikorfo to Kipi village

Picture:Snapshot from the cycling route [Source: trekking.gr ]

Due to its natural geography, Greece offers itself for a variety of cycling options, from relaxing seaside fronts to demanding mountainous areas. One particularly beautiful region perfect for mountain biking is the Zagorochoria (Zagori Villages) and the surrounding forests.

One of the potential cycling routes starts at the picturesque Dikorfo village. Dikorfo is only one of many similar villages in the area. It contains all the elements one can typically find in these villages: Traditional stone houses and mansions, cobblestone roads, lush and untamed vegetation, spring water fountains and even some lovely murals. The village church, a restoration of an older building, was built in 1778.

After leaving Dikorfo, cyclists then enter the beech forest, where they may enjoy the lovely view of Mount Tymphe along with the Vikos Gorge, one of the most impressive and celebrated gorges of Greece. It has a length of about 20 km, depth ranging from 120 to 490 m, and a width ranging from 400 m to only a few meters at its narrowest part. The road eventually leads to Kipi village, where one can visit and admire the characteristic arched, stone bridges, Plakida and Mylos, built around the 17th to 18th century.

The Zagorochoria area is a destination suitable for all seasons, supported by a network of hiking, cycling and trekking enthusiasts.

Eager to know more? Then follow us on all our social media channels!

The profile of the European Cyclist

Thu, 14 Jan 2021 13:23:57 GMT

The profile of the European Cyclist

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | Jan. 14, 2021

Cycle tourism is becoming more and more popular in recent years: it is a healthy, environmentally friendly and flexible way of spending a holiday. Just think that in the EU there is an estimated number of 2.3 billion cycle tourism trips per year, which stand for a total economic value of 44 bn EUR! (https://ecf.com/resources/cycling-facts-and-figures)

Have you ever wondered what kind of tourist decides to spend the holidays on a bike? We have, and thanks to our partner ENIT we found out some very interesting things!

Have a look at the profile of the European cyclist to know more about it.

Eager to know more? Then follow us on all our social media channels!

The EU ECO-TANDEM academy is coming soon!

Thu, 14 Jan 2021 13:23:56 GMT

The EU ECO-TANDEM academy is coming soon!

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | Jan. 14, 2021

Professionals of the tourism industry wanted!

The EU ECO-TANDEM ACADEMY is starting soon!

Join our free educational and training programmes to develop your skills and know how about sustainable tourism management. We are looking forward to your participation in SPRING 2021.

Are you interested? Get in touch with us: info@eu-ecotandem.eu

8 Essential Reasons Why Joining the EU ECO-Tandem Programme Will Benefit You

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 16:59:19 GMT

8 Essential Reasons Why Joining the EU ECO-Tandem Programme Will Benefit You

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | Oct. 29, 2020

People across the globe will have to deal with the challenges posed by climate change. It affects in different ways and with different strengths, but common everywhere is that an effective preventive effort is needed, based on new knowledge, technological effort and good planning. All in which is implemented in the EU ECO-TANDEM project - a project focusing on changing the tourism sector to a greener and more sustainable field, making a difference on our unique planet!

Are you the owner of a traditional tourism SME or do you work there? Are you an entrepreneur of the tourism sector? Then let’s join the EU-ECO TANDEM programme! Through your participation, you will:

Boost your skills and know-how about sustainable tourism management and circular economy;
Learn how to start the eco-transition of your company;
Collaborate and learn from deep-tech start-ups;
Increase your competitiveness in the tourism market;
Have the possibility to get your eco-innovative pilot project funded;
Be part of a European network of SMEs and organisations active in the sustainable tourism sector;
Gain visibility through the project dissemination channels;
Make the difference! And contribute to the promotion of sustainable tourism at local and EU level;

Are you interested? Get in touch with us: info@eu-ecotandem.eu

How Covid-19 Has Impacted the Travel life in Europe

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 16:53:11 GMT

How Covid-19 Has Impacted the Travel life in Europe

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | Oct. 29, 2020

People across the globe will have to deal with the challenges posed by climate change. It affects in different ways and with different strengths, but common everywhere is that an effective preventive effort is needed, based on new knowledge, technological effort and good planning. All in which is implemented in the EU ECO-TANDEM programme - an initiative focusing on changing the tourism sector to a greener and more sustainable one, making a difference on our unique planet!
Interested to know how the COVID-19 has impacted the EU and in particular Italy, Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Greece? Then check it out!

