- DIBEST promotes the digital transformation of tourism microenterprises in coastal areas through training, mentoring and digital tools
Málaga TechPark took part in the fourth face-to-face meeting of the European project DIBEST – Digital Innovation for Blue Enterprises and Social Tourism, held from 27 to 29 May in the coastal city of Faro, Portugal. The meeting brought together representatives from the project’s partner organisations from Spain, France, Portugal and Ireland, who are working together to support the digitalisation of tourism microenterprises along the Atlantic coast of Europe.
Following previous meetings in Killorglin (Ireland), Málaga (Spain) and Caen (France), this new gathering provided an opportunity to review the progress made so far and plan the next steps of the project, which is currently in a key phase of training and mentoring implementation.
Training and mentoring to strengthen blue and social tourism
DIBEST, co-funded by the Interreg Atlantic Area programme, aims to support the digital transition of microenterprises engaged in blue and social tourism in coastal regions, through practical tools, innovative training content, and personalised expert guidance.
During the meeting, the partners shared updates on the ongoing personalised mentoring phase for the 68 selected microenterprises across the four countries. Each company will receive expert support from specialised mentors to design and implement a tailored digitalisation roadmap.
A digital toolkit in development and new collaboration actions
A key element of the project is the DIBEST Digital Toolkit, a digital repository currently under development. It will gather resources, guidelines, best practices and tools designed to facilitate the digital transformation of tourism microenterprises. The structure and functionality of the toolkit were discussed during the working sessions in Faro, with progress made on its design and content.
The meeting also served to define the upcoming national workshops and thematic forums to be held in each partner country. These events aim to foster learning, share inspiring experiences and build synergies among stakeholders in the tourism ecosystem. The project will conclude with a final transnational workshop to present the results and promote the transfer of the DIBEST methodology to other European regions.