The Next Generation funds will finance the four lines of subsidies that have just been launched by the Ministry of Tourism and which include specific items for the municipalities of the Way of St. James.

Boosting the tourism sector is the common denominator of the four lines of aid that the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism has announced in recent days. These four initiatives will be financed by Next Generation funds with a total amount of just over 60 million euros and will allow action in various areas such as the digitisation of companies and tourist destinations, and the promotion of experiences in the international market.

The largest item corresponds to the first call of the Experiences Spain programme, which is endowed with 26 million and aims to “increase and improve the experiences that make up the tourism offer of Spain” through national initiatives or involving at least three autonomous communities, for promotion in international markets. Of this total of 26 million, 5 million will be reserved for projects related to Xacobeo 21-22, and the amount of the subsidies will be between a minimum of 200,000 euros and a maximum of 2 million. It is aimed at associations, federations, foundations and duly registered economic interest groups, tourism companies and SMEs, and local, regional, provincial or autonomous public entities that act as tourism cooperation bodies. The deadline to apply for this call will be open from 15 February to 15 March.

The digitisation of companies in the tourism sector through aid for the development and implementation of projects in the so-called “last mile” will receive a further 25 million euros. A total of 20 million will be distributed to projects incorporating emerging or newly developed technologies with medium/low technological risk through grants of between 500,000 and 5 million. The remaining 5 million will be used to finance projects for the implementation of new technologies previously tested on the market and with a low risk. In the latter case, grants will range from 300,000 to 750,000 euros.

Local entities belonging to the Network of Intelligent Tourist Destinations that want to incorporate technologies to attract tourists and improve their experiences are the recipients of another call for proposals with a budget of 6 million euros. Each beneficiary may receive between 100,000 and 500,000 euros and undertake projects that facilitate access to tourists from their place of origin, provide them with real-time information at the destination and access to tourism products, develop ICT tools to optimise management and promote the incorporation of centralised systems for purchasing technological needs, monitoring of competing destinations and management of environmental resources.

The fourth call made public in recent days by the Ministry of Tourism is also aimed at local entities of the Network of Smart Tourist Destinations, although in this case only to those that are part of the Way of St. James and that present projects in groups of between 3 and 8 entities. The 5 million that is endowed this initiative framed in the National Tourism Plan Xacobeo 2021-22 will be distributed in grants of between 500,000 and 1 million euros. The actions that may be financed are strategic plans related to digital transformation, projects to modernise destination management, actions in the areas of quality, training and entrepreneurship, and other proposals aimed at improving infrastructure, the natural environment and services available to pilgrims.

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