Secretary of State for the Economy Francine Closener on 3 August unveiled the tenth five-year plan to create and improve tourist infrastructure in Luxembourg. The budget marks a 33% increase compared to the last five-year plan (€45m). It will facilitate subsidies for tourism projects by communes, trade unions, NGOs, private investors and owners and operators of tourist accommodation.

Among the changes under the new plan will be increased support for digital projects, with subsidies of up to 20% for things such as ICT security, responsive design website development, smartphone apps and online booking systems. Projects in rural areas will be able to get subsidies for up to 20% of their needs, as opposed to urban projects, which may apply for a maxium of 10%. The process of applying for subsidies is to be simplified and accelerated.

Actors wishing to invest in making infrastructure accessible to people with reduced mobility will be subsidised by up to 50% of costs.

Meanwhile, tourist facilities which are damaged by natural disasters may be able to claim compensation of up to 50% of costs.

The last five-year plan, from 2013 to 2017, saw €44.7m distributed with the largest chunk distributed among communes (€17.9m), regional tourist offices (€8.7m), hotels (€5.6m), local tourist offices (€4.8m), private investors (€1.8m) and campsites and studies (€1.7m each). Among the major projects invested in during the last period were the Parc Merveilleux de Bettembourg, youth hostels in Beaufort and Esch-sur-Alzette and Aquasud in Differdange.

New projects planned for the next five years include youth hostels in Ettelbruck and Vianden, a spa in Pétange and community centre with cinema in Garnich.