<< Background >>With a 90% deduction in tourist arrivals, it is expected that substantial revenue loss will affect around 85% of European hotels (EC 2020). As one in ten Europeans are employed in the tourism industry, this will have even further implications on unemployment rates and social services into the coming years. Research and previous surveys with small business owners in tourism, uncovered the impacts on daily operations, as hotel managers must implement and report health measures, while at the same time balance guest, staff and supplier needs. With the coronavirus pandemic persisting and tourism activity unlikely to return to 2019 levels for at least a few years, the priority challenges expected for the hotel industry include the need for health and safety management, revenue reductions, lack of liquidity and changing travel behaviour. When taking a closer look at the impacts of COVID-19 on GHG reduction efforts, an immediate effect on the mitigation of global emissions can be observed. However, a forthcoming rebound effect is expected due to increased need for energy and heating to extend the season, as well as generation of waste to implement health and safety regulations. Moreover, the lack of liquidity forces the hotel industry to put the implementation of GHG reduction measures on hold as health measures and keeping staff employed take priority. Hotel associations are, however, optimistic that if cost savings of GHG reduction measures and benefits for the brand image are properly promoted, the interest of hoteliers will be raised again. It is expected that the focus will be less on cost intensive GHG reduction measures, but rather on smaller, step-by-step investments and behavioural approaches.Despite the efforts by governments to support the recovery from the pandemic, the tourism industry experienced a strong decrease in investments compared to pre-crisis levels (EC 2020p). Considering the large share of the GDP that the tourism industry contributes in many European economies, it is crucial that additional efforts provide the industry with the tailored support needed for a sustainable recovery. Based on the stakeholder interviews and market analysis, a package with recommended initiatives to promote a green recovery of the hotel industry should be made available manly including short-term recommendations include trainings for hoteliers on behavioural and technical measures to create rapid cost effects and implement hygiene and safety regulations into their daily operations. This could also be accompanied by a step-by-step approach to facilitate the implementation of GHG reduction measures for hoteliers. In addition upskilling and the use of digital solutions can offer substantial assistance to small business owners in order to tranform their touristic product and service as a unique sustainable experience.<< Objectives >>The logic behind the SURE TO Tourism project is that such support instruments can also be developed so that they include both economic and environmental aspects in order to assist a green recovery of the hotel industry. (Opportunities for a green restart of the hotel industry arising from the COVID-19 pandemic ii development of new policies and instruments to support a green recovery).Small businesses within the tourism sector (which represent 80% of global tourism) are particularly vulnerable.The crisis is an opportunity to rethink how tourism interacts with our societies, other economic sectors and our natural resources and ecosystems; to measure and manage it better; to ensure a fair distribution of its benefits and to advance the transition towards a carbon neutral and resilient tourism economy. The period until the total recovery for the Tourism Sector, although a difficult and uncertain time, can also be seen as a preparatory period for transition to the updated face of Tourism. This recovery period offers an opportunity to adjust to the developments and trends in the industry that were already apparent before COVID-19, such as:- the growing interest in sustainable tourism, - digitisation of the tourism experience and- increased importance of authenticity and adaption to personal needs of travels. This project will focus on small Tourism businesses and the short and medium term measures that are able to support a green reopening of the tourism industry by contributing to:-A sustainable recovery-Achieving the GHG emission reduction targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)-Introduction of Digital technologies and solutions -Development of the tourism product as a unique value and experience destinationThe short-term measures will include:- Trainings for hoteliers on behavioral and technical measures to create rapid cost effects and implement hygiene and safety regulations into their daily operations.- A series of themed training video courses/ webinars on how small Tourism Business can achieve a Sustainable recovery (Manage Waste minimization, Energy efficiency, Climate neutralization)- Step-by-step approach to facilitate the implementation of GHG reduction measures for hoteliers :- A Digital Guide to Zero Waste for Small Hotels- A Digital Guide on Developing a Green profile for your local community and your customers- Training for hoteliers in order to create awareness on low-cost GHG reduction potentials for employees and guests- Innovation best practices in the form of:- digital solutions for the tourism business and- development of the tourism product as a unique experience- development of the SURE To Tourism E-learning Platform - Implementation of platform- Hotel Awards to highlight and encourage sustainable initiatives and green practices by hotels which manage to recover from the pandemic crisis through the implementation of sustainable practicesThe main objective of SURE To Tourism is to address the training needs of tourism SMEs owners in key transversal skills based on new updated research, and strengthen their business activities in terms of economic social and environmental impact. SURE To Tourism is a EU partnership designed to develop core and innovative learning methods that best encourage sustainable recovery of the small tourism business , answering the need for education and training thanks to an innovative proposal based on participation and ICTs<< Implementation >>The activities framework of the project starts with the description of