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Island Sustainable Tourism Action through Resilient SMEs (I-STARS)

The I-STARS project is all about accompanying tourism businesses down their transition journey to sustainability & resilience in two steps:

image equip them with skills & knowledge on sustainability and responsible business practices;

image finance their sustainability transition journey through grants worth up to €5,600 per applicant.

 

The I-STARS project, co-funded by the European Union, has awarded a total of 125 tourism businesses from Cyprus, Greece, Ireland, Italy, and Spain with grants of up to €5,600 each. This initiative marks a pivotal step in fostering environmentally conscious approaches within the tourism industry across Europe.

Launched through an Open Call in July 2023, the I-STARS project invited enterprises from diverse tourism activities to apply for support aimed at facilitating their transition towards sustainable business practices. The response was overwhelmingly positive, reflecting a growing commitment within the industry to embrace sustainability as a core principle.

The awarded businesses now have the opportunity to utilize the financial support to engage sustainability experts of their choice. This allocation enables them to embark on various initiatives geared towards enhancing sustainability within their operations.

Among the diverse initiatives to be undertaken, some businesses will allocate funds towards obtaining sustainability certifications, a crucial step in validating their commitment to environmentally responsible practices. Certification not only enhances the credibility of businesses but also demonstrates their adherence to international standards of sustainability.

Other recipients of the grants will focus on developing comprehensive sustainability strategies and action plans tailored to their specific operations. By investing in strategic planning, these businesses aim to integrate sustainability into every aspect of their functioning, ensuring long-term viability while minimizing environmental impact.

Moreover, a significant portion of the awarded funds will be dedicated to improving crucial aspects of sustainable tourism, such as food waste management, waste reduction, and energy efficiency. By addressing these key areas, businesses can significantly reduce their ecological footprint while simultaneously enhancing the overall quality of their services.

As these awarded businesses embark on their sustainability journeys, they not only contribute to the preservation of natural resources but also position themselves as leaders in a rapidly evolving tourism landscape. Through their collective efforts, they pave the way for a more sustainable and resilient future for the tourism industry, benefiting both present and future generations.

For the full list of the tourism businesses awarded with the I-STARS grant per country click here.

It is now evident more than ever that in a post pandemic world, island tourism should not follow the ‘business as usual’ paradigm, but rather the pandemic should lead to a more responsible and sustainable type of tourism.

The EU co-funded project entitled Island Sustainable Tourism Action through Resilient SMEs (I-STARS) is all about helping tourism enterprises take their transformation journey down the 2030 road to recovery and sustainability. To this end, tourism businesses from Cyprus, Greece, Ireland, Italy and Spain, will be boosted in as far as their development and capacity in the area of sustainable innovations is concerned. This will be achieved through a capacity building program tailored for tourism Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs), as well as through a grant scheme of up to €5,600 for each business.

Duration: January 2023 – December 2025
Budget: Total project budget €1,255,481.87  - EU Contribution €1,199,933.6

It's All About Adapting.

Join the I-STARS journey towards resilience and sustainability.
Discover below all the I-STARS journey phases.

Designing the 2030 journey

The starting point for the design of any good tourism package is the research stage, what to include in it: specific itineraries, attractions & places of visits, tourism providers, etc. I-STARS will identify constraints of island tourism enterprises, skills gaps, collect best practices & tools, develop a pool of Sustainability Experts, create a self-assessment online monitoring tool.

Packing the 2030 journey suitcase

Before embarking on the I-STARS journey, tourism enterprises will be equipped with the most suitable and appropriate gear: they will familiarise themselves with the destination-Sustainability, what to expect and exactly what their journey will entail; their skills and knowledge will be developed, and their capacity will be boosted in the area of sustainable innovations. Register on I-STARS eLearning platform.

Join the 2030 journey

Tourism enterprises are invited to apply for the I-STARS Open Call for Grants. Once approved, they will be able to receive services, solutions, tools, certifications, offered by qualified Sustainability Experts. Through the grants, tourism businesses will be transformed into sustainable and resilient ones.

The full list of the tourism businesses awarded with the I-STARS grant per country is available here.

Welcome on board!

Tourism enterprises awarded with the I-STARS Grants will be monitored throughout their journey towards sustainability. I-STARS will ensure that their journey is not bumpy, that it runs smoothly according to plan so that the passengers reach their destination of Sustainability. A set of monitoring tools have been developed by I-STARS to this end. Learn more.

Collaging the 2030 journey

Taking pictures and capturing moments go hand-in-hand during a journey. The I-STARS journey towards sustainability and resilience will be captured through a series of videos to spread the message that adopting sustainable business practices is doable and worthwhile. Shifting from ‘business as usual’ into ‘doing good business’ is feasible and brings measurable results of improvement. Embracing sustainability is not just the right thing to do; it's the only way forward that makes sense for profitability, local communities, and the environment. 

  • Designing the 2030 journey

    The starting point for the design of any good tourism package is the research stage, what to include in it: specific itineraries, attractions & places of visits, tourism providers, etc. I-STARS will identify constraints of island tourism enterprises, skills gaps, collect best practices & tools, develop a pool of Sustainability Experts, create a self-assessment online monitoring tool.

