The digitization of the tourism sector is key to continuing to attract increasingly hyper-connected tourists with higher value-added stays. It is also one of the areas where Spain has the greatest room for improvement, according to the tourism competitiveness indicators measured by the World Economic Forum. And today competitiveness has a lot to do with developing new digital capabilities that help us attract customers and improve their experience.
For this reason, the plan for the modernization and competitiveness of the tourism sector being financed by the Government of Spain with Next Generation EU funds devotes preferential attention to the digitization of tourism companies and destinations.
In this regard, the Official State Gazette (BOE) has published the order of bases that will regulate the granting of a first call for aid to intensify the digitization of companies in the tourism sector, with a budget of 25 million euros aimed at the development and implementation of unique and transformative technological projects.
As indicated in the aforementioned Bulletin, this aid is aimed at “last mile” digitalization projects in companies in the tourism sector, which will be eligible in the form of groups of companies for subsidies from the ‘Spain Can’ Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, ranging from 300,000 to 5,000,000 euros.
This program is part of the Plan for the modernization and competitiveness of the tourism sector (component 14) that incorporates the Recovery Plan and is structured around two lines of action:
Line 1: For innovative technological development projects that incorporate emerging or newly developed technologies with medium/low technological risk and that make it possible to improve the competitiveness of the tourism sector by incorporating emerging or newly developed technologies in the field of the internet of things, 5G, big data, cybersecurity or mobile applications, without limitation.
This line is endowed with 20 million euros and may finance projects with a minimum budget of 500,000 euros and a maximum of 5 million euros.
Line 2: For projects for the implementation and adoption of new technologies that incorporate technologies previously tested in the market with low technological risk. This line is endowed with 5 million euros and may finance projects with a minimum budget of 300,000 euros and a maximum of 750,000 euros.
The deadline to apply for these grants will be open for one month from the publication of the extract of the call in the Official State Gazette. The Ministry has set up the following mailbox to answer questions: consultas.ayudas@segittur.es.
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