On Dec. 12 and 13 2022 EU DigiTOUR partners met in person, for the first time, to set goals and course for 2023. It was an exciting meeting organized by the partner Transformation Lighthouse in the scenic setting of snowy Slovenia, its Christmas markets and charming countryside.
In our digital world, connection seems to be a click away. But the power of
human interaction has encouraged us to innovate and think out of the box. Brainstorming, networking, team-building helped us shape the next digital tools for tourism startups and SMEs. What we have achieved, what we can do for 2023 and how we can do it better were questions that guided our event.
First day - From building skills to enable digital transformation
On the first day, we met in the breathtaking Slovenian countryside at Grad Prestranek (Prestranek Castle). Surrounded by meadows and forests, this estate boasts one of the largest riding stables in Slovenia. We had the chance to enjoy an Icelandic horse riding session and taste the house specialty: organic Angus beef!
Fun aside, partners’ working day was really productive to sum up the results achieved during the Capacity Building Programme. This was EU DigiTOUR's first step to
expand digital know-how
and transfer skills in the industry. We closed the Academy with satisfaction:
- 4 Experimental Classes with 68 participants;
- 21 one-to-one Mentoring Sessions connecting 28 Mentors with their Mentees;
- 4 groups of Masterclasses and Workshops with 66 participants.
The focus shifted to the second part of the EU DigiTOUR project: the
High-Growth Programme. The Programme starts with the opening of the Call for Innovative SMEs, which was launched in November and will close in February. The call is going to select businesses as key champions in enabling digital transformation in the sector. Selected startups and SMEs will be guided along an innovation path with Mentors and Experts.
As you can see from the brainstorming, every partner had to find 3 adjectives to describe in easy words the value of the programme. It is a one-off opportunity for businesses:
- To access micro-funding opportunities (10k at the end of the programme with vouchers);
- To unlock further business opportunities based on their new knowledge, networks, access to key markets;
- To join the hackathons in the third part of EU DigiTOUR Project.
In order to raise awareness on this opportunity, partners in Italy, Slovenia, Croatia and Germany will schedule
info-days and Q&A sessions to address every answer and go into detail.
Please find here the first dates for Italy with the Zoom links, stay tuned for the others.
Jan 24, 2023 11:00 - 12:30 a.m - Info-day Event
Feb 2, 2023 11:00 - 12:30 a.m - Q&A session
Feb 9, 2023 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. - Q&A session
Second day - co-design digital transformation
The second day, we worked in a thriving and inspiring startup co-working space in Ljubljana to boost our creativity and mindset. Katapult is the place where advanced technological knowledge meets entrepreneurship and the drive for innovative businesses.
There is no doubt that
technology and
travel are a perfect combination. This union carries a lot of weight in influencing the way people travel - from choosing a destination, to considering what we can do once they are on site, and even to what they can do once they’re back. But a lot of SMEs are still lagging behind. That’s why EU DigiTOUR is pioneering this shift at a European level.
This is the value of our Programme that will end with the Hackathons. Hackathons are competitions in which experts and startups collaborate to develop new business ideas in a very short time. Each SME has to select 3 transformation challenges and then working groups will be created to co-design a product. The vouchers are there for the tourism SMEs to continue their innovation process after the event!
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