Deadline: 15 March 2016
The Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME) is currently accepting proposals for its European Maritime and Fisheries Fund for the conduction of projects in the field of thematic routes on underwater cultural heritage.
The general objective of this action is to promote the creation of touristic thematic routes on underwater cultural heritage and its preservation as a way to promote the competitiveness of the coastal and maritime tourism sector and to promote diversification in tourism offer.
Program Themes
- The theme must be representative of European values and common to at least two countries.
- The theme must be illustrative of European memory, history and heritage and contribute to an interpretation of the diversity of present-day Europe.
- The theme must permit the development of initiatives, exemplary projects and awareness rising in the field of cultural tourism, preservation and promotion of natural heritage and sustainable cultural development.
- The theme must allow for the development of tourist products in partnership with tourist agencies, oceanographic museums and various types of operators aimed at different publics.
Budget available
The total budget earmarked for the co-financing of projects amounts to € 195.000.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicants must be established in:
- an EU Member state or
- a non-EU country participating in the EU macro-regional strategies (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia) or sea-basin strategies.
- To be eligible, the proposal must include applicants from at least 2 different eligible countries which at least one must be an EU member state.
- Entities established in a third country, other than those above, may participate in the action.
- potential applicants are:
- Training or education institutions including universities, research centres.
- Museums, in particular maritime and oceanographic museums.
- Public authorities and their networks or associations at European, international, national, regional and local level or organisations acting on behalf of a public authority.
- Chambers of commerce and industry, chambers of handicrafts or similar bodies and their umbrella associations.
- Destination management organisations and their networks/associations.
- Travel agents and tour operators and their umbrella associations.
- Non-profit organisations (private or public), NGOs, civil society organisations, foundations, think-tanks, networks or federations of public or private bodies, whose core activity falls in the following fields: tourism, regional development or any other field that is related to the subject of the proposal (e.g. sports or culture related organisations).
- International, European and national organisations/associations active in the field of cultural tourism in Europe and related fields.
- Federations and associations operating in partnership across the borders of a number of countries with a proven cross-border outreach operating in the field of tourism, maritime affairs culture or sport.
- Small and Medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) active in the tourism sector.
- National, regional, local tourism organisations, public and private agencies related to tourism promotion, etc.
- Proposals must be submitted by a consortium of organisations. One of these organisations must act as the consortium coordinator, while the others will act as partners.
- projects must develop the following “core” activities: Design and develop a transnational cultural underwater heritage tourism product.
- Run a pilot test to validate the transnational underwater heritage tourism product concept.
- Measure and evaluate the test results and gather the lessons learned.
How to Apply
Applicants must download the application form through the website.
For more information, please visit call for proposal.
