There are times when you need a "little" help, a little "support" in taking your business a little further. For many travel agencies used to "doing tourism" in the traditional (offline) way, the transition "to digital" is that moment. The entrepreneur who has not yet had the opportunity to familiarize himself with this digital context now has limited experience with both solution providers and service providers. This can lead to a misunderstanding of "costs" and an interpretation of "investments" as just "costs" in the absence of a concrete and easily predictable "return on investment".
Digital is no longer the "future" for a long time, but has been the "present" for many years, and digitization now does not necessarily bring you one step ahead of the competition, as much as it brings you "in step" with it. Your tourists are already online, they have been booking holidays online for years, and the lack of a digital presence can become frustrating at some point and be a sign of stagnation. How confident can they be that you'll find them the newest destinations when you don't yet have yesterday's technology?
An easy solution is to apply for financing programs, and to help you out a bit, we've gathered some information that will help you on this "new" road.
1. Identification of the financing program:
- National Recovery and Resilience Program (PNRR)
- European funds (eg ROP)
- Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Tourism.
2. Eligibility
- Beneficiary type: SMEs are usually eligible, but it is important to check specific program requirements.
- The activity of the travel agency: The agency must be active in the tourism market and have the capacity to implement such a project.
- Financial criteria: The agency must have no outstanding debts and be correctly registered for tax purposes.
3. Documents required for submitting the application
A. Administrative and legal documents
- License
- Patent
- Unique Registration Code
- Fiscal attestation certificate issued by ANAF
- Copy of the company's constitutive act (for SRL, SA or other legal forms).
- Decision of the General Meeting of Associates (as applicable).
- Financial statements to demonstrate financial stability.
B. Financial documents
- The financial statements of the travel agency (Balance Sheet, Profit and Loss Account for the last 2-3 years).
- Statement of income and taxes paid.
- Proof of the absence of fiscal debts (certificate from ANAF).
C. The digitization plan
- Detailed description of the project: What type of digitization do you want to implement (website, booking platform, online store, mobile application, online marketing, etc.).
- Project objectives: What digitalization will bring to the agency (more clients, cost savings, operational efficiency, etc.).
- Implementation plan: Concrete steps for implementing the project (development stages, required resources, execution times).
- Detailed budget: Estimated costs for digitizing the agency, including the purchase of software, hardware, payment for consulting services or training.
D. Reference Documents for Implementation
- IT service contracts
- Financial offer from suppliers
- Evidence of suppliers' experience (portfolios or certifications demonstrating that suppliers are able to meet project requirements).
E. Additional documents (if applicable and expressly requested)
- ISO quality certificate
- Proof of previous participation in digitization projects or other funding funds
- Letters of recommendation
4. Application submission procedure
- Online application registration: Most funding programs allow online applications through official platforms.
- Evaluation of the application: Once the application is submitted, it will be evaluated by the competent authorities, based on the established criteria (digitalization impact, financial viability, technical feasibility).
- Signing the financing contract: If the application is accepted, a contract will be signed that establishes the conditions for implementing the project and the allocation of funds.
5. Implementation and Reporting
- After signing the funding contract, the agency must implement the project according to the approved plan.
- It is essential that you meet all deadlines and provide regular progress reports to the funding authorities.
- At the end of the project, you will have to report the impact and justify the use of the funds received.
To maximize your chances of success it is essential to have a detailed investment plan and respect the financial and technical requirements of the program.
We hope this information will be useful for you to take this step. With certainty, whatever kind of fund you choose, the evolution of your business will be noticeable in the online environment.
As you already know, TravelFuse has been a provider of solutions for the digitalization of travel agencies in Romania for many years, and we can help you take your travel agency from offline to online with as few headaches as possible. Our colleagues are ready to help you take your first steps in this unknown land, and you just have to write to them HERE.