We need to protect our tourism sector by implementing more sustainable solutions. Covid-19 is an excellent example of how wrong it can go if no drastic measures are changed.

Starting from 18 May 2020, all destinations around the world are observing travel restrictions for international tourism. The latest data from the UNWTO (World Tourism Organization) have a world balance in May 2020 of -55.9% of international arrivals in the world equal to a loss of 300 million international arrivals and 320 billion US $. In this scenario, Europe marks the pace with -58% of foreign arrivals. The pandemic that has hit the world has left the tourism sector stripped of its certainties. The growth trends recorded up to 2019 all over the world, and in particular in the main European destinations, thanks to the incidence with double-digit growth of the Asian and US markets, are today already a vague memory.

The difficulty for airlines to implement social distancing on aircraft is the impact on their finances. For example, IATA reports that if aircraft capacity is reduced to 62% to allow for social distancing, there are only 4 airlines (out of a sample of 122) that could break even; the other 118 airlines would lose money with load factors of less than 62%.

The international comparison shows different positions: as an example, for international arrivals of overnight tourists, Italy with an expected drop in 2020 of -58% is less competitive than Spain and the average of Western Europe (-55%) and also from Greece (-55%) and France (-54%). Compared to the Mediterranean countries, however, it is more competitive than Croatia (-68%), while it is in line with Turkey (-58% like Italy).

Germany

In Germany, as in other countries, the tourism sector suffered heavy losses due to the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic. In the first six months of 2020 alone, German hotels registered more than 100 million fewer overnight stays than in the same period in 2019. With the easing of containment measures in Germany and Europe, the sector was able to benefit from a brief recovery in the summer months. However, the turnover recorded by hotels remains significantly lower than in previous years. In July 2019, German hotels recorded -22.8% compared to July 2019.

The lack of foreign tourists, whose presence in Germany is 57% lower than in the same month of the previous year, weighed heavily.

According to estimates by the Forschungsgemeinschaft für Urlaub und Reisen (German association conducting surveys on travel behaviour), Germans generally went less on holiday this year. While usually 80% of Germans plan trips of at least one week, this year only 60-65% went on holiday for more than one weekend.

The blame lies with the insecurity dictated by the coronavirus containment measures and less money is available because of the Kurzarbeit (short-time work allowance). A survey conducted by the Meinungsforschungsinstitut Civey in July 2020 showed that the proportion of those who decided to spend their holidays within national borders has increased: 36%, up 10 percentage points compared to 2019. 26% planned a holiday in another European country and only 3% in a non-European country. According to the YouGov platform, the under24s in particular decided to cross national borders.

The German travel association (Deutscher Tourismusverband) informs that particularly popular with German tourists this summer were the seaside destinations on the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, as well as the Bavarian pre-Alps. Other regions that benefited from the boom in national tourism include the Thüringer Wald, Harz, Brandenburger Seeplatte, Eifel, Tanaus and Sauerland.

This led to a 10% increase in the prices of tourist facilities in some places. Despite this, the boom in domestic tourists is not enough to compensate for the losses suffered during the months of lockdown. In fact, hotel and gastronomy facilities have had to significantly reduce their capacity in order to ensure social distancing. Among the destinations chosen by foreign tourists in Germany are amusement parks (Miniaturland in Hamburg and Europapark in Baden Württemberg) as well as well-known cultural sites (Neuschwanstein Castle). Other places that have benefited from the arrival of foreign tourists include the city of Dresden, the Black Forest, the island of Rügen and the Romantic Road. The pandemic also affected the habits of German tourists.

According to Civey, the fear of contagion has led to an increase in the demand for holiday homes and camping, which are considered safer: 40% of those interviewed in July 2020 said they were planning to rent a holiday home, only 25% will spend their holidays in hotels and 11% have chosen camping. The preferred means of travel seems to be the car. According to a survey carried out by the Bayerische Zentrum für Tourismus (the Bavarian Tourism Institute) in July 2020, 80% of those who spend their holidays in Germany and 59% of those who travel in Europe chose to travel by car.

