Given the unprecedented disruption of Covid-19, many governments have set up special programs or grants to help out beleaguered businesses. One of the biggest focuses has been to encourage digitalization across all industries, and hospitality can certainly stand to benefit.
We’ve looked across Europe at what government grants for hospitality are available to hoteliers, and extracted the essential information in case you weren’t aware of potential funding. These are the schemes we’ve found that, at the time of writing, are still available.
To jump to a specific section, just click on any of the countries in this list:
Hospitality grants in Germany
Hospitality grants in France
Hospitality grants in Spain
Hospitality grants in Czech Republic
Hospitality grants in Portugal
Hospitality grants in Austria
Hospitality grants in Luxembourg
Hospitality grants in Switzerland
Hospitality grants in Denmark
Hospitality grants in Norway
Hospitality grants in Germany
Digital Jetzt
What’s the support?
The Digital Jetzt scheme offers financial grants to encourage corresponding investments in small and medium-sized companies, including hospitality. There are grants for investing in digital technologies as well as investments in the qualification of employees on digital topics.
Who can apply?
SMEs from any industry with 3 to 499 employees, who are planning a digitalization project, for example investment in new software such as Mews. You also need to have a permanent property in Germany.
What do you need to do?
Fill in a funding application that focuses on describing your digitalization plan, including the outcomes you’re seeking and how the new technology will make your business more efficient. If you’re writing about Mews, there’s plenty you can include, and we have the data to back it up.
More details: https://www.bmwi.de/Redaktion/DE/Dossier/digital-jetzt.html
UnternehmensWert: Mensch
What’s the support?
The scheme helps to develop modern, employee-oriented personnel strategies. You’ll get professional consultation advice on topics including communication, work organization, health promotion, and knowledge transfer. In short, helping to ensure your business is future-ready.
Who can apply?
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) based in Germany.
What do you need to do?
Search for your nearest consultant and make an appointment to visit them. Choose an initial counselling center that’s in the same federal state as your company's headquarters and place of work.
More details: https://www.unternehmens-wert-mensch.de/das-programm/uebersicht/
Hospitality grants in France
What’s the support?
The French government have created the Plan Relance Tourisme, which includes a one-stop web portal, for all French businesses in the tourism sector that have been impacted by Covid-19. The support is mostly in the form of financing and equity, and there are some special measures available for entrepreneurs and start-ups.
Who can apply?
Any French company, including those in overseas territories, of any size.
What do you need to do?
The portal has a few simple filters that you fill in (your sector, business size and region) and it then directs you to the relevant aid platform.
More details: https://www.plan-tourisme.fr/
Hospitality grants in Spain
What’s the support?
There are currently no specific hospitality or digitalization grants offered by the Spanish government. However, the AceleraPyme Portal provides a useful collection of any available solutions, services, aids and tools offered by collaborating entities from both the public and private sectors.
More details: https://acelerapyme.gob.es/
Hospitality grants in Czech Republic
What’s the support?
The Digital Enterprise scheme (ICT a sdílené služby – Digitální podnik) provides subsidies to support Czech businesses with digital transformation, including logistics, cyber security and office software and hardware such as operating systems, AI and QR readers. The subsidy can be anywhere between 0.5m and 3 million Kč.
Who can apply?
45% of the total subsidy fund will go to small enterprises with 49 employees of fewer, and 35% will go to medium sized enterprises (50-249 employees). Importantly, the project must be implemented in a property outside of Prague, although the company's registered office may be in the capital.
What do you need to do?
Contact a consultant via the link below and they’ll arrange a meeting. Subsidies are granted based on multiple factors, but the key criteria include a proven, wide market potential for the provision of outsourced services, your business readiness, the material content of the project and a realistic budget.
More details: https://www.oppik.cz/dotacni-programy/ict-a-sdilene-sluzby-digitalni-podnik
Hospitality grants in Portugal
What’s the support?
