Europeana to help build the Common European Tourism Data Space

Data spaces - innovative data sharing for Europe

A data space is an infrastructure which enables trustworthy data sharing between participants. Through the European data strategy, the European Commision is developing a series of common European data spaces to ensure that Europe has a flourishing ecosystem of data sharing. 14 data spaces are being implemented across sectors - from tourism and health to cultural heritage - coordinated by the Data Spaces Support Centre.

We are proud that the Europeana Foundation is at the heart of the common European data space for cultural heritage, which aims to accelerate the digital transformation of Europe’s cultural sector, and foster the creation and reuse of digital cultural heritage content. We are now delighted to use our expertise and accomplishments to contribute to the development of the European Tourism Data Space.

Cultural heritage and tourism go closely together. Cultural tourism accounts for 40% of all tourism in Europe according to UNWTO, and cultural heritage is key for most Europeans when choosing a holiday destination. Reusing cultural heritage data can spark innovation and unlock new opportunities in tourism, and foster the development of responsible, sustainable tourism products and business models. We are excited to explore how the two data spaces can support each other's work.

The DEPLOYTOUR project

The European Tourism Data Space will be developed through the DEPLOYTOUR project, which will unite key actors from the tourism and data ecosystems, including the public, businesses and research partners at local, national and European levels. The project aims to address the long-standing challenge of fragmented and inaccessible tourism data by creating a common platform where data from various stakeholders can be shared and utilised effectively. By harnessing the power of data, DEPLOYTOUR will enable more personalised, sustainable and efficient tourism experiences.

Over its three years, DEPLOYTOUR will focus on five key pilot projects in different countries, from sustainable tourism management in Alpine regions, to using data to revitalise heritage sites in Greece. More broadly, the project will enhance collaboration to help tackle recurrent challenges met by the tourism industry, and build connections between tourism and data stakeholders through forums, workshops, and events.

As a full partner in DEPLOYTOUR, Europeana Foundation brings in its experience as a steward of the data space for cultural heritage and will work on ensuring collaboration and complementarity between the two data spaces. In particular, we will contribute to establishing the data flows between the two infrastructures, share our expertise in data space governance and help develop strong cross-data space stakeholder relations. We will also play a key role in the implementation of the fourth use case, exploring how cultural heritage content and narratives can help diversity the tourism offer on the Greek island of Ano Syrus and how the resulting collaboration model and lessons learned can be replicated across Europe to ensure cultural heritage preservation and sustainable destination development.

The project is co-funded by the European Commission's Digital Europe Programme. It is built on the blueprint developed by two preparatory actions for the European Tourism Data Space (ETDS), DATES and DSFT.

An expert consortium and exciting kick-off meeting

The DEPLOYTOUR consortium is made up of 43 partners from 13 European countries, coordinated by AnySolution, a leading expert in data collaboration and European tourism initiatives. It brings together a diverse range of partners, including SMEs, tourism companies, data companies, national ministries, universities, research centres, technology companies, regional administrations, networks, associations, tourism data spaces and consulting firms. See a full list.

The consortium recently came together at the project’s launch event in Palma de Mallorca, which featured a range of distinguished speakers who shared their insights on the future of tourism. Rehana Schwinningeng-Ladak from DG Connect highlighted the European Commission’s commitment to digital innovation in the tourism sector. Sebastián González from the Balearic Islands Government emphasised the region’s pioneering role in adopting data-driven solutions. Dolores Ordóñez from AnySolution presented the ambitious goals of the DEPLOYTOUR project, aiming to create a unified European Tourism Data Space. Agnieszka Bajno, project manager at the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA), detailed how Deploytour aligns with the European Commission's priorities on digitisation, innovation and sustainable tourism. Bruno Castro from DG Growth outlined the EU’s priorities for sustainable and competitive tourism, while Antonio López de Ávila from the UNWTO provided a global perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing the industry.