Despite the partial recovery in the summer months and state aid, the tourism sector in Germany will take a long time to return to pre-Covid turnover levels.

Greece

Tourism in Greece accounts for a significant percentage of the GDP, nearly 20% in recent years1. Consequently, the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic are expected to be severe and reverberate for years to come, putting a strain in Greece’s efforts to recover from a long period of economic recession. One of the three main months for tourism in Greece, July saw the number of inbound arrivals plunge by 85.4 percent to 828 thousand impacted by the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, according to provisional data released by the Bank of Greece. Overall, in the January-July 2020 period, the number incoming holidaymakers shrunk by 80.1 percent to 3,006 thousand against 15,080 thousand in the same period last year. As a result, travel receipts for the seven-month period dropped by 86.3 percent to 1.255 billion euros compared to 9.16 billion euros in the corresponding period of 20192. According to the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE) President, Greece’s travel receipts from abroad are expected to reach only 3 billion euros in 2020 due to the impact of Covid-19.

Greece’s accommodation and food services activities in July suffered the biggest blow to turnover, down by 71.4 percent as a result of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, according to data released by the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT). Overall, in the accommodation sector, Q2 turnover came to 104,682,448 euros plummeting by 94.3 percent against the same period in 2019 from 1,846,435,467 euros. Overall, businesses offering F&B services recorded 592,729,473 euros in Q2 turnover down by 59 percent against the same trimester in 2019 from 1,446,782,662 euros4. ELSTAT’s previous report also covered data on turnover for enterprises that suspended operations as a result of the Covid-19 crisis. Of the 205,984 enterprises that suspended operations, turnover in Q2 2020 came to 3,232,618 thousand euros, a 55.9 percent decline against Q2 2019 from 7,329,184 thousand euros. In this time, services providers in accommodation and entertainment (motion picture, video and television program production, sound recording and music publishing) recorded the largest decrease in turnover in Q2 down by 94.7 percent and 88.4 percent, respectively.

Overall year on year, Greek enterprises recorded approximately 4.2 billion euros in losses from 24,026,048 thousand euros to 19,832,471 thousand or down by 17.5 percent over a year (from July 2019 to July 2020) due to the outbreak of Covid-19. The smallest decrease in turnover in Q2 2020 against Q2 2019 was seen in public administration and defence; social security (0.5 percent) and agriculture, forestry and fishing (3.4 percent).

Some of the measures undertaken by the Greek government to help in the coming months include a series of tax breaks, the launch of a 600-million-euro “Save for Tourism” programme aimed at supporting the sector and developing sustainable hotels; a second round of grants; the extension of VAT tax cuts in transport and F&B, as well as reductions in social security contributions; a two-month extension of unemployment benefits; the reduction in social security contributions required for seasonal staff to be eligible for unemployment benefits; extending the contract suspension period to October to avoid dismissals; as well as additional time for the deferment of tax payments5. Finally, the residents of 28 small and remote Greek islands are now exempt from paying the unified property tax (ENFIA) from 2020 onwards.

Italy

In the weekly monitoring of Italy, in the twenty-fourth week of observation on the trend of airport arrivals in 2020, the losses indicate an overall figure of -83% from 1 January to 23 August compared to the same period in 2019, due to the continuation of closures to and from numerous foreign countries.

Due to the prolonged restrictions, the most evident decreases remain those from China which fell by -90.9% (maximum value) and from the USA (-89.5%). France is still the market with the lowest overall decline, which stands at -70.9%. The decline in bookings does not stop, equal to -92.5% from 24 August to 4 October, with the exception of the French market which drops only -75%, the Netherlands to -80% and Germany to - 81.5% while the UK are still at -87.1%. These decreases are now correlated with the situation of the tourism-issuing country and much less with the Italian situation. Worse, therefore, China (-99.2%), Russia (-98%) and the US market which falls by -96.1% followed by Spain which collapsed to -94%.

