Growing with Tourism Support Program

The Growing with Tourism Support Program aims to promote the sustainable development of territories, with a special focus on social and environmental responsibility, as well as on the commitment to qualification, innovation and valorization of tourism resources, reinforcing the role of tourism as a driver of social cohesion and economic growth.

Beneficiary entities:

• Public entities, including those in whose management central, state, regional and local administration entities have a dominant position;

• Private non-profit entities whose mission is to develop territories and local communities, as well as, within the scope of the development of social innovation projects with value for tourism, national social economy entities that are private social solidarity institutions or similar non-profit entities, in operation for more than three years;

• Micro, small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), provided they are integrated into the aforementioned social innovation projects or projects integrated into collective efficiency strategies approved in the context of the development of Portugal 2030. Territory covered: The entire national territory, including the autonomous regions of Madeira and the Azores.

Eligible projects:

• Projects that aim to strengthen the tourist competitiveness of territories and add value to them through the valorization and regeneration of their resources, the qualification of their assets and agents, the reduction of their vulnerability to the effects of climate change, the increase in the physical and communicational accessibility conditions of the offer, as well as through the development of integrated supply networks and tourist products that demonstrate high potential for value creation;

• Projects that promote the intelligent management of cities and territories that, in particular, ensure knowledge of the territory, the management of its flows, the increase in connectivity levels that allow for the integrated management of existing assets and resources in the territory, and the promotion of intelligent and sustainable mobility;

• Initiatives that foster the development of social innovation projects, with value for tourism, that promote increasingly sustainable social development models in tourist destinations, with a positive impact on territories and local communities, and with the potential to continually promote tourism as a factor of inclusion and social cohesion.

Form and intensity of support:

The financing rate for projects is 60%, plus an increase of 20% for projects located in low-density territories and 10% in cases where the projects are integrated into a Collective Efficiency Strategy approved in the context of the development of Portugal 2030. The support granted is non-refundable and has a maximum limit of 400 thousand euros, per project or beneficiary in the case of joint applications, promoted by public entities or non-profit entities.

In support aimed at companies, the non-refundable component assumes a maximum value of 200 thousand euros.

The limits set out for the non-refundable component may be increased, upon request by the beneficiary entity, by a refundable component of up to 1 million euros, with a repayment period of 7 years including a 2-year grace period.

Eligible Expenses:

a) Studies, projects, technical assistance and inspection;

b) Construction and adaptation works;

c) Equipment;

d) Acquisition of information systems, software and computer equipment to obtain analytical data, on a supra-municipal scale;

e) Acquisition or development of technological systems and platforms that allow the provision of data in open format, as well as its automated use, on a supra-municipal scale;

f) Implementation of infrastructure and technology, including the acquisition of hardware and software, in particular in the scope of monitoring flows, managing reservations, promoting smooth mobility, as well as improving the tourist experience;

g) Interventions to increase physical and communication accessibility for all;

h) Information and/or communication supports, preferably digital, multi-language, including the development of content, website, signage and technological tools to support the tourist experience, as long as accessibility is guaranteed for people with sensory limitations;

i) Expenses with actions associated with the training and qualification of human resources, whenever these cannot, justifiably, be promoted directly by Turismo de Portugal, I.P., through its hotel and tourism schools;

j) Marketing actions aimed at commercializing the offer;

k) Obtaining certifications in the area of quality, sustainability and accessibility, and respective procedures for adapting organizations;

l) Provision of professional services by third parties, including technical, scientific and consultancy assistance, for the period strictly necessary for the development of the project;

m) Training and capacity-building actions for the development and implementation of the project;

n) Intervention of external certified public accountants or auditors, in the context of project development.

Registration deadline:

Continuous registration until December 31, 2026, or when the respective allocation is exhausted, depending on which situation occurs first.