About project

Why scaling-up hospitality sector companies is important

Currently, tourism companies near the EU’s eastern border are facing similar challenges: these areas are not always perceived as safe to visit. Businesses must make significant efforts to attract visitors, stand out from other destinations, and deliver greater value and more memorable experiences.
Project partners have identified that businesses across the target regions share common growth interests:

• To increase the economic value of their services using the Experience Economy model;
• To reach new customer groups from foreign markets;
• To elevate their branding and marketing activities to the next level.

What we are aiming to achieve 

The aim of the project is to support approximately 80 (15–20 from Estonia, 15–15 from Latvia, 20 from Finland) new growth-oriented small and medium-sized enterprises in the hospitality and creative sectors, mainly located in rural areas near the EU’s eastern border.
The program is based on an innovative Experience Economy business model. Experiences are divided into four broad categories, and each company’s task is to find the right balance between them: Entertainment, Educational, Esthetical, Escapist.
This model enables SMEs to move to a higher level in the value chain: from the Service Economy to the Experience Economy. It is expected that around 60 SMEs will demonstrate tangible growth results by the end of the project.

What are we doing

SMEs are involved to the project through two application rounds, and each round consists of an approximately 8-month development cycle. Each participating company will receive an individual growth roadmap, along with personal support from mentors, business coaches, and tourism experts. Regular cross-border networking events and workshops will be organised, complemented by exchange visits. Companies can apply during two selection rounds: in autumn 2025 and autumn 2026. The program is primarily targeted at SMEs that have been operating for 5 to 7 years and are ready to move to the next stage of growth.