The ADAPTAR incentive system supports SMEs and VSEs in adapting their establishments and processes in order to become more Covid-safe. In essence, anything that will help with the compliance of public health laws and standards, such as social distancing and other digital tools like a new cloud-based property management system.
There are two programs – ADAPT MICRO and ADAPT PME (or SME) – which provide different amounts of support. The ADAPT PME program (the bigger of the two) offers businesses 50% financing on suitable projects, for costs between €5,000 and €40,000. ADAPT MICRO provides 80% financing for expenses between €500 and €5,000.
Who can apply?
Micro businesses anywhere in Portugal can apply for ADAPT MICRO. SMEs can apply for ADAPTAR PME as long as they’re in NUTII do Continente: Norte, Centro, Lisboa, Alentejo and Algarve.
What do you need to do?
A payment request form with a detailed guide is available online. The deadline is currently the 31st March, 2021.
More details: https://www.iapmei.pt/PRODUTOS-E-SERVICOS/Incentivos-Financiamento/Sistemas-de-Incentivos/Incentivos-Portugal-2020/Avisos-ADAPTAR.aspx
Hospitality grants in Austria
What’s the support?
KMU DIGITAL provides digitalization funding for small and medium-sized enterprises in Austria. There are two subsidy programs: advisory funding and implementation funding. Advisory funding provides an 80% subsidy on digitalization status and potential analysis, and a 50% subsidy for strategy consulting. For implementation, you can get a 30% funding bonus for projects such as new digital solutions (PMS, CRM etc.), IT security and online marketing.
Who can apply?
Any Austrian SMEs who still hace a lot to gain from digitalization, such as moving from a legacy on-premises PMS to a cloud platform.
What do you need to do?
The first round of funding has been completed. You can register with KMU DIGITAL Infoservice and they’ll notify you once the next round of funding is open.
More details: https://www.kmudigital.at/
Hospitality grants in Luxembourg
What’s the support?
The Luxembourg government offer the Fit 4 Digital scheme, a series of measures to help businesses with digitalization. As the name suggests, you get support for digitalization, including the implementation of a 360° in-depth analysis of your business, and a grant of €5,000. At the end of the project, you can also request additional financial support of up to 50% of the costs incurred.
Who can apply?
There are two options: Fit 4 Digital for SMEs, and Fit 4 Digital Packages, for VSEs (very small enterprises) with fewer than 50 employees.
What do you need to do?
Choose a consultant from the list of approved partners and then complete the online application form. You’ll need a few documents handy, including your balance sheet for the last financial year; company statutes; copy of business permit; company Bank Identity Statement; and a CCSS certificate providing information on the number of employees.
More details: https://www.luxinnovation.lu/innovate-in-luxembourg/performance-programmes/fit-4-digital/
Hospitality grants in Switzerland
What’s the support?
Unfortunately, the Swiss government's digitalization program ended in 2020. However, Hotelleriesuisse offers consultative help for businesses looking to upgrading their tech stack.
More details: https://www.hotelleriesuisse.ch/de/leistungen-und-support/know-how-und-entwicklung/digitalisierungspotenzial/potenzialanalyse
Hospitality grants in Denmark
What’s the support?
The deadline for applications for the latest round of funding has passed. However, you can sign up to be notified for when the next round opens. Previously, the government has supported green initiatives and new technology, with hotels contributing 25% of the cost of the investment and the rest is paid by the grant. Previous banding started at €50k for 10-25 employees and €100k for 25-50 employees €100k.
More details: https://ehhs.dk/ydelser-forlob-omstillingspuljen
Hospitality grants in Norway
What’s the support?
Innovation Norway (Innovasjon Norge) contribute to sustainable growth and exports for Norwegian businesses through capital and expertise. In the wake of Covid-19, there is a grant you can apply to via their website. They also offer a number of free online business courses.
More details: https://www.innovasjonnorge.no/en/start-page/
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