The promotion of handicraft products and support of craftsmen

The proposal submitted by the applicant is expected to deliver the following results:

• Support for craftsmen to launch, develop and promote traditional products, including via digital means. 

• Attraction of tourists to the respective regions and subsequent contribution to economic growth. 

• Improved collaboration and cooperation between craftsmen from different regions across the EU, promotion of social cohesion. 

• Improved SMEs’ usage of available tools and management strategies to increase their competitiveness and promote growth. 

• Advanced green and digital transition of the tourism ecosystem, including SMEs.  

• Boosted quality along the tourism value chain. 

• Best practises adopted by craftsmen.  

With this call the following objectives shall be met: 

• To support craftsmen established within the entire European Union territory, regardless of the Member State they are from, in the process of creating traditional handicraft products.

• To support crafts with a view to attracting tourists to areas where handicraft and in particular artisanal and traditional products such as those with a geographical indication, are manufactured, and to promote the local purchase of these products by tourists and to stoke interest by tourists about associated traditional manufacturing methods. 

• To provide incentives to said craftsmen and encourage them to carry on the tradition and continue to manufacture these products. 

• To incentivise the pursuit of this occupation of young craftsmen to create artisanal and traditional products.

• To create new opportunities to collaborate with other craftsmen from other EU regions with whom they have similarities, including through the EU Tourism Platform. 

• To help promote and increase the sale of artisanal and handicraft products such as those with a geographical indication, including through digital means. 

A transnational project consortium of public and private entities will act as an intermediary organising specific activities for craftsmen and tourism SMEs in different countries.

The applicant will organise and provide direct support to craftsmen and SMEs producing handicrafts products to build their capacities to launch and/or promote such and support craftsmen and will also facilitate cross-border/transnational cooperation to foster peer to peer learning as well as to exchange knowledge and good practices between craftsmen.

In turn, said support shall attract tourists to areas where handicraft and traditional products are being manufactured.  

The proposed activities described in the below work packages shall contribute to the promotion of handicraft products and support of craftsmen, by providing both direct and indirect support, be it consultative or financial.

The support must be provided to craftsmen and also to tourism stakeholders, in particular to SMEs, including start-ups and entrepreneurs, who wish to develop new business concepts, new products or to implement proven efficient projects based on best practices, contributing to the transition on a more resilient and sustainable EU tourism ecosystem.

The tasks under this grant are divided in 3 Work Packages:

WP I - Direct support for craftsmen

WP II - Establish a collaboration and exchange mechanism for craftsmen

WP III - Incentivising tourism in regions where handicraft products are manufactured