The negative impacts on arrivals with international overnight stays in 2020 are confirmed, with a decrease of -58%, equal to 37 million visitors. Also in terms of the economic impact on tourism expenditure incoming from abroad, the expected decline is confirmed at -24.6 billion euros in 2020 compared to the level of 2019. The downward trend of -31% (16 million visitors) is also confirmed on the domestic market; domestic overnight stays are expected to be lower by 46 million in 2020 compared to 2019. There is a recovery on domestic holidays of 40% of Italians who were previously outgoing.

The impact on the flow of tourism spending by internal visitors is confirmed in decline by almost 44 billion euros in 2020 compared to the level of 2019.

In an international comparison between individual tourist destinations, the strong internationalization rate of our art cities is defined as leading them to negative rates - Florence -63.9% of international arrivals, Naples -61.5%, Venice -60 , 7%, Rome -60.5% - comparable with those of Nice-Cannes (-61.8%), Barcelona (-59.2%) and Paris (-57.9%). In 2020 Italy will have a slightly more negative impact on flows than Spain and Western Europe in total, and a comparable impact with France, a trend that could continue in the years immediately following.

In economic terms, keeping the total national GDP of the economy in 2019 steady, the comparison indicates that the direct contribution of tourism to the Italian economy will decrease by -2.6 percentage points in 2020 (3.2% of GDP) compared to 2019 (5,7% of GDP). Although significant, this decline is lower than that of many other countries: -4.5% in France, -3.1% in Spain. In fact, the direct contribution of tourism in Italy to the economy in general is reduced by just under half, compared to more than half for all the other selected countries. The total contribution (which includes indirect and induced effects as well as direct impact) of the sector is therefore expected to decrease by -5.8 percentage points, from 13% of GDP in 2019 to 7.2% of GDP in 2020. As for direct impacts, the expected reduction for Italy (to less than half) is lower than for the other selected countries (-7.4% Spain).

Slovakia

The percentage share of tourism in Slovakia's GDP has been around 2.6 percent in recent years. Even during the pandemic, the Slovak Business Agency have actively monitored changes in the business environment and its development. One of the most affected sectors of the economy is tourism and in Slovakia it has seen a drop in sales of up to 50% compared to the last year. As part of measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus, selected retail and service facilities were closed in Slovakia. Quarantine measures significantly affected small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which have problems with cash flow and maintaining employment due to the economic downturn. According to the SBA´s survey, 53 243 SMEs have terminated their activities (it is 8.9% of all active SMEs in the Slovak Republic). The highest share of entrepreneurs experiencing a decrease in sales are from the food and beverage sector (97.2%) and accommodation services (92.3%), followed by those in educational and health services (84.7%), arts, leisure and entertainment (82%), and personal services (80.9%).

On 25 June 2020, the Slovak government approved a package of 114 measures called “Lex corona”. It is the largest package in Slovakia’s modern history intended for improving the business environment and reducing administrative burdens. However, results of a survey on state aid, which was attended by 1 043 respondents from the sector of small and medium-sized enterprises and self-employed persons showed, that the state support for entrepreneurs needs to be simplified. The most critical perception of the measures reported businesses from the foodservice sector (76.1%), accommodation (69.2%) and arts, entertainment and recreation (63.9%), which includes sport activities or organization of events.

One of the reasons is, that the measures to help entrepreneurs and employers are general and non-addressed so a large part of tourism establishments were unable to utilize this assistance. Although the interest of Slovaks to stay in Slovakia and spend their holiday here has increased, the situation is still critical.

The summer season was positive especially for the owners of small cottages, because people have changed their preferences and they are looking for accommodation in solitude. After the partial freeing of measures and the reopening of establishments in June 2020, the interest in holidays in cottages, apartments, or smaller boarding houses was the first to be renewed. However, Slovakia lacks foreign tourists. As of 15th of September 2020, 20,000 people working in the tourism sector had been made redundant as a result of the Corona crisis, and further redundancies are foreseen. This is also due to the fact, that in Slovakia we record several tourism establishments where traffic did not increase during the summer months, and which are in the worst economic situation, especially city hotels, congress hotels, spas, which are also the largest employers. Travel agencies lost almost all clients overnight. 160 000 people currently work in Slovak hotels and restaurants. The general manager of the Association of Hotels and Restaurants, Marek Harbulak, asked the government and the representatives of political parties to start preparing measures to mitigate the negative impacts on tourism, which are currently impacting mostly small and medium-sized enterprises. Association of Hotels and Restaurants has concrete suggestions on how to support Slovak tourism. They want to negotiate with the government and come up with solutions together. To be heard, they organized a protest in front of the government office and initiates a Petition for the support of the tourism sector mostly affected by measures against the spreading of COVID-19. Read more about the situation in tourism caused by COVID-19 at the European level: Global Entrepreneurship Monitor: Diagnosing COVID-19 Impacts on Entrepreneurship; European Parliamentary Research Service: COVID-19 and the tourism sector.

