PRTR Funds for Sustainable Tourism: How to Access Aid by Autonomous Community

Key data

Spanish tourism businesses and destinations have an open European funding window. The Secretaría de Estado de Turismo has published the definitive allocation of credit among autonomous communities for the Planes de Sostenibilidad Social del Turismo, framed within Component 14, Investment 1, Measure 3 of the Plan de Recuperación, Transformación y Resiliencia (PRTR).

The resolution, published in the BOE on 23 March 2026 with effect from 9 March 2026, incorporates the agreement of the Conferencia Sectorial de Turismo in its amended version. The original text dated 29 December 2023 and has been updated by a new agreement of 10 February 2026 that revises the territorial allocation criteria among autonomous communities.

What does this regulation establish?

The resolution serves two specific purposes: to publish the distribution criteria for credit among autonomous communities and to set the resulting allocation for each territory.

The regulatory framework in which it is embedded is as follows:

The original agreement of the Conferencia Sectorial de Turismo was adopted on 29 December 2023. The amendment of 10 February 2026 updates the territorial allocation criteria, which alters the specific distribution among autonomous communities compared to what was initially planned.

The access channel for businesses and entities is not direct from the State: funds are transferred to the autonomous communities, which are responsible for launching specific calls for applications in their respective territories.

Economic and operational impact

For businesses and entities in the tourism sector, the impact of this resolution is fundamentally a funding opportunity, not an obligation or a cost.

The key operational aspects are:

• The funds are linked to the PRTR, which means their execution is subject to the deadlines and compliance conditions that Spain has committed to with the European Union.
• Each autonomous community will receive a specific allocation according to the approved territorial distribution criteria, meaning the volume of available funding varies by territory.
• Access to the funds requires the relevant autonomous community to have launched its call for applications. Without an active regional call, there is no access to the funds.
• Eligible projects must fall within the social sustainability objectives for tourism defined in Component 14 of the PRTR.

The amendment to the distribution criteria in February 2026 compared to the original agreement of December 2023 may have altered the planned allocations for some autonomous communities, affecting the volume of calls for applications that each territory can launch.

Who is affected?

This resolution directly or indirectly affects the following stakeholders:

• Autonomous communities: they are the direct recipients of the credit and are responsible for launching calls for applications to distribute it among final beneficiaries.
• Tourist municipalities: they may be beneficiaries of regional calls for applications to drive sustainability projects in their destinations.
• Tourism sector businesses: hotels, travel agencies, tour operators and other sector businesses wishing to fund social sustainability projects.
• Local entities: town councils and municipal associations with significant tourism activity that can submit projects to regional calls for applications.
• Tourism destination managers: destination management organisations (DMOs) and tourism boards that coordinate sustainability projects.

Practical example

A coastal municipality with high tourism pressure wants to drive a project for the sustainable management of visitor flows and improvement of access infrastructure. To access PRTR funding through this measure, the process would be as follows:

1. The municipality identifies that its autonomous community has received a credit allocation under Component 14, Investment 1, Measure 3 of the PRTR.
2. It waits for the regional tourism department to publish the corresponding call for applications in its official regional gazette.
3. It submits its social sustainability tourism project within the deadline and meeting the requirements set by the regional call for applications.
4. If the project is selected, it receives funding charged to the PRTR European funds allocated to its autonomous community.

The same process applies to a hotel company wishing to fund social sustainability actions at its establishment: access is always through the call for applications launched by the autonomous community where it operates, not directly from the State.

What should businesses do now?

1. Identify the competent autonomous community: find out which tourism department in your autonomous community manages the funds for Component 14, Investment 1, Measure 3 of the PRTR. This is your direct point of contact for accessing the funding.
2. Monitor the regional official gazette: calls for applications will be published in the official gazette of each autonomous community, not in the national BOE. Set up alerts so you do not miss submission deadlines.
3. Prepare project documentation: define in advance the social sustainability project you wish to fund, ensuring it aligns with the objectives of Component 14 of the PRTR. Having the project ready before the call opens reduces the risk of missing tight deadlines.
4. Verify eligibility criteria: when the regional call for applications is published, review the specific requirements for beneficiaries, eligible types of actions and maximum amounts. Criteria may vary between autonomous communities.
5. Consult with the regional managing body: before submitting your application, contact the tourism department to confirm that your project meets the requirements and maximise your chances of success.

Official source

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, please consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-6739