The Secretary of State for Tourism , belonging to the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism, has announced the opening of the deadline for the submission of applications, which will be from May 29 to June 30, 2015.

The Program for the Competitiveness of for Companies and for Small and Medium Enterprises (COSME) is the only European program with a specific line of Tourism, whose objective is to increase the competitiveness of tourism on the continent and contribute to the consolidation of a sustainable tourism management model.

This program helps entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized businesses to start operating, access financing and internationalize, in addition to supporting authorities to improve the business environment and facilitate the economic growth of the European Union.

Unlike previous years, this year the Commission will only launch a call and interested parties can present projects that contribute to strengthening the competitiveness of European tourism in one of these three themes:

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1. Increase tourist flows in the mid and low season for the senior and young segments.
2. Diversify the tourism offer and products by promoting transnational tourism products in one of the following categories: Sports/Wellness and Cultural/Industrial Heritage.
3. Improve the accessibility of tourism services and products.

Projects must be presented by a consortium of at least five participants from four countries for themes 1 and 2 or from two countries for theme 3.

De Those five participants, at least two must be tourism SMEs, a public body (national, regional or local) and an association, federation or organization must participate active private sector in the field of the matter in question.

The aid for each project is a maximum of €250,000 for themes 1 and 2 and €125,000 for theme 3.

The projects will be presented in electronic format until the June 30 at 5:00 p.m.

All information and registration forms are at European Commission website.

Contact emails:

• sgcooperacion@tourspain.es
• EASME-COSME-TOURISM-CALL@ec.europa.eu