{"id":13806,"date":"2026-02-25T16:24:45","date_gmt":"2026-02-25T14:24:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.eurosc.eu\/news\/trainings-on-accessibility-and-digitalization-in-agrotourism-completed-next-steps\/"},"modified":"2026-02-25T16:28:38","modified_gmt":"2026-02-25T14:28:38","slug":"accessibility-digitalisation-in-agrotourism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.eurosc.eu\/en\/news\/accessibility-digitalisation-in-agrotourism\/","title":{"rendered":"Trainings on accessibility and digitalization in agrotourism completed \u2013 Next Steps"},"content":{"rendered":"

The successful completion of the trainings in Bologna, Italy<\/strong>, marks a defining moment<\/strong> for the DigAccess Agrotourism<\/strong><\/a> project<\/strong>. More than a training milestone, the sessions represent the beginning of a structured European effort<\/strong> to strengthen the accessibility, digital readiness, and long-term sustainability<\/strong> of rural and agrotourism enterprises.<\/p>\n

Held in January 2026<\/strong> in a city internationally recognised for its educational heritage and innovation-driven environment, the trainings gathered mentors and representatives from partner organisations<\/strong> committed to supporting rural SMEs. Over several intensive days, participants engaged in collaborative learning experiences<\/strong> focused on two strategic pillars: accessibility and digitalisation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Responding to the Changing Landscape of Rural Tourism<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rural and agrotourism SMEs operate in a rapidly evolving context<\/strong>. Visitor expectations are shifting, digital platforms increasingly shape travel decisions, and accessibility standards<\/strong> are becoming both a legal and ethical imperative<\/strong>. At the same time, many small enterprises face structural limitations: limited digital expertise, restricted resources, and a lack of specialised guidance<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The Bologna sessions addressed these challenges directly. Through expert-led workshops, peer exchanges, case analysis, and practical demonstrations<\/strong>, mentors were equipped with tools to assess digital accessibility gaps<\/strong>, improve online communication practices<\/strong>, and guide SMEs in implementing inclusive solutions<\/strong>. Particular emphasis was placed on understanding accessibility not as an obligation, but as a strategic opportunity<\/strong> to diversify customer bases, enhance brand reputation, and increase resilience in competitive markets<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Participants explored universal design principles, accessible website structures, inclusive content creation, and practical digital tools<\/strong> tailored to small rural businesses. Importantly, discussions highlighted how digital transformation and accessibility must go hand in hand<\/strong>. A digitally advanced enterprise that is not accessible remains exclusionary; an accessible enterprise without digital visibility remains invisible. The integration of both dimensions is essential.<\/strong><\/p>\n

From Knowledge to Action: A European Network of Prepared Mentors<\/strong><\/p>\n

One of the strongest outcomes of the training is the establishment of a coordinated, well-prepared mentor network across Europe<\/strong>. The training emphasised practical applicability<\/strong>: mentors worked through real-life scenarios faced by agrotourism operators, analysed barriers to implementation, and co-developed support pathways adaptable to different national contexts<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Beyond technical knowledge, the sessions reinforced the importance of collaborative guidance<\/strong>. Mentors are not external auditors; they are facilitators of growth<\/strong>. Their role is to work alongside SMEs, identify achievable improvements, and support gradual transformation aligned with each enterprise\u2019s capacity and vision<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

This European dimension<\/strong> is central to DigAccess Agrotourism. Rural tourism may be local in character, but its competitiveness and sustainability<\/strong> depend increasingly on cross-border knowledge exchange and shared standards<\/strong>. The training fostered exactly that: a shared framework for action rooted in practical realities<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The Next Phase: Recruitment of Agrotourism SMEs<\/strong><\/p>\n

With the completion of the Bologna training, the project now enters its next decisive phase: the recruitment of agrotourism SMEs<\/strong> that are ready to strengthen their digital and accessibility capacity<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

DigAccess Agrotourism invites rural and agrotourism enterprises to collaborate with our trained mentors<\/strong> and benefit from structured, tailored support<\/strong>. Participating SMEs will gain access to personalised guidance<\/strong> designed to help them: improve the accessibility of their websites, booking systems, and digital communication channels, enhance online visibility and customer engagement strategies<\/strong>, align their services with inclusive tourism standards and good practices<\/strong>, and strengthen their competitiveness in both domestic and international markets<\/strong>, among others.<\/p>\n

Importantly, participation in the project provides more than technical adjustments. It offers strategic positioning<\/strong>. Accessible and digitally capable enterprises<\/strong> are better equipped to attract diverse visitor groups<\/strong>, including people with disabilities, older travellers, families, and international tourists who increasingly prioritise inclusive and responsible destinations<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

For rural businesses, this transformation can translate into increased bookings, improved customer satisfaction, stronger reputation, and long-term sustainability<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Building a More Inclusive and Resilient Rural Tourism Ecosystem<\/strong><\/p>\n

DigAccess Agrotourism operates on the understanding that accessibility and digitalisation are not peripheral enhancements; they are foundational elements of future-ready tourism<\/strong>. Rural areas hold immense cultural, environmental, and economic value. Ensuring that their tourism enterprises are inclusive and digitally visible<\/strong> is not only beneficial for individual SMEs but for entire regional ecosystems<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The trainings in Bologna laid the groundwork. Equipped with expertise, practical methodologies, and a shared European vision<\/strong>, mentors are now ready to accompany agrotourism SMEs on a path towards measurable improvement and sustainable growth<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The journey continues and we warmly invite agrotourism enterprises to take this next step with us. By working together, we can shape a rural tourism sector that is more accessible, more innovative, and more resilient across Europe<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

For more information, you can contact us at\u00a0<\/strong>anna.argyrou@eurosc.eu<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The successful completion of the trainings in Bologna, Italy, marks a defining moment for the DigAccess Agrotourism project. More than a training milestone, the sessions represent the beginning of a structured European effort to strengthen the accessibility, digital readiness, and long-term sustainability of rural and agrotourism enterprises. Held in January 2026 in a city internationally […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":13804,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13806","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eurosc.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13806","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eurosc.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eurosc.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eurosc.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eurosc.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13806"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.eurosc.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13806\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13809,"href":"https:\/\/www.eurosc.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13806\/revisions\/13809"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eurosc.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13804"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eurosc.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13806"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eurosc.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13806"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eurosc.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13806"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}