MATKAILUN TUTKIMUS-, KEHITYS- JA INNOVAATIOTOIMINTA (TKI)

INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS

Fostering digitalisation of European tourism SMEs (TOURBIT)

Implementation period: 01/01/2022 – 30/06/2024

Partners:

Catalan Tourist Board (ES)

Lapland University of Applied Sciences (FI)

Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Services and Navigation  (ES)

PARIS&CO (FR)

ARCTUR DOO (lead of Tourism 4.0) (SI)

Cluster hospitality.brussels hosted by hub.brussels (BE)

Iceland Tourism Cluster (IS)

NEST – Tourism Innovation Center (PT)

Funding programme and funding: COSME

Budget: 1,331,570 € (overall budget)

Project description: TOURBIT main objective is fostering skills and capacity and boosting the uptake of digitalisation and innovation, promoting resilient and competitive SMEs and spurring a faster transformation of the European tourism sector. Digitalisation has the potential to boost innovation understanding that digitalisation opens opportunities but, like other global forces of the industry, poses many challenges to tourism SMEs.
Expected results:  62 SMEs have presented their digitalization project and throughout the project implementation is funded and supported by means of the TOURBIT project. Resulting in the digital transition of SMEs in the project regions.

Further information: Eija Raasakka

Find more details information: About | Tourbit

Boosting the transition pathway of MSMEs in tourism with green and digital transformation (TOURBO)

Implementation period: 01/03/2023 – 28/02/2026

Partners: 

Seville Official Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Navigation (ES)

Lapland University of Applied Sciences (FI)

Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Vratsa (BG)

Marche Region (IT)

North Aegean Region (EL)

Experience Bremerhaven, Tourism, Marketing and Events Company (DE)

PORA Regional Development Agency of Koprivnica Križevci County (HR)

Donegal County Council (IE)

Funding programme and funding: Interreg Europe

Budget: 1,929,669 € (overall budget)

Project description:  TOURBO offers an innovative approach to a crucial priority for the EU: Enabling Public Authorities and MSMEs to develop TWIN TRANSITION Strategies to stimulate economic development of the regions. The Covid-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, as well as digitalisation and climate change, have highlighted the importance of government resilience in the face of unexpected shocks and stresses. And they have also demonstrated the transformative role of digital technologies in helping the public and private sectors solve urgent challenges and remain resilient during a crisis. Small and medium-sized enterprises are crucial to the EU economy: they account for more than 99% of European businesses and provide two-thirds of private sector jobs. The twin transition will strengthen sustainability through technology and enable a sustainable digital transformation for European tourism MSMEs.

Expected Results: This project will identify and share innovative and best practices to improve the transition to “Industry 4.0” in tourism-related MSMEs (such as small accommodation operators, restaurants, small local craft businesses, small tourism service providers, etc.). The use of digital approaches and new technology solutions can help accelerate European sustainability policies while creating more responsive, intelligent and inclusive local and regional governance strategies. TOURBO will create a sustainable and progressive framework for the integration of a resilient tourism sector into local and regional policies, especially with the aim of the transition pathway of MSMEs by a quadruple-helix approach for a smart-green transformation.

8 partners will:

* Analyse and exchange how interregional collaboration helps to foster the regional transition pathway

* Develop innovative SMART-GREEN-METHODS in tourism-related MSMEs.

* Build the capacity of tourism-related MSMEs to become more resource efficient

* Build the capacity of all relevant public authorities on how to incorporate TWIN TRANSITION Strategies

Further information: Eija Rasakka and Milla Hirvaskari

Find more details information: www.interregeurope.eu

Arctic and North Atlantic Security and Emergency Preparedness Network (ARCSAR)

Implementation period: 01/09/2018 – 29/02/2024

Partners:

Joint Rescue and Coordination Centre – North Norway (NO)

Lapland University of Applied Sciences (FI)

Laurea University of Applied Sciences (FI)

Joint Rescue and Coordination Center – Iceland (IS)

Marine Rescue and Coordination Center Torshavn (FO)

Maritime and Coastal Agency (UK)

United States Coast Guard Academy (US)

Maritime Forum North (NO)

Rescue Coordination Center New Zealand (NZ)

Marine Rescue and Coordination Center Bremen (DE)

Norwegian Coast Guard – NCG (NO)

Norwegian Coastal Administration – NCA (NO)

The Norwegian Meteorological Institute (NO)

Nord University (NO)

University of Portsmouth (UK)

Arctic Expeditionary Cruise Operators AECO (NO)

Cork Institute of Technology (IE)

e-GEOS (IT)

Memorial University Newfoundland (CA)

Polar Quest (SE)

Funding programme and funding: Horizon 2020

Budget:  3 885 272,50 € (overall budget)

Project description: ARCSAR is the first project of its kind to establish an international network that brings together in cooperation search and rescue practitioners, authorities, industry and academia and other organizations in order to identify gaps and opportunities and develop further capabilities to face the increasing demands in the Arctic and North Atlantic region. Preparing to cope with the security and safety threats that will result from increased commercial activity in the region including traffic through the northern passages, cruise traffic, and offshore oil and gas activity. The project will establish international best practice and propose innovation platforms for the professional security and emergency response institutions in the Arctic and the North-Atlantic.

