The first Ideation Jam took place on 27 February in Antwerp, Belgium, and online.

The first "Ideation Jam" was held in person and online with more than 30 Tourism SMEs in the partners' countries (BE, DE, ES, FI, PL, BG) participating. The main theme was "Tourism Resilience", in relation to the twin transition of Tourism SMEs, green and digital, according to the EU Transition Pathway for Tourism (TPT). The event was organised by INSPIRES project partner Tourism Antwerp Province (TPA), Belgium.

Presentations were made by the following experts:

• Filip Nicasi, Horeca Partners, on Responsiveness en Diversification.
• Liesbet de Wit, Tourism Province Antwerp, on Accessible and inclusive tourism.
• Jan De Bock, ScraB&Ble (B&B), on Sustainable accommodation Management.

The participating Tourism SMEs discussed the above and their related priorities at breakout sessions, moderated by senior representatives of INSPIRES partners.

From feedback based on the responses from participants, three key insights emerged, viz:

1. Inspiring Content and Valuable Best Practices
Participants praised the engaging presentations and hands-on examples, particularly those related to sustainable tourism, building resilience, and inclusive offers. The input was widely seen as valuable inspiration for developing their own projects and initiatives, especially in rural areas and the hospitality sector.

 “Very impressive insights!” – “Relevant examples of sustainable and innovative practices.” – “Great best practices in building resilience.”

2. Knowledge Exchange and Networking as Added Value
The event served as a platform for exchange and collaboration, which was highly appreciated by attendees. Many participants highlighted the new opportunities for cooperation and international networking with tourism professionals and developers across Europe.

“New possibilities for cooperation and networking.” – “Exchange on the status quo and transferable good practices.” – “Fresh ideas through other SMEs’ perspectives.”

3. Demand for Practical Support and Implementation Tools
A recurring theme in the feedback was the need for practical information on funding opportunities, training offers, and tools to support implementation—especially to enhance the resilience and competitiveness of tourism businesses.

“More information on funding for resilience.” – “Suggestions for training needs.” – “Adapting educational paths to support the tourism sector.”

The following presentations are available for download:

• Summary Activities Report
• Resilience
• Barrier Free Tourism
• Ecological B&B