Programme Category
Programme Name
Programme Description
The Single Market Programme (SMP) covers the single market, competitiveness of enterprises, including small and medium-sized enterprises, the area of plants, animals, food and feed, and European statistics. Specifically, the programme brings together aspects in order to streamline, exploit synergies and provide a better flexible, transparent, simplified and agile framework to finance activities aiming at a well-functioning sustainable internal market.
Identifier Code
Call
Summary
The purpose of this call for proposals is to support the establishment of thematic and/or geographic touristic routes and development of associated tourism ecosystems.
Detailed Call Description
Touristic routes may be organised around a shared theme (“thematic routes”), connecting sites through a common narrative regardless of geographical proximity, or around physical continuity (“geographic routes”), linking geographically connected sites within a defined territory, which may extend across regional or national borders.
Route ecosystems refer to structured and collaborative networks built around a tourism route, bringing together Destination Management Organisations (DMOs), small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and a wide range of complementary stakeholders. These may include regional and national business support organisations (BSOs), cultural and heritage institutions, environmental and civil society organisations, transport and mobility providers, as well as public authorities at local, regional, and national levels. Together, these actors form a dynamic and interconnected community, characterised by continuous interaction, shared responsibilities, and joint value creation across the entire route. The development of route ecosystems is essential to move beyond isolated tourism products towards integrated, experience-based destinations.
The consortium shall establish and develop at least one of the following configurations:
- Minimum one transnational route (thematic or geographic);
- In case of no transnational routes, minimum two national routes (thematic or geographic) implemented in two different eligible countries.
Proposals including a higher number of routes (national and/or transnational) are encouraged.
In case of national routes, the proposals shall clearly explain the added value of international consortium cooperation and DMO partnerships. Transnational routes are routes covering a minimum of two eligible countries (EU Member States or SMP/SME pillar associated countries).
As a result of the action (at the end of co-funding period), routes and their associated ecosystems shall be fully operational and supported by a thriving, well-structured, and collaborative network of SMEs, DMOs, and relevant stakeholders which form the associated ecosystem.
Call Total Budget
Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan
The estimated available call budget is €6.900.000.
This budget might be increased by maximum 20% to fund an additional proposal, depending however on the availability of additional call budget. It is expected that 5 projects will be funded.
Project budgets (requested grant amount) are expected to range between €1.200.000 and €1.400.000 per project.
This does not however preclude the submission/selection of proposals requesting other amounts. The grant awarded may be lower than the amount requested.
Projects should normally range between 30 months and 48 months. Extensions are possible, if duly justified and through an amendment.
Thematic Categories
- Small-Medium Enterprises and Competitiveness
- Tourism
Eligibility for Participation
- Associations
- International Organisations
- Legal Entities
- Other Beneficiaries
- Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
- Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
- State-owned Enterprises
Eligibility For Participation Notes
In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must:
− be legal entities (public or private bodies)
− be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
− EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs))
− non-EU countries:
− listed EEA countries and countries associated to the Single Market Programme or countries which are in ongoing negotiations for an association agreement and where the agreement enters into force before grant signature (list of participating countries).
Indicative list of relevant entities eligible: destination management organisations (DMOs) , business support organisations (BSOs), training institutions, local administrations, national competence centres, professional trade associations destination branding agencies , technology providers (TravelTech), environmental & heritage NGOs, tourism observatories , transportation authorities (“last-mile” connectivity and sustainable mobility).
Within the scope of this call for proposals, a BSO relates to a business incubator/accelerator, start-up, lab, innovation hub, university or educational institution, research centre and any other relevant organisation with a proven capacity and experience in running business support activities focused on SMEs.
Proposals must be submitted by a consortium of applicants (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities), which complies with all following conditions:
- minimum five (5) and a maximum eight (8) independent entities;
- minimum three (3) destination management organisations (DMOs) from minimum 2 different eligible countries;
- minimum two (2) business support organisations (BSO) from minimum 2 different eligible countries.
Applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) may submit only ONE proposal under the same call (and be awarded a funding).
Applicants may NOT participate in several proposals. If they participate or submit several proposals, only one application will be accepted and evaluated; the applicants will be asked to withdraw from the other applications (or they will be rejected).
Call Opening Date
Call Closing Date
National Contact Point(s)
Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry
Industry and Technology Service
1421, Nicosia, Cyprus
Email: sit@meci.gov.cy