New publications from The Sustainable Tourism Partnership – Urban Agenda for the EU

The Sustainable Tourism Partnership – Urban Agenda for the EU has released two important publications aimed at empowering local authorities, destination management organizations (DMOs), and tourism SMEs in their green transition.

1. Greening Tourism SMEs: A Practical Handbook
- Provides detailed insights into certification pathways and enabling conditions for uptake.
- Highlights the GSTC Framework and sustainability certifications across the EU.
- Features 11 case studies from destinations supporting SMEs in certification programs.
- Example: Türkiye Environmental and Cultural Sustainability Program launched with GSTC in 2022.
- Covers tools like technical assistance, training programs, digital platforms, and alignment with EU/national schemes.
- Identifies key enabling conditions: policy coordination, resource allocation, local facilitation, and performance monitoring.

2. Financial Tools for Sustainable Tourism SMEs
- Maps available financial instruments tailored to sustainable tourism SMEs.
- Includes grants, loans, blended finance, and guarantee schemes for environmental investments.
- Summarizes EU programs: InvestEU, Cohesion Policy funds, LIFE Program, EIB mechanisms.
- Provides local-level examples where public authorities act as intermediaries to unlock funding.
- Designed for city officials, regional authorities, and tourism coordinators to support SME access to finance for energy efficiency, climate action, waste reduction, and innovation.
- Includes visual mappings and categorizations for quick reference by actor type and investment need.

Strategic Importance
- Both publications are part of the Sustainable Tourism Partnership’s Action Plan, translating strategic objectives into actionable, replicable tools across the EU.
- Reinforces GSTC’s role as a global reference in sustainability standards.
- Supports SMEs in navigating sustainability challenges and opportunities with practical guidance.

These resources are designed to help tourism SMEs thrive sustainably, while aligning with EU-level green transition goals.