VERNE is a European Union-funded initiative under the Horizon Europe program that aims to transform the tourism sector across Europe through sustainable and circular solutions. Running from November 2024 to October 2027 with a budget of €5,332,978.75, the project brings together 15 partners from 10 countries coordinated by PNO Innovation (Spain). The full name of the initiative is “The one-stop-shop of accessible circular solutions for sustainable tourism,” reflecting its comprehensive approach to addressing the environmental challenges posed by the European tourism industry.
The project addresses a critical challenge: while tourism is vital for European economic growth and employment, it currently operates on linear models that generate significant environmental impacts, including excessive water consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and resource depletion. VERNE seeks to accelerate the transition of local and regional European tourist destinations toward sustainable and circular business models by focusing on five key pillars: energy efficiency, water management, waste and food waste management, sustainable mobility (including electric vehicles), and digital solutions and tools.
The project implements and tests its solutions in five representative European tourist destinations: Bornholm (Denmark), the Sønderjylland-Schleswig region (Danish-German borderland), Santorini (Greece), Uusimaa (Finland), and Pomurje (Slovenia). By working within these diverse destinations, VERNE develops systemic, replicable, and scalable solutions tailored to real stakeholder needs. The project engages a broad range of stakeholders including public administrations, destination management organizations, private sector services, industries, citizens, tourists, and NGOs to ensure that solutions address genuine local challenges.
Polyhedra Tech plays a crucial role in the VERNE project by collaborating on the Digital Master definition through its expertise in developing advanced tools such as NECADA and SDLPS. These digital infrastructure solutions contribute to the project’s goal of creating comprehensive digital frameworks that support the transition toward circular and sustainable tourism. By leveraging Polyhedra’s technical capabilities, VERNE enhances its ability to deliver innovative digital tools that help tourism destinations monitor, manage, and optimize their sustainability and circular economy initiatives.
The project’s expected outcomes include the creation of a comprehensive hub of expertise, tools, and best practices for sustainable tourism across Europe, along with quantified demonstrations of how circular interventions can enhance tourism competitiveness while reducing environmental impact. By the end of 2027, VERNE will have established replicable blueprints that European tourism destinations can adopt, creating new sustainable and competitive business models that serve as a foundation for Europe’s green tourism transition.