Expected results: 

  • A high-profile launch of the ARCSAR network, raising awareness and ensuring visibility of the project and its activities.
  • A respected and trusted pan-European network of front-line practitioner groups and stakeholders in the Arctic and North Atlantic region.
  • Practical cross-border coordination and cooperation between coast guards, rescue centers, other authorities, industry groups, private operators, academia and volunteer organizations.
  • A comprehensive map of current practitioner needs for innovation and knowledge exchange in the Arctic and North-Atlantic (ANA) region.
  • Increased information sharing between and across practitioner groups, and other stakeholders, through the network knowledge exchange facility, peer to peer learning and practitioner forum.
  • A catalogue of joint exercises and lessons learned via the common platform, network events, and case studies.
  • Faster uptake of uptake of tested innovative solutions, evidenced by interesting success stories and an ARCSAR case study book.
  • Better definition and characterization of potential seaborne disasters, catastrophic incidents, and security threats in the ANA region and greater clarity on the critical gaps and needs in capacity, competence and infrastructure of practitioners working in the ANA region.
  • Policy paper on future needs of the ANA region.
  • Major report on priorities, best practices, and action plan for security and standardisation regarding common platforms or interfaces among capabilities for practitioners and other actors in the ANA region.
  • A well-attended ARCSAR international conference.
  • A convincing plan for the sustainability of the network beyond the lifetime of the 5-year project.

Further information: Eija Raasakka

Find more details information: ARCSAR – Arctic Security and Emergency Preparedness Network

From research to working life: students as knowledge brokers for entrepreneurial development (ReWo)

Implementation period: 01/12/2022 – 30/11/2024

Partners:

University of Maribor (SI)

Lapland University of Applied Sciences (FI)

University of Stavanger (NO)

The Estoril Higher Institute for Tourism and Hotel Studies (PT)

Funding programme and funding: Erasmus+

Budget: 250.000,00 (overall budget)

Project description: The project’s aim is to create permanent methods and practices for developing education and research structures within HE and better collaboration between HE and the industry. Joined education and research structures of the participating educational institutions will be developed. The benefits will be multifaceted: implementation of useful changes in the HE, improvement of students’ employability, greater awareness of the benefits of implementing new knowledge into practice (in different fields).

Expected results:  Analysis of best practices; Guidelines for implementing design-based research case studies; Identification of suitable working positions for Gen Z students; Handbook about bridging the gap between different generations in the workplace; Permanent role descriptions for students as active participants in the dissemination and creation of research; Curriculum material for idea manager position; Academic articles; Writing papers for industry; Other ways of dissemination of results.

Further information: Malla Alatalo and Aulikki Laitinen-Tolonen

Creating and Implementing Education for Sustainable High-End Tourism throughout Europe (SUHET)

Implementation period: 1.1.2022 – 31.12.2023

Partners: 

Lapland University of Applied Sciences (FI)

University of Maribor (SI)

Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ES)

European Centre for Quality (BL)

Erasmus Hogeschool (BE)

Funding programme and funding: Erasmus+ 2021-2027

Budget: 73 431 €

Project description:

The objective of the project is to provide the field of tourism in the participating countries with highly-qualified staff able to respond to current high-end customer needs and foresight future development trends sustainably. The long-term benefits of the project include strengthening the regions’ economy, generating new jobs, steady income, increasing sustainable tourism activities, international networking with other high-end tourism providers in online community, new projects, cooperation with partners to develop new services and businesses with other high-end tourism enterprises.

Expected Results

  1. Develop training, learning & internship blended material for sustainable high-end tourism 2. Enhance interregional cooperation in developing high-end sustainable tourism 3. Increase attractiveness of tourism field by focusing on high-end tourism that promotes quality and sustainability 4.Provide tourism enterprises with highly-qualified staff for the execution and development of sustainable high-end tourism products and services

Further information: Ben Taylor

Find more details information:
blogi.eoppimispalvelut.fi/suhet/