The COVID-19 crisis offers an opportunity for the tourism sector and its closely related supply chains to embrace digital transformation and boost innovation ecosystems in the public and private sectors. Innovation can fuel the sector to recalibrate and emerge from this crisis ready to grow again.
THE CHALLENGE
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), through its innovation laboratory, IDB Lab, and in collaboration with the the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), seeks to identify business models that aim to transform and revitalize the tourism sector in 15 target countries: Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.
To be considered, these models must have the following four characteristics:
- Introduce innovations in at least two defined categories:
- workforce development (e.g. upskilling labour force with digital skills, biosecurity measures, use of big-data, etc. | supporting entrepreneurship in tourism), or
- environmental sustainability (which includes safeguarding biodiversity, adopting waste management measures/innovations, circular economy models, and/or climate smart agricultural practices etc.)
- Use innovative and disruptive technologies
- Demonstrate financial sustainability
- Contribute to the country’s economic, social, and environmental impact
TOP AREAS FOR INNOVATION
- Adoption of innovative technologies to compete at a global level improving the tourism experience and ensuring consumer protection and confidence.
- A skilled tourism workforce should possess new digital skills useful for the recovery phase, including a mix of competencies for product development, marketing and market intelligence, among others.
- Environmental sustainability in the tourism supply chains must favor measures to conserve energy, water, and transition to circular economy approaches to reduce natural resource use and utilize climate-smart agricultural innovations and technologies.
AWARDS
IDB Lab Financing: IDB Lab may consider the Applicants whose proposals are selected to receive non-reimbursable and/or reimbursable financing to implement the proposed tourism business model in one of the 15 target countries.
Participation in regional networking events: Applicants whose proposals are selected will also be included among IDB Lab’s network of global innovators and may have opportunities to participate in networking events organized by the IDB Group and its partners.
For details see Guidelines.
WHO CAN PRESENT PROPOSALS?
Applicants from the 48 member countries of the IDB Group are invited to participate, including innovators and entrepreneurs with ready-to-implement solutions, destination marketing organizations, businesses, public innovation agencies, social enterprises, NGOs, and similar applicants with demonstrated expertise in the tourism sector.
Applicants not located and registered in the target country where the project will be implemented, will only be considered if applying in partnership with a local organization registered in said target country.
TIMELINE*
* Dates are approximate and subject to changes
-
Digital Launch
June 15, 2020 -
Proposal Submission
June 15 – July 31, 2020 -
Final Submission Deadline
July 31, 2020 (midnight Eastern Time) -
Review of Applications (pre-selection, due diligence, final selection)
August 2020 -
Expected Announcement of Selected Proposals
September 2020
Click on the photo below to view the original correspondence.
Form strategic partnerships among stakeholders in the TOURISM VALUE CHAIN:
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Good day! This is my first comment here so I just
wanted to give a quick shout out and tell you I genuinely enjoy reading your blog posts.
Can you recommend any other blogs/websites/forums that deal with
the same topics? Many thanks!
Hi there! Thanks a lot for your kind words. If you are referring to environmental information regarding the circular economy, https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/ is a good place to start. The following video link gives information on the tourism industry in the Caribbean: https://www.facebook.com/CaribbeanTourismOrganization/videos/2760996890796311. For challenges you can keep an eye on other IDB opportunities or maybe do a search on the specific topic. I truly hope this helps, you may message me and let me know.