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EU ECO-TANDEM actors: meet your sustainable pilgrims!

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 16:48:41 GMT

EU ECO-TANDEM actors: meet your sustainable pilgrims!

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | Oct. 29, 2020

People across the globe will have to deal with the challenges posed by climate change. It affects in different ways and with different strengths, but common everywhere is that an effective preventive effort is needed, based on new knowledge, technological effort and good planning. All in which is implemented in the EU ECO-TANDEM project - a project focusing on changing the tourism sector to a greener and more sustainable field, making a difference on our unique planet!

The ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME Programme will be implemented by a very well balanced Consortium , a constellation of partners from the tourism, education and training (specifically in the field of sustainable and responsible tourism), business support organisations, incubators and accelerators with a long track-record in providing training, promoting tourism, providing business support services to SMEs and start-up, with a specific focus on innovation and in the social impact

P1 - X23 srl

X23 srl (Project Coordinator) is a business support organisation based in Milan and Rome bringing over 25 years’ private sector expertise in supporting new entrepreneurs, established businesses and corporates. X23 is committed to innovation and to boost the growth potential of innovative start-up and SMEs to compete at EU and global level.

P2 - SocialFare

Social Fare is the first Center for Social Innovation in Italy and a social impact incubator certificated by the Italian Ministry for Economic Development. It accelerates the best social impact startups - ideas that can develop innovative solutions for pressing social challenges - selected through the international call FOUNDAMENTA. The startups and enterprises accelerated by SocialFare are supported financially by SocialFare Seed and have the opportunity to present in front of a prestigious panel of investors during the Social Impact Investor Day.

P3 - ENIT

The Italian National Tourist Board has been founded in 1919 as ENIT (Ente Nazionale Italiano per l’Incremento delle Industrie Turistiche). - the Italian National Tourist Board - is supervised by the Ministry in charge of tourism and adopts its own accounting and administration regulations in working for the Italian System to promote the Country all over the world. In the next few years, Italy’s tourism development will be focused on a value growth to generate economic, social and cultural sustainability, as to increase the value of the territories and businesses, as well as market relevance, and brand positioning.P3. The Italian National Tourist Board has been founded in 1919 as ENIT (Ente Nazionale Italiano per l’Incremento delle Industrie Turistiche). - the Italian National Tourist Board - is supervised by the Ministry in charge of tourism and adopts its own accounting and administration regulations in working for the Italian System to promote the Country all over the world. In the next few years, Italy’s tourism development will be focused on a value growth to generate economic, social and cultural sustainability, as to increase the value of the territories and businesses, as well as market relevance, and brand positioning.

P4 - ITKAM

The Italian Chamber of Commerce for Germany (ITKAM) It is a German registered non-profit bilateral association, founded 1911. ITKAM has three offices in Germany, Frankfurt am Main (Headquarter) Berlin and Leipzig as well as representative offices in Italy and Austria. ITKAM counts over 500 member companies. In 2017 they gave assistance to 3.000 companies, creating for them 3.500 international business contacts. ITKAM operates as a business network and acts as a gathering point offering enterprises a full range of services, such as consultancy to SMEs in business development and internationalization.

P5 - Leipzig Graduated School of Management

Leipzig Graduated School of Management (HLL) is a private business school in Germany. Founded 120 years ago in 1889 by local entrepreneurs in Leipzig, HHL has today established itself as a premier provider of graduate management education and -research in Germany and Europe. HHL currently offers five study programs: a full-time and a part-time Master Program in Management (M.Sc.), a full-time and a part-time Master Program in General Management (MBA) as well as an Executive MBA program. As a university-level institution, HHL also offers a doctoral program leading to a PhD in Management.

