Ecuador begins a new edition of Emprende Turismo

Interested applicants may be involved in the following activities: Accommodation; Food, beverage, and entertainment; Travel agency; Tourist transportation; Event, congress, and convention organizers, meeting, incentive, conference, fair, and exhibition organizers; Convention centers, reception halls, and banquet halls; Tour guides; Community tourism centers; Theme parks and permanent attractions; and Spas, hot springs, and tourist recreation centers, in addition to those working in technology applied to tourism.

There are three categories to apply:

Ideation/Project: They can apply to tourism business projects in the ideation, exploration, gestation, prototyping, and/or minimum viable product phase of a good or service for the tourism sector.

In progress: Aimed at innovative startups, businesses, and/or MSMEs that contribute to solving problems in the tourism sector, have already generated their first sales, and are in the commercialization or expansion stage. Applicant projects in this category must have been in operation for at least 36 months.

Consolidation: This stage is for tourism SMEs that have been operating for more than 36 months and that present innovative projects to expand their target market and accelerate sales.

An important component of the program is that the five most innovative projects will access Seed Capital of up to $20,000 each. In addition, the 80 best selected projects will receive support through incubation, acceleration, and innovation management processes.

In its first four editions, Emprende Turismo received more than 2,000 applications.

The National Government aims to promote Ecuador's productive development through policies and programs that foster competitiveness and innovation, and generate jobs for Ecuadorians.

Source: Ministry of Tourism of Ecuador.