Credit line totalling 50 million euros to support investments in the area of sustainability announced at the event recognising the 178 companies that joined the 360º Tourism Companies Programme.
This is a credit line, with mutual guarantee and maximum support per operation of 500 thousand euros, aimed at investment projects in the area of sustainability promoted by tourism companies. The measure provides for the assignment of a performance bonus, which translates into the non-refundable conversion of a part of the funding, according to the compliance with objectives related, namely, to the reduction of consumption, use of renewable energy sources or more efficient waste management.
Contemplating a specific budget of 20 million euros for low-density territories, which is part of the Tourism Agenda for the Inland Territory announced on the past 9 May in Covilhã, the credit line will also foresee a budget of 30 million euros for projects promoted outside those territories. At the level of performance bonus, companies located in low-density territories benefit from a performance bonus of 20%, while companies located outside those territories benefit from a performance bonus of 10%.
This line, which will be operational during the month of June, is part of the 360º Tourism Companies Programme, which aim is to encourage companies in the tourism sector to adopt an ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) agenda and analyse the impacts of their activity on the environment and social systems in which they operate, while creating value for all interested parties.
From micro to large organisations in the various tourism activities, the aim is to encourage companies in the sector to embrace the challenges and opportunities of non-financial reporting, as evidenced by the recent European Directive on Sustainability Reporting. Joining the 360º Tourism Companies Programme provides tools that assist in the processing of information regarding ESG practices, including access to sectorial performance metrics and an innovative technological platform called FOREST - Organisational and Sustainability Reporting Tool in Tourism.
Launched in November 2021, in partnership with 18 entities, the 360º Tourism Companies Programme encourages companies to report their sustainability performance by integrating ESG - Environmental, Social and Governance factors into their organisational culture and business strategy, guiding them in the process through a system of indicators created with the aim of reflecting their environmental, social and governance practices.
