The Framework for Digital Transition and Accessibility in Rural Agrotourism

A major milestone has been reached in the DigAccessAgrotourism project: the release of the Framework for Digital Transition and Accessibility in Rural Agrotourism.

This document sheds light on the challenges and opportunities facing social economy Enabling Organisations (EOs)and SMEs in rural tourism, placing them within the broader context of EU accessibility policies and regulations. At its core, the Framework positions digital solutions as key drivers of accessibility, offering a blueprint for both capacity-building and innovation.

The strategy is twofold. On one side, it strengthens the ability of EOs to support their members in advancing accessibility. On the other, it provides SMEs with tailored guidance for introducing, testing, and adapting digital processes, services, and products that can enhance performance while keeping accessibility at the center.

Anchored in the EU’s Digital Compass 2030 and aligned with the European Accessibility Act, the Framework responds to a pressing need: helping agrotourism organisations become more inclusive for persons with disabilities. From IoT applications and data-driven solutions to digital social innovations, it highlights the tools already available to foster a future of barrier-free tourism.

The Framework was built on triangulated, mixed-methods research that combined quantitative and qualitative insights. Surveys and interviews explored accessibility practices, digital skills, training needs, and support gaps across the sector. In total, 24 Enabling Organisations and 82 SMEs from Poland, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, and Portugal took part, ensuring both common ground and country-specific adaptations with a view to wider EU replication.

The analysis unfolds along two main strands:

• Current practices and aspirations: assessing accessibility awareness, existing digital tools, and the types of support SMEs seek to integrate new solutions.
• EOs’ readiness to act: examining their capacity to deliver training, apply digital tools, and guide their members in accessibility improvements.

By mapping these findings against identified good practices, the Framework establishes the foundation for capacity-building programmes for EOs and Individual Digital Development Plans for SMEs.

The outcome is clear: with the right digital transition strategies, rural agrotourism can move closer to becoming a sector that is not only sustainable, but also universally accessible.

👉 Read the full document here