activities, outputs, and objectives, including associated indicators and means of verification. In its planning it has identified possible risks, in order to anticipate them and safegard the project's quality implementation. Implementation methodology includes: - Identification of project's needs- Plannig& design - Development - Testing - Mainstreaming Supporting activities mentioned within the managementsection of the application are: -A1: Project management (SWU): it will include major monitoring tools as described in the management section for the project technical and financial follow-up. This activity will involve all the partners and include the elaboration of reports to be sent to the National Agency. -A2: Quality evaluation (DIAS): under supervision of the project leader, it will include the quality plan and check, as described in the evaluation section, and in accordance with the stated qualitative and quantitative indicators. This activity will involve all the partners as well as external stakeholders invited to provide recommendations on the project implementation.Corrective measures might be applied to the intellectual outputs after the quality evaluation. -A3: Dissemination: Under supervision of FyG, it will include the dissemination strategy, its implementation and evaluation as well as application of corrective measures, as described in the dissemination and impact section. All the partners will be involved in this activity.FYG will be in charge of the website production and all partners will provide contents for the updates of this tool. It will include the participation to events, but not the organisation of specific events, which will be funded under Multipliers events item. -A4: Effective exploitation: under supervision of SWU, it will include a reflection for the long term exploitation strategy, sustainability and transferability of the project outputs. All the partners will work on the valorisation of the projectthanks to contacts with relevant networks and will engage discussion for continuing actions within the project field.Indeed, once the tool developed, the partnership is interested in its effective implementation, as it offers the perspective of a significant improvement of the service that they already offer to the target group. They engage to provide efforts for the real exploitation of the project outputs. As for the Project results, they will follow a logical chain of actions set up to achieve the final objectives. The methodology will be participative, as it will involve the targets groups, final users and stakeholders since the beginning of the project for the development of a tailor made product. The product will also be tested and evaluated by the targets themselves. The outputs will be progressives: the continuous evaluation of the work performed will lead to permanent improvement, according to the “Check and Act” principle. In addition, the tool will be open source and after the project ends, it will be open to further updates and new inputs. Finally, inaddition to dissemination, multiplier events will be organised to reinforce the visibility of the project, to explain the utility and application of its outcomes.<< Results >>Four main outputs will be developed during this project, a digital report (skill card) on tourism entrepreneurs skills needs, an online training course for sustainable recovery for Small and medium enteprises in Tourism sector and an innovative Online Interactive Tool for tourism enteprises which will contribute to their sustainable recovery. These products are expected to have a great impact on the project target group. Also, this project as set a series of indicators at short medium and long term to fix the objectives to be achieved.The following activities will be taking place along the 24 months of funding phase of the project:Project Results:PR1 - Digital Skill card Creation / Training Curriculum DevelopmentPR2 - Development, Istallation and Administration of eLearning PlatformPR3 - SU.RE to Tourism - Training packagePR4 - Development of Online Interactive Tools for Tourism Sector EnterprisesIn addition, one of the expected results of this project will be achieved in terms of involvement of target groups in multiplier events, and involvement of the partners themselves, as they will be the first to exploit the project products.Events:E1 – E6: National presentation of Project results.The results expected during the project and on its completion regarding the transversal activities are:-Project Roadmap, which will include the partnership agreement, detailed work plan (including information about project meetings, project activities and tasks), detailed description of the roles and responsibilities of each partner involved and listing of project indicators and impacts to be achieved;-Project Management Handbook which will compile all necessary management and reporting tools to be used by the partners, including templates for quarterly reporting, contacts from the Staff team allocated to the project, guidelines for management, administrative work and financial control;-Interim and Final Reports: following the format requested, the Interim and Final Reports will be written by the coordinator with the support from all partners and will be submitted to the National Agency.-Quality Management Plan, which will describe the quality-check procedures that will be implemented to ensure high quality of the project achievements (intellectual outputs namely) and consistency of the work performed within the project. It will also include a description of the actions that will be taken to guarantee the efficiency and quality of the project outcomes and procedures;-Coordination and Partnership Quality Reports will be tools for assessing and monitoring the quality of the project activities and results according to defined methodology and strategy;-Exploitation Plan, which will include the strategic statement, the IPR agreement and will provide the necessary support and guidance to support the follow up of the project.Last but not least, partners expect, thanks to this project, reinforce the cooperation started among the entities taking part in this project implementation. They wish to pursue the undertaken activities in the field of entrepreneurship training to enlarge their perspective to new targets and competences and share their expertise on business development at a wider scale.