CIAT - Tourism Applied Research Centre

Description and targets

It is intended, with this Project, to set up the Tourism Applied Research Centre (Centro de Investigação Aplicada de Turismo) - CIAT which will have, as main goal, the applied research in the areas of New Technologies of Information and Communication, the Operational Management, and of the changes of processes/methods.

The purpose of this centre shall be to notice the needs of Operators and Regional Hotels Groups at these levels and satisfy them, working as a link between offer and demand.

The constitution of this centre does not imply the creation of new infra structures but the profit of an integrated work between partners. This way, the purpose is to take advantage of the know-how of each partner to respond to the presented needs.

This project has is the result of an application presented to the Regional Programme of Innovative Actions - Madeira - PRAI-Madeira.

Partners

Madeira University (UMa) - Mathematic and Engeneering Departement; Expedita; Bkat Consulting; In.Formar; Porto Santo Line; Intertour; Top Atlântico; Blandy; Dorisol Group; Porto Bay Group; Pestana Group.

Description and targets

This project has as main goal, to offer all organizations managing destinations, a site where they are able to promote their brands. A website where every one has the same possibilities of enhancement according to a positioning chart (publicity-wise) and to visitors needs.

Such purpose meets the needs of travellers who have not yet taken any decision, enabling them to access the system helping them to choose their next destination, by building an interactive prototype system with which:

• The Organisation of European Management can spread out tourism through a promotional campaign (concepts, percentage charts, titles, slogans, images, texts, stories);
• The users (potential visitors) may have a system helping them decide where to go on the next trip;
• The system grows according to the users interaction

The result of such project will reflect upon an interactive work with psychologists, advertisement experts, sociologists, experts in anthropology, geography and tourism, creating at the same time the motivation for users, experts in programming and web design having in mind the creation of a user friendly interface.

http://www.isnova.net

Description and targets

The project "Articulation of small infra structures of support to innovation: Definition of a pilot project to the articulation of mechanisms to the promotion of the cooperation inter regional in what concerns Innovation in the SUDOE, in the in relation to the establishment of the necessary basis to the creation of a Virtual Technological Centre", acronym of which is ISNOVA, is now in an application phase to the Communitarian Initiative of INTERREG III B of the operation programme to the European Southwest. .

ISNOVA intends to act in the insulars territories of the SUDOE with the objective of integrating them in the main territories as well as in the Communitarian Territory.

ISNOVA foresees the accomplishment of the following actions:

Action 1- Analysis of the common and differentiated measures of promotion of the Innovation among the participant territories, starting with a study and benchmarking analysis to the search and the offer in each region;

Action 2- Study and diffusion of the available technological offer as regards to Innovation in agreement with the business needs of the participant islands;

Action 3- Definition of the regional and inter-regional paper that certain key structures related to I&D should have. For example, the Science and Technology Parks.

Action 4- Establishment of the necessary bases for the creation, with a pilot character, of a common Virtual Technological Centre, that integrates in its whole the existents. The Centre should regard the scope of Tourism and of the Information Society (IS). This way, the IS appears itself, as a tool that will allow an easy access to the services that of the companies that put themselves to the disposal of the Centre, favouring in this way the connection with the rest of the territory also contributing to the internal balance;

Action 5 - Articulation of the peripheral Islands in each region and in the whole of the islands with the EU taking advantage of the possibilities given by the IS;

Action 6 - Horizontal action.

The main goal of this project is to potentate the inter-regional cooperation towards the approach and access of the companies to the development of small infra structures of support to innovation in areas where the critic mass doesn't favours the spontaneous appearance of those. In concrete ISNOVA intends to establish the basis to an actuation that presents as pilot result the creation of a Virtual Technological Centre, which main goal may be the support, in the economic level, the insulars areas throughout the promotion of Innovation and Sustainable Development of the SUDOE space.

Partners

ISNOVA is coordinated by the Ballearic Islands Government through the General Direction of Research and Technological Development and has, as partners the Regional Government of the Canary Islands, and Madeira Tecnopolo representing Madeira Archipelago. Also participate in the project, as associated partners the Touristic and Technological Research Centre of CAIB (Ballearic Islands); IBIT Foundation (Ballearic Islands); Ballearic Islands University; Regional Government of Madeira through the Regional Secretary of Education; Madeira University; Regional Agency for Energy and Environment (Madeira); Business Innovation Centre of Madeira; Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Funchal (Madeira); Technological Institute of Canaries; Canary Institute of Marine Sciences; Las Palmas University (Canary Islands); Managing Company of Science and Technology Park of Crete (Greece) and RCSLCP at Vunar (Slovakia).

