The entrepreneurs working in tourism and related areas as from next week will be able to get up to 500,000 lei in grant funding to develop their businesses. The own contribution will be 30%. The program to support the development of tourism SMEs was launched today at a pension in Trebujeni, IPN reports.
The head of the Organization for Entrepreneurship Development (ODA) Dumitru Pîntea said the funds could be used to create accommodation, eating facilities, to erect buildings that would be used for economic activities. The funding is intended for active companies, including those that work in another area, but want to develop a tourism business.
The entrepreneurs will have access to over 10 million lei a year. The money will come from the state budget and from the EU. Those interested can file applications online on oda.md.
Attending the event, Minister of Economic Development and Digitization Dumitru Alaiba said the turnover in tourism last year exceeded US$800 million. This figure and the number of tourists are expected to rise.
For his part, Minister of Culture Sergiu Prodan noted that the number of foreigners visiting Moldova is very low against the existing potential. Inbound tourism can be the most important industry of Moldova, while rural tourism is the most attractive area in which it is worth making investments. Moldova is about authenticity, heritage, creativity of the people and it will become extremely popular only with authentic things.
The rural tourism support program is one of the seven program supported by the EU. The goal of this program is to promote and facilitate tourism activities and entrepreneurship, starting of new businesses, augmentation of incomes in the tourism industry. In 2023, ODA and the EU Delegation to Moldova signed a €8 million financing agreement. The money is intended for entrepreneurs.
EU Ambassador in Chisinau Jānis Mažeiks said that Moldova has rich heritage and beautiful landscapes. The EU offers support to Moldova on its path to a sustainable market economy that favors inclusion. Tourism and the SMEs contribute to sustainable economic growth, create jobs and contribute to the citizens’ welfare.
Oxana Benzing, founder and manager of a tourism business, said that it was a long road from a passion to a family business that employs over 10 persons from the locality. They also cooperate with local craftspeople. She thanked for the financial support provided in time to the pension.
Besides this program, tourism entrepreneurs can also access such programs as re-technologization, digitization, ecologization and beginners programs.
