International project DESTInE launched to strengthen digital skills of women entrepreneurs in rural regions

Rural areas make up more than 80% of the EU’s territory and are home to 30% of its population (EU Rural Vision). Tourism is one of the key drivers of rural economies, generating around 10% of the EU’s GDP and providing employment to over 12.3 million people (European Parliament, 2024). A significant share of this activity relies on small and medium-sized enterprises operating in rural tourism. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for secluded, authentic and nature-based travel experiences grew rapidly, turning rural tourism into a cornerstone of many regional economies and creating strong opportunities for sustainable growth (Eurostat, 2023).

However, rural businesses—especially those led by women—do not always benefit equally from this potential. SMEs in rural regions often face limited digital infrastructure and fewer resources, while women experience an even more pronounced digital divide. Women are 1.6 times more likely than men to report insufficient digital skills as a barrier to using the Internet, and they represent 75% of the EU’s “missing entrepreneurs” due to challenges such as lack of confidence, digital illiteracy and limited support networks (OECD, 2023). Without targeted support, these barriers continue to limit both gender equality and rural economic development.

To address these challenges, the European Commission is funding the project DESTInE – Digital Empowerment for Sustainable Tourism and Innovation for Women Entrepreneurs in Rural Areas. The project aims to strengthen the digital skills of existing and aspiring women entrepreneurs working in rural regions and support their growth in the tourism, hospitality, cultural and creative sectors.

DESTInE seeks to reduce the digital divide, foster women’s entrepreneurship, encourage innovation in rural areas and strengthen the economic resilience of local communities. The project will provide a specialised training programme, practical digital toolkits, mentoring, and an AI-powered online learning platformthat allows participants to learn at their own pace.

The modular training programme will focus on the practical application of digital skills in business. Participants will learn about digital entrepreneurship in rural tourism, simple and easy-to-manage website creation, the use of social media for customer engagement, and digital marketing and branding. Additional topics will include content creation for visuals and videos, online bookings and sales, financial literacy and e-payments, digital safety, and everyday AI tools for business operations.

More than 200 women entrepreneurs are expected to participate in training and receive individual support. All developed tools and methodologies will be made openly available for wider use in vocational and adult education across Europe.

The DESTInE project officially started on 13–14 October 2025 during a partner meeting in Nicosia, Cyprus, where the work plan and key activities for the two-year project were introduced. In Lithuania, DESTInE is implemented by the School of Economics and Business at Kaunas University of Technology (KTU). The project is led by Prof. Aušra Rūtelionė.

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Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them. (Grant Agreement No: 2025-1-CY01-KA220-VET-000363985)