Investment

ISNOVA has a total cost of 1.394.571€, being that 913.326€ are financed by FEDER.

Description and targets

The regional tourism is generally composed of small and medium enterprises that often need support to find the best means of promotion and to attract the attention of potential customers.

With the intention of placing the tourism sector closer to its customers, the European Community decided to support the Tr@velSmarT card, a pilot project which is based on the new technologies and innovation, to create a link between commercial establishments and customers.

In a time where the market expectations are turned towards e-commerce, it is necessary to show small businessmen the way to prevent the traditional sector from disappearing.

The Tr@velSmarT card is going to be tested initially in five European regions. Together Madeira, Hampshire, Leipzig-Saxony, Rimini and Valencia, will bet in the card as form of adapting the regional commerce to the new necessities of the sector, placing in this way, the new technologies of information and communication at the service of the small and medium size enterprises of the tourism sector.

For its innovative character, the European Community through Information Society Technologies Programme will finance this project. One expects, in this way, to contribute for the success of the concept at the European level and to contribute to the emergence of new opportunities of business for the regional tourism, supporting the SMEs of each region, allowing for a narrower relation with its customers.

The total investment of the project was estimated at 313845€, of which 188305€, is financed by the region, the remainder is funded by the European Community.

At this moment project still is in development phase, but it is expected that in the card will be available by next year.

From theory to practise

The necessities and the wishes of the consumer are changing. Many have already adapted to the new times and frequently opted to buy products through a computer.

One of the means of traditional commerce to follow the evolution and not to be overtaken by the new forms of sale is to create a relation of fidelity with its customers. With this intention and in the logic of support to this sector, five tourism destinations in Europe will launch this new card.

In its physical aspect, the Tr@velSmarT card resembles a credit card, having the particularity that instead of a magnetic band it uses a chip. In this chip will be introduced all the information of the customer and it also holds any the amounts that is available for spending, amount that are credited in the card each time that the user effects a transaction.

In practise, a network of enterprises exists that - in the five regions that had joined the project - have an added value to conquer the attention of potential customers. For each transaction carried out the tourist receives a certain amount in its card, an amount that can later be reused in any one of the enterprises of any of the regions in the project.

It is therefore, a smart card that will give access to certain advantages, services and offers through a network of commercial partners in the tourist destinations referred above.

Note: This new card comes to not only give an answer to the necessities of the tourist but also of the entrepreneur. The merchant starts to respond faster to the wishes of the customer increasing their satisfaction and simultaneously the profits of their enterprise.

Using Tr@velSmarT

The creation of the Tr@velSmarT also means a bet in the new technologies of information, in a way to establish a link between those involved in the project. This means a bet new communication means as the Internet, the Smart Cards, and new forms of marketing resorting to new technologies.

Once the rules of the programme are defined, it is necessary to sensitise the entrepreneurs to the benefits of joining to the project. To be part of the network of enterprises that participate in the project quickly brings an unequivocal advantage: the tourists will certainly choose to make their purchases in an establishment that gives them compensation.

Also, there is still all the promotion and advertising of the project, of which the name of the commercial establishment will be part.

For the purchaser, the advantages are still more immediate, when making a purchase that costs x, the customer receive in the card a value y, that will be made available to use in any one of the enterprises that join the project.

Tools at the service of Tr@velSmarT

Due to its innovative features, the project resorts to different forms of communication through new technologies:

• The Smart Card - The card represents the central element of the whole project. Through this instrument the customer will be able to make electronic purchases, using the card whenever they want;
• Federated European Database - Each participating region in the project will have a database that, together with the others, will form a database at the European level. An information that later can be used by the SMEs, for example, for direct marketing.

Remark: The objective is to create a common database for all the regions of the project in order to facilitate the usage by the SMEs and to the best way to satisfy their clients.

• Internet, The Communication Platform - Can be used by the beneficiaries of the system themselves and to Exchange the above mentioned information, all at low cost;
• Regional Tr@velSmarT networks - Each region has a bureau responsible for the Project information update. Each region is independent to carry forward its own initiatives, such as special promotions;
• Direct Marketing  - Able to be managed by the global network, and also by the regional bureaux, also because every region hás its own specific added values to promote.