  • Packing the 2030 journey suitcase

    Before embarking on the I-STARS journey, tourism enterprises will be equipped with the most suitable and appropriate gear: they will familiarise themselves with the destination-Sustainability, what to expect and exactly what their journey will entail; their skills and knowledge will be developed, and their capacity will be boosted in the area of sustainable innovations. Register on I-STARS eLearning platform.

  • Join the 2030 journey

    Tourism enterprises are invited to apply for the I-STARS Open Call for Grants. Once approved, they will be able to receive services, solutions, tools, certifications, offered by qualified Sustainability Experts. Through the grants, tourism businesses will be transformed into sustainable and resilient ones.

    The full list of the tourism businesses awarded with the I-STARS grant per country is available here.

  • Welcome on board!

    Tourism enterprises awarded with the I-STARS Grants will be monitored throughout their journey towards sustainability. I-STARS will ensure that their journey is not bumpy, that it runs smoothly according to plan so that the passengers reach their destination of Sustainability. A set of monitoring tools have been developed by I-STARS to this end. Learn more.

  • Collaging the 2030 journey

    Taking pictures and capturing moments go hand-in-hand during a journey. The I-STARS journey towards sustainability and resilience will be captured through a series of videos to spread the message that adopting sustainable business practices is doable and worthwhile. Shifting from ‘business as usual’ into ‘doing good business’ is feasible and brings measurable results of improvement. Embracing sustainability is not just the right thing to do; it's the only way forward that makes sense for profitability, local communities, and the environment. 

E-Learning Platform

The I-STARS eLearning platform offers for free learning courses customised for tourism enterprises on the topics of:

  • Energy management
  • Waste Management
  • Water management
  • Food-waste management
  • Stakeholder engagement
  • Digital upskilling to record customer experience and feedback.

Boost your knowledge and skills on Sustainability now

Register Today

Monitoring Tool

Businesses understand numbers. Developing monitoring mechanisms allowing businesses in the tourism industry to understand and compare in numbers the impact their way of doing business has on the environment, society and economy, is essential to trigger the shift towards sustainability.

Monitoring Tool Brochure (PDF)

Take the test now

Library

The I-STARS Virtual Library  gathers best practices, transferable tools and models for sustainable tourism, including certification schemes suitable for the tourism industry.

 

Discover the I-STARS Virtual Library

  • Are you thinking of applying for the I-STARS Open Call for Grants? Are you searching for an Expert to assist your business transition to sustainability through the I-STARS Grants?

    I-STARS has developed a list of Sustainability Experts offering their services across a number of EU countries. You can consult the I-STARS Sustainability Experts Directory, or you can identify your own. If you identify an Expert not already in the Directory, please contact your Local Call Helpdesk who will evaluate whether that Expert is qualified to carry out the proposed work and join the Directory.

    Please ensure you carefully read the Guidelines for Use of Directory prior to selecting from the list of service providers.

    Disclaimer: I-STARS project consortium, the European Union, or EISMEA, do not give any warranty, either express or implied, as to the qualifications or suitability of any of the persons on the list of service providers, while they will not be liable for any loss and/or damage caused by a company’s decision to retain the services of such a service provider.

The Call of the I-STARS Grants Scheme is now CLOSED!

The I-STARS project has awarded a total of 125 tourism businesses from Cyprus, Greece, Ireland, Italy, and Spain with grants of up to €5,600 each. For the full list of the tourism businesses awarded with the I-STARS grant per country click here.

I-STARS has launched the Open Call for Grants for Tourism Businesses addressed to tourism businesses operating in Cyprus, Greece, Ireland, Italy and Spain.

Sustainability is the present and the future of the tourism industry. Ensure the long-term success and resilience of your business in the face of evolving consumer demands, climate change, and global sustainability goals.

How to apply in 4 simple steps:

1) Read the Call for Applications ;

2) Contact the I-STARS Sustainability Expert of your choice;

3) Register on the I-STARS eLearning Platform ;

4) Fill in and submit your Application Form online . When applying online, you will also need to upload your Budget Form (Annex II), Declaration (Annex III) and company registration certificate.

 

Call Budget: €700,000
Max Grant per Project: €5,600 
Deadline: 6 December 2023 - 17:00 CET

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS – THE I-STARS GRANTS SCHEME FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

Call For Applications

Annex I: Application Form Template - Fill the Online application form here

Annex II: Budget Form

Annex III: Declaration

Annex IV: Grant Agreement

Annex V: Monitoring Templates

Annex VI: NACE Eligible Applicants

For the Italian version of documents please click here

Contact your local Call Helpdesk from below list:

Cyprus
Tel. +357-22889840,
Email: istarscyprus@gmail.com  

Greece
Tel.+30 22710 41170
Email: istarsgreece@gmail.com

Ireland
Tel: +353 874275822,
Email: istarsireland@gmail.com 

Italy
Tel: +39 3513064307,
Email: istarsitaly@gmail.com

Spain
Tel: +34 971710188,
Email: istarsspain@gmail.com 

I-STARS Grants Scheme Information Sessions

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This page is funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or EISMEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

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