P6 - The Slovak Business Agency (SBA)

The Slovak Business Agency (SBA) is the key and oldest specialized non-profit organization for the support of SMEs in Slovakia. SBA was founded in 1993 by a common initiative of the EU and the Government of the Slovak Republic. It is a unique platform of public and private sectors and for more than 25 years has been supporting development and growth of Slovak SMEs. SBA provides a complex support to SMEs at the national, regional and local level and improves their competitiveness within the single EU market as well as in the non- EU markets

P7 - The University of Graz - RCE

The University is ranked as one of Austria’s principal intellectual institutions. The Faculty of Environmental, Regional and Educational Sciences (URBI) is committed particularly to sustainable futures and hosts the Regional Centre for Expertise (RCE Graz-Styria) that fosters regional, national and global co-operations and empowers strategies to implement sustainable development, being experienced in analysing and planning future regional developments relying on an inter- and transdisciplinary approach.

P8 - The Association for Waste Prevention - Austria (ARGE)

ARGE provides services in the fields of sustainable development and municipal waste management mainly for public organizations, authorities, public institutions, social and private enterprises. The products are (online) training courses, seminars, conferences, events, working groups, networks, publications, documentation, research, communication processes, concepts, consulting and lobbying for thematic issues. ARGE developed and established the profession municipal environment and waste adviser in Austria.

P9 - Green Evolution SA (GE)

GE was created in the midst of the climate change era by a group of environmental, engineering, financial and legal experts who are specialists in environment, energy and carbon finance. Through innovative technical & financial services, GE’s vision is to help in the creation of a sustainable and secure future based on a carbon-neutral model where individuals and firms make their own contribution. GE designs and implements strategies and projects on greenhouse gas management, including assessing, accounting, reducing and offsetting the carbon footprint of business service operations, manufactured products.

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EU ECO-Tandem programme is paving the way for a greener and more sustainable tourism future

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 16:48:37 GMT

EU ECO-Tandem programme is paving the way for a greener and more sustainable tourism future

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | Oct. 29, 2020

People across the globe will have to deal with the challenges posed by climate change. It affects in different ways and with different strengths, but common everywhere is that an effective preventive effort is needed, based on new knowledge, technological effort and good planning. All in which is implemented in the EU ECO-TANDEM Programme - a project focusing on changing the tourism sector to a greener and more sustainable field, making a difference on our unique planet!

Nuovo paragrafo

The main objective of the EU ECO-TANDEM Programme project is to strengthen sustainable tourism development and to support the capacity of tourism SMEs in adopting more eco-sustainable and responsible approaches in the tourism industry through transnational cooperation and knowledge transfer.

Even more after the Pandemic, more sustainable and responsible approaches and methodologies will be at the forefront of the tourism value chain: more travelers who are attentive to sustainability, who want more unique holidays and who seek to be immersed in the territory and their cultures and explore unspoiled environments. This poses the challenge of how tourism professionals are able to cope with responsible and sustainable competences, skills and technological / process / service innovation.

The challenge, however, is that people and companies from different disciplines do not naturally start cooperating with each other: although tourism companies are often very open to collaboration, they lack the interdisciplinary resources and skills needed to organize such collaborations.

And here is where the ECO-TANDEM Programme will change the game in the tourism industry.

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BEST PRACTICE FROM SLOVAKIA

BEST PRACTICE FROM GERMANY

The Protagonists... The EU ECO-TANDEM Winner TANDEMS!

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SUSTAINABILITY IS THE NEW ERA OF TOURISM

The EU ECO-TANDEM programme at the fair TTG Travel Experience in Rimini

Throwback: Matchmaking events in September 2022

The new phase EU ECO-TANDEM Biz Programme is taking off!

Get to know our team! Interview #8 Green Evolution

The EU ECO-TANDEM is the Italian national winner of the European Enterprise Promotion Awards 2022 edition!

Get to know our team! Interview #7 Uni Graz

Get to know our team! Interview #7 Uni Graz

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | 25th July, 2022

Let’s match sustainability in tourism! EU ECO-TANDEM matchmaking events

Let’s match sustainability in tourism!

