- The aim of this meeting, which is being attended by a delegation from Promálaga, is to exchange experiences in digitalization with European companies.
The Malaga City Council, through the municipal company Promálaga, has participated in the transnational meeting of the European project DIBEST (Digital Innovation for Blue Enterprises & Social Tourism), which was held on April 21 and 22 in Ireland and concludes today, Thursday, April 23, with the final closing meeting of partners.
This meeting brings together companies from Spain, France, Ireland and Portugal in a practical format called Workshop on Wheels, through which the participating entities travel around the Iveragh Peninsula (Ring of Kerry), in southwest Ireland, combining working sessions, visits to local tourism businesses and exchange activities.
Representing Spain are Costasol Cruceros and Novojet, from Andalusia, as well as Palmira Scuba, Mellor con Guía, and Casa Rural Entre os Ríos, from Galicia. During the workshops, the companies learned about the operations of other businesses in coastal rural areas, particularly regarding the use of digital tools such as websites, booking systems, and digital marketing strategies.
The objective of this meeting is to promote the exchange of experiences between companies from different territories, facilitating the analysis of common challenges and the sharing of applied solutions, as well as sharing the progress achieved through the training and mentoring actions developed within the framework of the project.
Likewise, a focus group face-to-face meetings with participating companies, promoted by Munster Technological University (MTU), in order to analyze the impact of the project on its evolution and lay the foundations for the development of individual case studies.
Project closure
As part of this meeting, the final closing meeting of partners is held, in which the results obtained and the main conclusions of the project will be addressed, the execution of which will continue until July 2026.
In its final phase, DIBEST has revealed that many tourism micro-enterprises have well-established value propositions, but require support to structure and market them using digital tools. In this regard, the project has demonstrated that the combination of training, mentoring and practical support allows companies to advance in their digitization and improve their ability to attract and manage visitors.
Similarly, the importance of creating spaces for exchange between companies from different territories has been confirmed, promoting practical learning in real contexts that contributes to strengthening collaboration and opening new opportunities for joint development, especially in rural and coastal destinations.
About the DIBEST project
The DIBEST project (Digital Innovation for Blue Enterprises & Social Tourism) is 75% funded by the Interreg Atlantic Area program (ERDF) and aims to improve the competitiveness of tourism micro-enterprises in coastal areas through digitalization and the strengthening of their capacities.
Launched in 2023, the initiative promotes training, the mentoring and practical support to improve the visibility, marketing and adaptation of companies to the digital environment, while contributing to a more sustainable and inclusive tourism model.
The consortium is led by the Western Development Commission (Ireland) and includes partners from Spain, France, Ireland and Portugal, leading to knowledge exchange and cooperation between territories.
