Upskilling and reskilling

The EU Funding & Tenders Portal has announced a grant opportunity titled "Upskilling and Reskilling the Tourism Ecosystem I Tourism Knowledge Hub and Tourism Data Space," designated with the call code PPPA-2026. This grant falls under the category of Preparatory and Pilot Projects (PPPA), specifically as a PPPA Action Grant Budget-Based type, with a total funding allocation of €1,600,000 available for a single project. The application process is single-stage, with the opening date set for December 9, 2025, and the submission deadline on March 4, 2026. The grant aims to enhance the capacity of destination management organizations (DMOs), small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and other stakeholders in the tourism sector through skills upgrading and resource development, particularly in data management and utilization. Eligible applicants include tourism stakeholders capable of designing and implementing upskilling initiatives, such as SMEs, industry associations, public-private partnerships, and training providers. While a single lead applicant can apply, collaboration with various stakeholders is encouraged. Geographic eligibility aligns with EU member states and potentially includes EEA countries. The project seeks to address gaps in tourism infrastructure and digital skills, aligning with wider EU priorities for sustainable tourism practices. The expected outcomes include improved data management capabilities among tourism entities, enhanced networking opportunities, and development of tools to facilitate access to the Tourism Knowledge Hub and Tourism Data Space. There is no explicit mention of a co-funding requirement, but applicants may choose to propose co-financing in their proposals. Historically, success rates for similar calls tend to range between 10% and 39%, suggesting a competitive environment for funding with only one grant expected to be awarded under this call. Overall, this grant opportunity represents a substantial investment in the tourism sector, targeting crucial skills enhancement and infrastructure development to support its digital transformation.

The EU Funding & Tenders Portal presents a call for proposals under the Programme Pilot Projects & Preparation Actions (PPPA) named "Upskilling and reskilling the Tourism Ecosystem I Tourism Knowledge hub and Tourism Data Space" with the topic code PPPA-2026. The action type is PPPA-PJG PPPA Project Grants, utilizing a PPPA Action Grant Budget-Based [PPPA-AG] Model Grant Agreement.

The call follows a single-stage deadline model and is forthcoming. The planned opening date for the submission system is December 9, 2025, and the deadline for submissions is March 4, 2026, at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The expected impact of this call is to upskill and reskill Destination Management Organizations (DMOs), Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), and other tourism stakeholders in their management and use of data. It also aims to connect these entities to strengthen existing networks and contact points, ensuring synergies.

The scope of this preparatory action is to support DMOs, SMEs, and other tourism stakeholders in fully participating in the preparation of the tourism data space and the Tourism Knowledge hub by easing their access through the creation of multiple tools. This project also contributes to the Pact for Skills for the Tourism Ecosystem.

The conditions for this call are as follows:

1. Admissibility Conditions:The proposal page limit and layout are described in section 5 of the call document and Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.

2. Eligible Countries:Eligibility is described in section 6 of the call document.

3. Other Eligible Conditions:Additional eligibility conditions are described in section 6 of the call document.

4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion:These aspects are described in section 7 of the call document.

5a. Evaluation and award:The submission and evaluation processes are described in section 8 of the call document and the Online Manual.

€5B. Evaluation and award:Award criteria, scoring, and thresholds are described in section 9 of the call document.

5c. Evaluation and award:The indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is described in section 4 of the call document.

6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants:This is described in section 10 of the call document.

The call document and annexes include:

Call document

Application form templates (available in the Submission System)

Model Grant Agreements (MGA):General MGA

Additional documents:

EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509

Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment

EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement

Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual

Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions

Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement

The budget overview indicates that the topic PPPA-2026 has a budget of €1,600,000 for the year 2025. The call is a single-stage process, with the opening date on December 9, 2025, and the deadline on March 4, 2026. The expected contribution per project ranges from €1 to 1,600,000, and the indicative number of grants is 1.

There are currently 0 partner search announcements. LEARs, Account Administrators, and self-registrants can publish partner requests for open and forthcoming topics after logging into the Portal, as well as any user having an active public Person profile.

The submission system is planned to open on the date stated in the topic header.

