Transcript STEEP (Calypso) PLATFORM

Introduction to STEEP Project
By Mr. Danny Silva, Project Manager
Calypso: Launching Event
12th June 2013, Brussels
Steep (Calypso) Platform
Understanding the STEEP Calypso Project and Platform through the five ps:
1.- The PROJECT
2.- The PLATFORM
3.- The POTENTIAL
4.- The PROGRESS
5.- The PARTNERSHIP
What is CALYPSO?
The Calypso initiative helps specific target groups go on holiday – while at the same time increasing tourism in
the low season.
Calypso promotes exchanges between different countries/areas.
Calypso seeks to support 4 groups:
• underprivileged young adults (aged 18-30)
• families facing financial or other pressures
• people with disabilities
• Seniors and pensioners who cannot afford travel or are daunted by the challenges of organizing a journey.
The Calypso exchange model:
promotes off-season tourism, particularly in regions where tourism is well developed but highly seasonal
gives less-known, small or emerging destinations the opportunity to promote themselves to a broader range
of European tourists
encourages sustained employment in the tourism industry by extending jobs beyond the peak season.
The Project
The Social Tourism European Exchanges Platform (STEEP) project was launched in April 2012 It aims to
create an informative and transactional platform linking the supply and demand behind social tourism
throughout the European Union. The STEEP Platform aims at facilitating transnational travel & tourism
in Europe for four target groups: seniors, youth, families and people with disabilities.
The STEEP project will run in a Beta version until the 30 June 2013. At the end of the project, it is foreseen
that the Platform be associated to a new non-profit structure with a specific European Scope.
This Project is now carried out by a consortium of seven European Organizations active in Social Tourism
and led by the International Social Tourism Organization (OITS-ISTO).
The Steep Platform seeks to support organizations, groups and operators who plan, organize and provide
travel experiences to the specific target groups by offering them quick and easy access to offers and
packages across Europe.
Ecalypso.eu is a marketplace and more… The STEEP platform also serves to educate and inform
stakeholders interested in beating low seasonality or attracting new market segments through multiple
references on Social tourism. It also contains an array of publications, best practices, news and
background data.
Ultimately it is the meeting and sales place for the vast community of European social tourism
stakeholders.
The Platform
The STEEP platform Consists of 2 distinct areas:
PUBLIC – comprised of useful data regarding Best practices, Social tourism
research, Calypso Initiative actions, recent news and current information on holiday
offers(available for sale in the Private area) and other useful resources and calls.
PRIVATE – Open to members it aims at bringing the offer & demand within social
tourism into one location. The tools allow for quick and simple transactions between
buyers & sellers. It is an info and sales point. Useful tools allow building a profile,
packages and pricing for sale directly through the Platform.
Ecalypso.eu can also give the opportunity for parallel tourism services providers to
find and cooperate with each other. One service provider can promote their tourism
packages completely detailed with prices and attract groups, organizations, operators to
purchase and/or promote the offers.
i.e. Coach touring service providers and Accommodation providers can
liaise with other members of the platform which may be able to offer parallel services
such as activities, accommodation and meals.
The Potential
www.ecalypso.eu is a unique tool helping the tourism industry cover low seasonality through
supporting the DEVELOPMENT OF NEW PRODUCTS and packages for SPECIFIC NICHE
MARKETS / TARGET GROUPS.
STEEP services will support and endorse parallel activities which bring specific offer and
demand together.
STEEP services will aid in the development of partnerships, joint package development and
other needs to members and partners of the www.ecalypso.eu tool.
Through www.ecalypso.eu STEEP services offer a B2B service which sells specially designed
offers and packages aimed at specific target group associations or specialist operators,
inform and educate stakeholders on the advantages of providing Social Tourism offers
and packages.
Ecalypso.eu and the STEEP team will support the development of B2B partnerships which
correlate and compliment one another in order to simplify the production travel
packages.
The Progress
PROJECT PHASE:
 Platform Development
 Member adherence conception
 Networking opportunities
 Establish administrative structure
ESTABLISHMENT PHASE:
 NON Profit
 Service provision (to Members)
 Education & Training
 Maintenance of established
structures
 Consultancy
Apr.12 – Jun.13
TRANSITION PHASE:
 Networking
 Member adherence
 Dissemination Events
 Establish operational entity
 Project cooperation
Aug.13 – Jan.14
PARTNERSHIPS
STEEP platform Sustainable model which aims to respect the vision and philosophy of Social
Tourism.
Access to ecalypso.eu possible through:
• Buyer/Seller basic membership offering access to private area and all data at a yearly fixed
value. Buyers add an operational Commission fee stipulated within the limitations of the
Commercial Charter.
• Partnership agreement a yearly fixed contribution giving full access to the organization and
its represented members. Partnership will imply board roles, access to project
developments and proposals, commission free transactions, voting rights and a minimum
3year commitment to the partnership.
Join us at www.ecalypso.eu