Funding calls

08 June 2026

Ignite Innovation in Tourism: Portugal's €30 Million Grant Program

Adventure tourism

Coastal, maritime and inland water tourism

Cultural tourism

+44 more

27/05/2026May

Portugal is set to revolutionize its tourism industry with the "Growing with Tourism Support Program," offering a remarkable €30 million in grants. This initiative invites public entities, nonprofits, and SMEs to submit innovative projects aimed at modernizing and enhancing tourism across Portugal, including Madeira and the Azores. With a focus on sustainability, digitalization, and competitiveness, the program opens doors to transformative opportunities throughout 2026.

27/05/2026 - 31/12/2026

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Publishing org

Turismo de Portugal

Related Organisation(s)

Turismo de Portugal

Topics

Geographical descriptors

Portugal

Organisation Type

Academic / Research and VET Institutions

Business Support Organisation

Company with 250 or more employees

Cluster Organisations

Consumer Organisations

Cultural and Heritage Organisations

Destination Management & Marketing Organisations

EU Institutions

Financial Institutions and Investors

Industry Associations and Chambers of Commerce

International Organisations

Local Authorities

Media / Journalist Organisations

National authorities

Networks and Federations / Confederations

NGOs / Non-profits

Notified Bodies

Regional Authorities

SMEs (a company with less than 250 employees)

Social Economy Entity

Trade Unions

Other

Specific types of tourism
- Adventure tourism
- Coastal, maritime and inland water tourism
- Cultural tourism
- Ecotourism
- Education tourism
- Festival tourism
- Gastronomy tourism
- Health and medical tourism
- MICE tourism
- Mountain tourism
- Religious tourism
- Rural tourism
- Sports tourism
- Urban/city tourism
- Wellness tourism

Transition Pathway Strategic Areas
- Digitalisation of tourism SMEs and destinations
- Funding and support measures
- Green Transition of Tourism Companies and SMEs
- Innovative tourism services
- Sustainable mobility
- Tourism strategies

Business activities
- Activities of amusement parks and theme parks
- Activities of associations and other organisations supporting tourism
- Air passenger transport
- Camping grounds, recreational vehicle parks and trailer parks
- Events catering and other food services
- Festivals, cultural and entertainment activities
- Gardens and nature reserves activities
- Holiday Housing / Apartments and other short stay accommodation
- Hotel and similar accommodation
- Mobile beverage services
- Mobile food services
- Museums
- Operation of historical sites
- Other
- Other accommodation
- Other amusement and recreation activities
- Other food and beverage services
- Other holiday reservation services
- Other tourism transportation activities
- Rail Passenger transport
- Recreational and sport activities
- Restaurants, cafes and bars (Food and Beverage serving activities)
- Road passenger transport
- Tour operator activities
- Travel agency activities
- Water (sea, coastal and inland) passenger transport

The "Growing with Tourism Support Program," a groundbreaking initiative by Portugal, is designed to drive substantial growth and innovation within its tourism sector. With a total budget of €30 million, the program offers project grants to a wide range of beneficiaries, including public entities, private non-profit organizations, and SMEs with a focus on enhancing tourism through social innovation and development models.

The application window is open continuously until December 31, 2026, or until the budget is exhausted. This program targets efforts to modernize tourism, promote competitiveness, and foster innovation, sustainability, and digitalization within the industry.

Beneficiaries include public entities with significant government involvement, private nonprofits focused on territorial development and social innovation, and SMEs engaged in social development models and collective efficiency strategies under the PROVERE framework linked to Portugal 2030. Geographically, the initiative covers the entire national territory, including the autonomous regions of Madeira and the Azores.

Projects eligible for funding must bolster tourism competitiveness, enhance territory and resource value, mitigate climate change vulnerabilities, improve accessibility, and promote integrated tourism networks with substantial value creation potential. Additionally, projects should encourage smart city management, ensure connectivity, and foster sustainable mobility.

Funding is available as non-refundable grants, with a standard 60% funding rate. Projects in low-density areas receive an additional 20%, while those part of a Collective Efficiency Strategy benefit from another 10%. The maximum support per project is €400,000 for public and nonprofit joint applications, and €200,000 for business-oriented projects, with an optional refundable component extending up to €1 million.

Reimbursement terms offer a 7-year timeline, including a 2-year grace period. For detailed information on application criteria and processes, visit this link, noting the information is in Portuguese.

#Sustainable tourism #Community-based tourism #Eco-friendly accommodations #Climate-friendly tourism practices #Resource efficiency #Smart tourism #Funding call