For support, applicants are advised to read all provisions carefully before preparing their application. For help related to the call, contact EISMEA-SMP-COSME-ENQUIRIES@ec.europa.eu. Additional resources include the Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ for submission of proposals, the IT Helpdesk for technical issues, and the Online Manual for a step-by-step guide through the Portal processes.

In summary, this EU funding opportunity aims to bolster the tourism sector by enhancing the data management skills of DMOs, SMEs, and other stakeholders, fostering collaboration, and supporting the development of the tourism data space and knowledge hub. The call encourages projects that contribute to the Pact for Skills for the Tourism Ecosystem by providing tools and resources to facilitate access and participation in these initiatives. The total budget is €1,600,000, and the submission deadline is March 4, 2026.

Eligible Applicant Types:Destination Management Organisations (DMOs), SMEs, and other tourism stakeholders are explicitly mentioned as potential beneficiaries. The call aims to support these entities in participating in the tourism data space and Tourism Knowledge Hub. Other eligible applicant types are not specified in the provided text.

Funding Type:The funding type is a PPPA Project Grant (PPPA-PJG), which falls under the broader category of PPPA Action Grant Budget-Based [PPPA-AG]. This indicates a grant mechanism.

Consortium Requirement:The text does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. However, the partner search announcements suggest that collaboration is possible and perhaps encouraged, but it is not possible to determine if it is mandatory.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):The eligible countries are described in section 6 of the call document, but the specific countries or regions are not listed in the provided text. It is likely that the eligibility is aligned with EU funding guidelines, potentially including EU member states and associated countries.

Target Sector:The primary target sector is tourism. Specifically, the call focuses on upskilling and reskilling the tourism ecosystem, building capacity, and supporting the development of a tourism data space and a Tourism Knowledge Hub.

Mentioned Countries:No specific countries are mentioned in the opportunity details.

Project Stage:The project stage appears to be focused on preparatory actions and capacity building. The call aims to support stakeholders in participating in the preparation of the tourism data space and the Tourism Knowledge Hub, suggesting an early to mid-stage project maturity.

Funding Amount:The budget for the topic PPPA-2026 is €1,600,000. The contribution per grant ranges from €1 to €1,600,000. One grant is indicatively available.

Application Type:The deadline model is single-stage, meaning applicants submit a complete proposal in one go. The call is an open call.

Nature of Support:Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a grant. The call aims to provide financial support for capacity building and preparatory actions.

Application Stages:The application process is single-stage.

Success Rates:The indicative number of grants is 1, but the number of applications is unknown, so the success rate cannot be determined from the provided text.

Co-funding Requirement:The text does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement.

Summary:

This opportunity is a call for proposals under the Programme Pilot Projects and Preparation Actions (PPPA), specifically targeting the upskilling and reskilling of the tourism ecosystem. The call, titled "Upskilling and reskilling the Tourism Ecosystem I Tourism Knowledge hub and Tourism Data Space PPPA-2026," aims to support Destination Management Organisations (DMOs), SMEs, and other tourism stakeholders in their efforts to participate in the development of a tourism data space and a Tourism Knowledge Hub. The project also contributes to the Pact for Skills for the Tourism Ecosystem.

The call seeks to fund projects that will upskill and reskill tourism stakeholders in data management and usage, and connect them to strengthen networks and contact points. The funding mechanism is a PPPA Project Grant, with a total budget of €1,600,000 available for one project. The application process is single-stage, with a deadline of March 4, 2026. The submission system is planned to be opened on December 9, 2025.

Applicants need to adhere to specific admissibility conditions, including proposal page limits and layout guidelines, as detailed in the call document and application form. The call document also outlines eligible countries, other eligibility conditions, and requirements related to financial and operational capacity. The evaluation and award process, including submission, evaluation, award criteria, scoring, thresholds, and indicative timeline, are also described in the call document and online manual.

The legal and financial setup of the grants is detailed in the call document. Additional documents, such as the EU Financial Regulation, rules for legal entity validation, and model grant agreements, are available for reference. The Funding & Tenders Portal provides an online manual, terms and conditions, and a privacy statement.

Overall, this call represents a significant opportunity for DMOs, SMEs, and other tourism stakeholders to obtain funding for projects that contribute to the development of a data-driven and knowledge-rich tourism ecosystem in line with EU priorities.