The Ministry of Industry and Tourism has approved to grant Cantabria 3.2 million euros to promote measures and projects aimed at strengthening the tourism sector in the region. In particular, three lines of aid are established to finance energy efficiency initiatives of tourism companies, training in digital skills and social sustainability plans.
The meeting, which took place at the ministry headquarters, was chaired by Minister Jordi Hereu and the Secretary of State for Tourism, Rosana Morillo. Hereu was “satisfied” after this Sectoral Conference and highlighted “the importance of the agreements adopted and the climate of collaboration with the autonomous communities to continue strengthening the tourism sector”.
Jordi Hereu has also highlighted Spain’s leadership in tourism and has remembered the excellent data of both visitors and destination spending during 2023. “We must continue working together to maintain and strengthen our position as world tourism leaders next year, for which we also have excellent prospects.”
In his appearance before the media at the end of the meeting, the Minister of Industry and Tourism reiterated his “willingness to work closely with the autonomous communities and with the sector – companies and social agents – to achieve all our objectives in the field of tourism”.
Sectoral Conference Agreements
In the first of the agreements adopted, the Sectoral Conference approved the territorial distribution of 119 million euros of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (component 14) to finance energy efficiency projects of tourism companies (officially called the Financing Line for Energy Efficiency and Circular Economy Projects of Tourism Companies). An investment that the Government approved at the Council of Ministers on December 5 and that will increase the competitiveness of our tourism companies. The eligible actions should be dedicated to improving energy efficiency, waste management measures, promoting local supplies and improving lighting, air-conditioning and thermal storage facilities and equipment.
In addition, the distribution of a second package of European funds of more than 10 million euros has been agreed for investments for Social Sustainability Plans for Tourism (Component 14 of the Recovery Plan). These plans will materialize in guides to promote diversity in employment, work to compile good practices or awareness plans based on training actions for professionals in the tourism sector.
Finally, the allocation of 54 million in aid from the Digital Skills Plan in Tourism (Component 19 of the Recovery Plan) has been established. The beneficiaries of these training actions, which will last 150 hours, will be SMEs and workers in the tourism sector, and 19,350 people are expected to participate before the end of the second quarter of 2026