WHAT & WHY

The main idea of the project is to increase the innovativeness of blue and green tourism small and medium entrepreneurships (SMEs), by integrating selected elements of the circular economy (CE) into their services, products and business models. The CIRTOINNO project is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund under the Interreg South Baltic Programme 2014-2020.

The concept of CE assumes minimizing the environmental impact of products and services. This can be achieved by designing them in a way which enables to take maximum value from the product whilst in use, regenerate it during its life-cycle and to recover/reuse its materials at the end.

By realizing this Project, we intend to prepare SMEs operating in tourism in the South Baltic Region to:

• take the opportunity offered by CE
• meet rising customer expectations e.g. environmental and social awareness of individual and business clients
• protect the natural environment which is the source of value for the tourism sector and the essence of its existence

Elements of CE implemented into business models of SMEs, can be drivers for green products and services in tourism. Resource efficiency, better waste management, eco-friendly mentality, product/service life-cycle management in a sustainable manner can increase competitiveness of SMEs, bring to them real savings and what is most important – improve their innovativeness and create new business opportunities.

how can tourism sector SMEs benefit from this project?

The use of the circular economy concept and implementation of solutions based on its principles by tourism businesses will bring a range of benefits:

• savings – as a result of reduced consumption and reuse of resources,
• the possibility to build a company’s brand on circularity and to be a trendsetter for tourists, changing their behaviours to more nature-friendly and environmentally conscious,
• an opportunity to develop new markets  or  expand existing  ones  (by  attracting  eco-conscious individual tourists as well as socially and environmentally responsible companies),
• setting modern standards for designing new tourism services and products,
• planting the seeds of consumption style change and new way of thinking about how services are provided,
• an opportunity for a cross-border exchange of experience,
• an innovative change of the business model

ACTIVITIES & OFFER

Our approach is in some way pioneering and innovative, as the concept of CE derives primarily from the industry sector and is mainly adopted by manufacturers and retail companies. Therefore we have divided the project into 4 main steps:

• Research / CE Handbook

We have identified and collected existing circular economy solutions in use in services sector and then searched for those practised in tourism. We also have identified and collected best practices in circular economy that may be useful and inspiring for tourism SMEs. Solutions mapped within research activities were assessed in terms of their possibility to be transferred to/applied in coastal tourism SMEs. Publication titled: “Destination: A circular tourism economy. A Handbook for transitioning toward a circular economy within the tourism and hospitality sectors in the South Baltic Region” was prepared and summarizes our research. The Handbook presents a comprehensive view on the Circular Economy. It is also a source of inspiration and valuable knowledge for tourism business in the South Baltic Region.

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• Self-assessment tool (CE in tourism business)

The self-assessment tool helps entrepreneurs review their current business practices, compare them with the principles of the circular economy and identify areas where new/improved solutions may be developed and introduced. Th is tool is available on-line and accessible to all interested tourism sector companies.

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• Model of cross-border training programme

The modular training programme (theoretical basis and workshops) is the core of the project and should help in building companies’ capacity to benefit from the uptake of innovative ‘circular’ solutions or business models. We test the model of the training programme during international workshops with a group of entrepreneurs. Validated final product will be made available to the general public.

• Model of cross-border advisory programme

Within the project, we develop and test models of services supporting SMEs in energy efficiency, as well as non-technological innovations (e.g. organisational, marketing innovations). lt complements the training programme.

Who we are

The Project is realized by seven Partners from four countries from the South Baltic Region:

• Pomerania Development Agency – Lead partner (Poland)
• Klaipeda Chamber of Commerce Industry and Crafts (Lithuania)
• Public Institution Strategic Self Management Institute (Lithuania)
• Energy Agency for Southeast Sweden (Sweden)
• Institute of Fluid-Flow Machinery Polish Academy of Sciencies (Poland)
• Centre for Regional Tourism Research (Denmark)
• Linnaeus University (Sweden)

WHEN?

Project's lifetime: 01.11.2016 – 31.10.2019