The EU ECO-TANDEM matchmaking events

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | 25th July, 2022

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EU ECO-TANDEM presented in the International Tourism Congress in Uruguay!

Biz Programme Q&A session on April 21st 2022

EU ECO-TANDEM Biz Programme: registrations open until May 15th

The 5 eco-challenges for sustainable tourism innovators

Get to know our team! Interview #6 SBA

Get to know our team! Interview #6 SBA

Housesitting: a low-cost idea for your sustainable vacation

News from our Ambassadors edition #2 !

News from our Ambassadors edition #1!

News from our Ambassadors edition #1!

EU ECO-TANDEM presented during the EU Industry Week!

EU ECO-TANDEM is presented during the EU Industry week 2022- “Towards a full green and digital transformation: the role of EU SMEs and startups in the travel and tourism industry”!

ECO-TANDEM Biz Programme: Rules for Participation

Call for ECO-TANDEM Ambassador still open!

Tell us your opinion on eco-sustainability challenges!

Get to know our team! Interview #5 HHL

Digital technologies: an asset for the eco-transition of the tourism industry

Sustainable Solutions for the tourism of the future: EU ECO-TANDEM Info-day & Workshop

Sustainable Solutions for the Tourism of the Future: EU ECO-TANDEM Info-day & Workshop organised by UNI GRAZ

EU ECO-TANDEM Slovak Info day

EU ECO-TANDEM Slovak Info day:

“Solutions for sustainable tourism”

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | 23 November, 2021

Watch now the recording of the EU ECO-TANDEM Slovak info-day!

Sustainable tourism and innovation: EU ECO-TANDEM Info-day & Workshop

Sustainable tourism and innovation: EU ECO-TANDEM Info-day & Workshop organised by SocialFare

Two appointments for professionals, SMEs, startups, young entrepreneurs and interested students to innovate the world of tourism with a focus on sustainability!

Glamping, Workation, Staycation: trends in the eco-sustainability tourism

Glamping, Workation, Staycation: trends in the eco-sustainability tourism

Have a look at the latest tourism trends!

Get to know our team! Interview # 4 ITKAM

Get to know our team!

Interview # 4 ITKAM

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | 28 October, 2021

High-Level Advisory Board: Let’s meet our experts!

High-level Advisory Board

Let's meet our experts!

Finance

Tourism & Sustainability

Info-day EU ECO-TANDEM in Germany

Info-day EU ECO-TANDEM in Germany:

﻿ Funding Programme for Sustainable Tourism

Big news for all SMEs and startups based in Germany!

Events in Italy: EU ECO-TANDEM Info-Day and Workshop!

Events in Italy:

EU ECO-TANDEM Info-Day and Workshop

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | 29 September, 2021

Eager to know more about the EU ECO-TANDEM Programme activities and next steps? Then don't miss the chance to join us on the EU ECO-TANDEM INFO-DAY and EU ECO-TANDEM WORKSHOP ! Organised by X23 and ENIT , the events will be held in the Italian language and physically happening in Rimini, Italy.

ITKAM TALK: Sustainable Tourism. An engine for recovery - Join us on September 27, 2021!

ITKAM TALK: Sustainable Tourism. An engine for recovery - Join us on September 27, 2021!

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | 13 September, 2021

What‘s coming next? The EU ECO-TANDEM Biz Programme!

What's coming next?

﻿ The EU ECO-TANDEM Biz Programme!

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | 14 July, 2021

Five facts demonstrating how sustainable tourism can boost your business

Five facts demonstrating how sustainable tourism can boost your business

EU ECO-TANDEM PROGRAMME | 20 July, 2021

Get to know our team! Interview #3 ENIT

Get to know our team!

Funding Programme for Sustainable Tourism

Eager to know more about the EU ECO-TANDEM Programme activities and next steps?

Then don't miss the chance to join us on the EU ECO-TANDEM INFO-DAY and EU ECO-TANDEM WORKSHOP ! Organised by X23 and ENIT , the events will be held in the Italian language and physically happening in Rimini, Italy.

The EU ECO-TANDEM Biz Programme!