Expected Results

It is intended that, at the end of this pilot project, the partners regions have constructed a closer relationship with the tourists, its customers, in a way that, they continue to use the tools suggested in the project.

Partners

The following institutions or companies are partners in the Tr@velSmarT card:

• AGYS, French design company, subsidiary of Cofinoga that is specialized in cards and client fidelity programs;
• Instituto de Economia Pública de España;
• ASK, French company specialized in new technologies and development of smart cards;
• Nouveax Territoires, French company responsible for all subjects related with marketing in this;
• Macromoon Soluciones Multimedia, Spanish company responsible for the design of the site for the project;
• Madeira Tecnopolo (P), Hampshire County Council (UK), ARB Leipzig (D), IEP (E), organizations that represent the regions that participate in pilot project.

Description and targets

As a world-level growing phenomenon, the Tourism sector has an increasingly larger economic importance. But in spite of the exciting results and projections, in most cases, there are still regions in Europe that have not sufficiently developed their local resources and potential, in order to attract the attention of potentials visitors.

Tourism, an expanding business, is more and more a matter of information and communication. Using new promotion channels the client/tourist is confronted with destinations he has never visited or that were even unknown to him.

TourISt project was presented to the European Community with the aim of testing and demonstrating best practice approaches on the use of information and communication technologies at regional level and to strengthen the economic benefits of marketing in tourism.

As its main goals TourISt aimed at increasing the efficiency of tourism professionals and improving the quality of services to tourists (already at a high standard) through the use of advanced information and communication technologies.

Action Plan

• The implementation of a Back Office Application to improve the (intra)-regional co-operation and communication between public and private tourism organisations;
• Providing access to the regional tourism information system on round-the-clock access public terminals and the Internet - Front Office. This includes testing of:
  • The use of the Internet and other media as an interactive marketing and trading service to promote and sell regional tourism products and services;
  • Real time access to integrated travel and trip-planning information services;
  • Electronic means for booking, reservation and payment.
• Training of tourism professionals in the use of advanced information and communication technologies in tourism.
• Marketing analysis concerning tourist's needs and expectations, IT supported marketing, commercial viability of IT solutions in tourism.

Conclusions

Six European regions have formed a partnership with the common aim of finding practical solutions to meet these new challenges for tourism in the information society.

With this project, Madeira Tecnopolo and the Regional Tourism Department, are involved in some pilot projects (coordinated by EU) which aimed a greater use of new technological means at the disposal of the tourism sector.

Thus, during the time the project was running, some actions have been taken:

• Campaigns directed to the tourism sector (professionals) promoting the usage of new information and communication technologies;
• Several professionals have been trained for the use of those technologies;
• New applications have been developed and implemented in order to facilitate cooperation among regional tourism companies;
• A new Internet site was created to promote Madeira destination globally (http://www.madeiratourism.pt/). This site provides also useful information for the actual or potential tourist.

Partners

Six European regions  - Madeira in Portugal, Aosta Valley in Italy, Guadeloupe in France, Hampshire in the United Kingdom, Lapland in Finland and Vasterbotten in Sweden - have participated in this project as a way to look for innovative solutions for the new challenges in the tourism sector.

Description and targets

This project has as main goal, and using the New Information and Communication Technologies (namely the Internet) to promote Madeira as a tourism destination.

During its implementation several actions were carried out:

• Creation of a computer data base of tourism resources;
• Creation of a website for the promotion of Madeira as a tourism destination, on the Internet;
• Link of the site with other regional, national and European portals and networks;
• A variety of digital content was created;
• Better and faster response to the information required by tourists by means of faster access to stored data and use of email;
• New channels (ex: email) for receiving suggestions and complains from tourists and capacity for processing this information;
• Simple and practical way of implementing procedures to collect visitors feedback, and having wide reply capacity

Besides better response from the tourism sector to the tourist, the tourist also gets better services, namely:

• Disposal of a location where they can easily access information related to Madeira as a destination, including service and other tourism related companies.
• Assurance of updated and reliable information (since it is provided by Regional Tourism Board);
• Fast response to request of information or documents;
• Disposal of a forum where suggestions may be given and complains registered;

Any company or institution related to the Tourism sector can be present in the site www.madeiratourism.org. In order to adequate offer and demand, several packages exist (depending on the volume of information, of images, etc.).

