Supporting Tourism SMEs on the Path to a Sustainable and Digital Future

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of Europe's tourism sector. However, many tourism businesses face significant challenges when adapting to changing market demands, digitalisation, sustainability requirements, and increasing competition.

The fuTOURiSME project (Fostering Digital & Sustainable Transition of TOURism SMEs for Future Innovation and Resilience), co-funded by the European Union through the Single Market Programme, was launched to help tourism SMEs successfully navigate these challenges and embrace the twin transition.

The project focuses on experiential tourism businesses and aims to strengthen their ability to adopt innovative business models, sustainable practices, and digital solutions while improving their long-term resilience and competitiveness.

Contributing to the EU Transition Pathway for Tourism

fuTOURiSME directly supports several priorities identified in the Transition Pathway for Tourism, particularly:

• Supporting the digitalisation of tourism SMEs;
• Promoting the green transition of tourism businesses;
• Strengthening skills and capacity building;
• Facilitating peer learning and exchange of best practices;
• Encouraging innovation and resilience within the tourism ecosystem. 

Through a combination of learning resources, coaching, support tools, and networking opportunities, the project helps tourism SMEs transform strategic ambitions into practical actions.

Practical Support for Tourism Businesses

fuTOURiSME has developed a comprehensive support framework for tourism SMEs, including:

• An online e-learning platform featuring practical courses on sustainability, digitalisation, and experiential tourism;
• Coaching and mentoring opportunities with sector experts;
• Access to best practice examples from across Europe;
• Financial and technical support for selected SME innovation projects;
• Sustainability self-assessment and certification guidance. 

All resources have been designed with the specific needs of tourism SMEs in mind, ensuring flexibility and practical applicability.

Mascontour's Contribution

As the consortium partner responsible for the development and implementation of the project's training activities, mascontour has played a central role in turning knowledge into action.

Within fuTOURiSME, mascontour led the development of the project's e-learning and capacity-building activities, creating practical learning resources that support tourism SMEs in implementing sustainable and digital solutions. The courses were specifically designed to address real business challenges and provide actionable guidance that can be applied immediately in daily operations. 

In addition, mascontour organised coaching sessions and knowledge-transfer activities to help tourism entrepreneurs better understand and apply the principles of the twin transition in their businesses.

These activities focused on topics such as sustainable business practices, digital transformation, and the development of authentic experiential tourism products.

Drawing on its long-standing experience in sustainable tourism development and capacity building, mascontour contributed to ensuring that the project delivers tangible benefits for participating businesses and destinations alike. 

Beyond its direct support to SMEs, fuTOURiSME is creating a lasting legacy through the development of training materials, good practice resources, peer-learning opportunities, and sustainability tools that will remain available after the project's completion. These outputs contribute to a stronger and more resilient tourism ecosystem across Europe. 

Projects such as fuTOURiSME demonstrate how collaboration, knowledge sharing, and targeted support can help tourism SMEs successfully navigate the twin transition while contributing to the broader objectives of the EU Transition Pathway for Tourism.