Companies in the tourism sector can now apply for aid launched by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism to the development of innovative technology-based projects. The submission period is open until March 13, 2024, inclusive.
Beneficiaries are groups made up of companies in the tourism sector; companies whose activity allows them to become technological partners with demonstrable experience in the tourism field, and professional and business associations that have a direct relationship with the tourism sector. They are intended for SMEs, large companies, start-ups, and professional and business associations in the tourism sector.
The objective is to mobilize those unique and transformative projects that cover easily scalable and replicable processes and products with a clear orientation to the end user, and that contain, among others, improvements in digitalization and intelligence applied to management, promotion, enhancement and dissemination for destinations and the tourism sector.
The program consists of three calls, with a total amount of 104 million euros, divided as follows:
The first line is aimed at development projects of medium/low technological risk, with a budget of €30 million. The projects presented must be development projects with an applied nature, very close to the market (technology maturity level TRL 6-8). It focuses on emerging or newly developed technologies in the field of the Internet of Things, 5G, big data, cybersecurity or mobile applications, without limitation. The minimum budget is €300,000, and the maximum is €3 million.
The second line focuses on projects for the implementation and adoption of new technologies with low technological risk, with a budget of €24 million. The projects must be demonstrators of knowledge and/or technologies previously tested in the market (technology maturity level TRL 8-9). It focuses on emerging or newly developed technologies in the field of the Internet of Things, 5G, big data, cybersecurity or mobile applications, without limitation. The minimum budget is €200,000, and the maximum is €750,000.
And, finally, the third line is aimed at implementation and adoption projects by SME companies of technologies previously tested in the market, with low technological risk or in general of digitalization processes of their activities. They have technologies linked to sensorization, visitor safety, related to tourist demand, linked to sustainability, rationalization and optimization of resources, and linked to management. The minimum budget is €20,000, and the maximum is €300,000.