The initial period (depending on the chosen package), it is free so that the company can verify the benefits of the presence in the site.

In the end of the project the balance was positive. The proposed objectives have been reached and there is the warranty that the benefits and the advantages of NeTur will continue. To assure that this is so, a protocol was signed among the institutional partners that guarantee the maintenance and evolution of the site.

Partners

This project was co-financed by European Union through an international proposal presented by Madeira Tecnopolo, together with Regional Tourism Board, Chamber of Commerce and Ciberdimensão (Multimedia Company).

Investment

This project had a total investment of 233.620€, 50% of which financed by the European Union.

Accomplishment time

Between December, 1997 and January, 2000

Description and targets

Nitoura was thought and conceived with the objective to use New Technologies of Information to allow opening new paths of access to the rural areas, aiming to.

• Stop the exodus of people from rural areas;
• Support the competitiveness and productivity of local industry.

To achieve that purpose, Nitoura intended to introduce and stimulate access from small and medium sized companies to the new Information and Communication Technologies, through:

• Support for e-business,
• Remote co-operative work,
• Telework,
• Video-conference,
• Electronic document management,
• Remote access to multimedia services

The exploration of these tools allowed the development of a methodology for the development of the Virtual Office Environment.

During the operational phase of this project, it was intended (with the financial aid of the European Community), to offer a Virtual Office Environment for use by the regional SMEs, evaluate the results reached, to develop the methodology to better implement and construct a solid commercial business plan.

One of the first steps was the creation of a portal with several news and directories that where made available in the Internet. Besides being an entry point for the VOE (Virtual Office Environment), this portal was a source of local, regional, national and, in certain cases, even international information.

Through this portal, the SMEs could also access the private services:

• Common Website
• E-commerce service
• Email
• Fax Gateway
• Document Management

these services being available in VOE.

Partners

Five European regions participated in the project: (Waterford in Ireland, Ganderkesee in Germany, Karlskrona in Sweden, Ardéche in France and Madeira)

Investment

This project had a budget of 306652€, with 50% of funding by the European Union and the other 50% by Madeira Tecnopolo, executor of the Nitoura project in the region.

Accomplishment time

Nitoura II started in November 1999 and ended June 2001.

Toureg-Research Driven Cluster for Tourism Sector. Competitiveness and Knowledge

The project

By getting together Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) with Tour Agents and Hotel Groups, the intention on an initial stage is to collect a situation status, which will lead to establishing strategies aiming globally to fulfil the needs the sector may evidence. In global terms, the project is directed to improving competitiveness in companies belonging to that services sector, especially those connected to Tourism, by establishing a platform to generate and transmit knowledge based on technological innovation and research in the Tourism domain.  

Global goals

TOUREG several targets can be summarized, globally, in:   

• Adapting and strengthening the public policies of Research and Development (R&D) specifically under the Tourism area;
• Establishing a procedure that allows generating and transferring knowledge in the Tourism sector;
• Promoting, diversifying and specializing under R&D the activities in that sector;
• Making the establishment of a knowledge generating platform become easier;
• Increasing productivity in the Tourism sector;
• Exchanging experiences among regions and participating countries.

Specific Objectives

In order to achieve the global goals, there are a few specific actions foreseen in the project:  

• Creation and consolidation of a research cluster in the tourism sector, at an international level;
• Creation of a labour network able to increase competitiveness within the sector of services focused on tourism;
• Elaboration of a SWOT analysis that allows for a perspective of the different realities;
• Creation of a Technological Map to identify synergies within the cluster as a whole;
• Producing conclusions and recommendations that help improving and adapting the public Technological R&D policies throughout the different regions concerning the Tourism sector.

Partners

There are seven countries participating in TOUREG through several institutions: Madeira Tecnopolo (Madeira, Portugal), Expedita (Madeira, Portugal), AREAM (Madeira, Portugal), The Regional Government of Balearic Islands (Balearic Islands, Spain), IBIT (Balearic Islands, Spain), GIT Consulting (Balearic Islands, Spain), Technical University of Crete (Crete, Greece), Foundation Hellas (Crete, Greece), Pemenco (Sweden), University of Luela (Sweden), CG-GC (Rumania), ARCF (Bulgaria).

Investment and finantial participation

The total budget assigned to this Project is of € 1,078,968.33 the parcel assigned to Madeira Tecnopolo being of € 110,100.00.