• According to a study conducted by ObservaTUR for Beroni, two out of every 10 agencies have already made use of the program funded by NextGenerationEU 
• They have used the funding primarily to expand their online presence, improve customer service, and streamline their business processes, particularly with regard to digital billing 
• Half of the agencies have no intention of applying for or using the funding set aside for digitization; 10% of them cite the complexity of the application process as the reason, they say

According to a study conducted by ObservaTUR for Beroni, a company specializing in technology for the tourism sector, 30 percent of domestic travel agencies plan to apply this year for the digitalization grant program funded by NextGenerationEU, also known as Kit Digital, which remains open until December 31, 2024, across all its segments and active calls for applications.  

According to the Beroni report, based on surveys conducted by ObservaTUR among a sample of 5,000 agencies, two out of every 10 companies in this sector have already taken advantage of this program, which the government is promoting through the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan.  

Agencies have used the grants primarily to consolidate their online presence (54%), strengthen process management—particularly regarding digital billing (44%)—and improve customer service (20%). Fifteen percent have directed the funds toward e-commerce or the creation of a marketplace (15%) and the management of their social media (14%). Ten percent have used the grants to develop business intelligence tools and for business analytics.  

A key finding from the report by the Lleida-based company is that more than half of the agencies (50%) have no intention of applying for or making use of the government’s digitalization grants; 10% of them—the report states—cite “the complexity of the application process” as the reason.  

According to Josep Bellés, CEO of Beroni, “it’s great news that 30 percent of travel agencies plan to take advantage of the Digital Kit this year, as it’s an excellent opportunity to drive the digital transformation of their businesses using non-repayable grants. And I encourage that group that is still hesitant—which is quite large (50%)—to join the program without worrying about its complexity, because they can count on the support of any of the authorized digitalization agents, such as Beroni, which guides companies through the entire process and handles the paperwork.” 

Digital Kit: 310,000 grants for all productive sectors 

To date, according to Red.es, more than 310,000 grants have been awarded under the Kit Digital program, representing 1.4 billion euros from the Recovery Plan, funded by NextGenerationEU. In total, since the program’s inception, more than 350,000 digital transformation projects have been launched in businesses.  

Those interested in the program may apply for Kit Digital grants through any of the following active calls for applications until December 31, 2024: 

-Call for grant applications for the digital transformation of companies in Segment I: Companies with 10 to fewer than 50 employees. 

-Call for grant applications for the digitization of Segment II: Companies with 3 to fewer than 10 employees.  

-Call for applications for grants aimed at the digitalization of Segment III companies. Companies with 0 to fewer than 3 employees. 

Eligible companies may use the grants for any of up to 12 solutions listed in the catalog: website and online presence, social media management, e-commerce, customer management, virtual office services and tools, business intelligence and analytics, process management, electronic invoicing, secure communications, cybersecurity, advanced online presence, and marketplaces. The catalog can be viewed on the Acelera pyme website (www.acelerapyme.es). 

According to Red.es, a new call for applications targeting medium-sized businesses is scheduled to be launched soon, thereby expanding the range of potential beneficiaries of the Digital Kit.