WP1 – Project Management and Coordination – ULPGC – TIDES

Objectives:

  • To manage and co-ordinate the project.
  • To carry out a continuous (ongoing) assessment of the progress of the project.
  • To review the progress of the work in relation to the defined success measures.
  • To report on project progress both internally and to the European Commission.

WP2 – Selection, evaluation and engagement with SMEs – ETOA

Objectives:

In line with the overall objective of improving the uptake of digitalisation, innovative solutions and new technologies by tourism SMEs, this work package’s purpose is to recruit and qualify 100 tourism-related SMEs via an open call process.

WP3 – SMEs Anamnesis, Diagnostics and Assessment – CISET

Objectives:

The main aim of this Work Package is to conduct an in-depth investigation into the selected businesses to:

  • Check the state and the level of their digital technology transformation and of innovation uptake.
  • Assess their readiness and maturity to adopt new tools or to implement new strategic approaches supported by the knowledge created by the application of innovative tools.
  • Identify the critical factors that may make difficult or hamper the introduction of the innovation in online communication functions brought by the results of the neuromarketing analysis.
  • Identify the needs of the SMEs in terms of training to support them in the exploitation of the new knowledge and tools provided at the end of the project.
  • Help to define the content and target for the training.
  • Help to define the content of the communication plan provided to the SMEs as an output of the project, suggesting not only changes in the online communication approach but also changes needed for the organisation to fully exploit and sustain the innovative approach, after the end of the Project The focus will be on technologies that help them to empower their digital positioning and reputation on the Web through different channels (website, social media platforms, travel platforms and OTAs, etc.), but the assessment system that will result as an output of this WP – tailor made for SMEs in the tourism industry – will be a result in itself, available for other projects, activities and businesses in the EU that need to evaluate the openness to innovation and the ability to carry it out of small tourist businesses.

WP4 – Preliminary assistance to selected SMEs on neuromarketing and digital innovation – HAAGA-HELIA

Objectives:

This WP aims to provide direct support and mentoring to the 100 selected SMEs.

WP 4 will enable to implement a practical and applied exercise with the 100 selected SMEs. Based on the previous diagnosis of 100 SME´s, it will be applied analysis of the main digital outputs of the SMEs (website, videos, pictures, social media, etc.) applying neuromarketing techniques (eye tracking, face coding, EEG, Physiographic analysis, etc.) conducting usability and emotional responses from the tourists and evaluating the digital performance of the SMEs.

A customized report in current performance and guidelines for the future matching their needs with potential digital solutions and providers will be delivered to each SME, in addition to a general report with the main conclusions and recommendations for SMEs and specific typology of products and events. The customized support aims at building capacities for digital transformation and innovation.

  • Performance a preliminary analysis of some selected critical digital content from the SMEs (web site, videos, photos…) and provide a report with the results.
  • Elaborate a customized report to each SME regarding the guidelines to follow to improve their digital competitiveness and matching their needs (identified in WP3) with potential solutions and technical-digital paths.
  • Design a general aggregated SMEs’ information system with the key digital KPIs, including general guidelines for the three pilot clusters (Veneto, Canary Islands, Lapland-Helsinki) and the three products (cultural, sun and beach, winter), and events as a specific and important case study.
  • Finally, a Euro-Emotur index will be proposed. This index will be considered for the Euro-Emotur prize explained in WP5.

WP5 – Euro-Emotur Digital Hub – ULPGC – TIDES

Objectives:

WP5 aims to develop a digital ecosystem hub to guarantee both the sustainability of the project and to scale it up to a broader number of SMEs and stakeholders. Thus, this stage will imply the integration of the results of previous work packages and the design of the hub: a networking platform for learning and sharing with other tourism SMEs, technology suppliers, tourism labs and regional clusters. The hub will ensure the project long-term activity beyond EU co-funding and will guide the partners and European stakeholders to stay in touch and empower further the created Euro -Emotur Community and connect with running EU co-funded tourism initiatives/projects in the field of digitalization in tourism, EU granted initiatives supporting SMEs, etc.

The specific objectives that will be achieved through this Work Package are:

  • To improve SMEs skills and competences in the field of digital tourism, innovation and new technologies.
  • To establish cross-sectoral and transnational cooperation to foster knowledge transfer and digital-transition of traditional tourism SMEs.
  • To implement innovative solutions for digital tourism thanks to the cooperation with labs and technology suppliers.
  • To start the design of new products and services, and business models towards digital approach.
  • To expand the business thanks to transnational cooperation.
  • To foster long-term activities beyond EU co-funding.

ULPGC-Tides will lead this WP with a close relationship with the other research centres (Lab-8 Haaha-Helia and CISET) and the critical role of ETOA and Necstour to scale this project up to other tourism SMEs and regions, respectively.

WP6 – Communication, Dissemination and reporting on the improvement in the uptake of digitalization by SMEs – OTC. Victur

Objectives:

In line with the general object of this project – Boost tourism recovery of SMEs by fostering the digitalisation, improving communication efficiency of tourisms’ SMEs, fostering direct communication and sales with their customers, and generating innovative new products -, the specific objectives that will be achieved through this Work Package are the following:

  • Reinforcing awareness about digitalization within the tourism industry with a special focus on digitalization through emotions.
  • Fostering capacity building and skills to make easier the digital transformation process and improve the knowledge and use of new digital technologies for our target groups in the tourism sector (SMEs, Tourism regions, public authorities, Stakeholders…)
  • Communicating the hub as an innovative, cross sectorial, and useful networking to boost recovery tourism sector through digitalization.
  • Creating a critical mass of interest in digitalization through emotions.
  • Generating a high social media impact.
  • Fostering the project dissemination not only to scientists but also to the tourism industry, authorities, stakeholders and civil society.
  • Transferring results and communicating innovation and smart tourism solutions to SMEs, destinations, academics and citizens.
  • Analysing the improvement in the uptake of digitalisation and new technologies to enhance competitiveness advantages, image and reputation in the tourism market