EU funds for guesthouses and agritourism: which calls suit you now and what comes next

As of 27 September 2026, AFIR has no national funding call open for guesthouses or agritourism. The only active call windows are DR-14 (small farms) and DR-18 (floriculture and medicinal plants), both until 31 October 2026. For a rural accommodation business, funding now comes mainly through the local action groups (LAGs, GAL) under the DR-36 LEADER intervention and, in certain regions, through regional programmes for micro-enterprises.

In brief

• Programme: there is no dedicated national programme for guesthouses. The verified routes are the LAG (GAL) calls (DR-36 LEADER, CAP Strategic Plan 2023–2027) and regional programmes for micro-enterprises.
• Authority: AFIR and the LAGs (GAL) for LEADER; the regional development agencies (ADR) for regional programmes.
• Beneficiaries: companies, PFAs (sole traders), individual and family businesses, depending on the call. Regional calls for public tourism are for local authorities (UAT), county councils and their partnerships (in the Danube Delta, and for ADIs and places of worship), not for companies.
• Value per project: LAG calls often use lump sums (for example, €30,000 or €50,000 at GAL Clisura Dunării). Under PR North-East, micro-enterprises receive between €100,000 and €300,000.
• Submission period: each LAG has its own calendar. PR North-East, call 2 for micro-enterprises: 28 September – 28 October 2026.
• Status: there is no national AFIR call window for non-agricultural activities. LAG calls are launched one after another, within each LAG's territory.

Is there a national call for agritourism guesthouses now?

No. On the AFIR submission portal, the only active call windows are for DR-14 (small farms, four components) and DR-18 (floriculture and medicinal plants), open from 1 September to 31 October 2026. Under the CAP Strategic Plan 2023–2027, no national call window is currently running for creating or developing non-agricultural activities, as sub-measure 6.4 did in the past. Companies looking for "AFIR funds for a guesthouse" need to look locally, towards the LAGs (GAL).

How is agritourism funded through LAGs (DR-36 LEADER)?

According to AFIR, intervention DR-36, "Community-led local development", supports, among other things, "the creation and development of non-agricultural activities", food chains and the use of historical and cultural potential. Each LAG writes its own local development strategy (SDL) and decides what it funds, how much it awards per project, what intensity it applies and when it opens calls.

A verified example: on 26 January 2026, GAL Clisura Dunării published call 805/000/1/1/2026 for intervention I4-M3, "Local Gastronomy Points and non-agricultural activities". Eligible activities include farm accommodation, restaurants using local products and the revitalisation of traditional buildings (sheepfolds, mills, workshops). Support is a lump sum of €30,000 or €50,000, covering up to 100% of eligible costs. PFAs, individual and family businesses, commercial companies and agricultural associations can apply. Check the LAG's website to see whether the call is still open.

Conditions differ from one LAG to another. Do not assume that one LAG's rules apply in your commune.

Can a guesthouse get funding through regional programmes?

It depends on the region and on the list of eligible CAEN codes in each call. The closest case in time is the North-East Regional Programme, call 2, "Investments for the modernisation of micro-enterprises":

• budget of €20.37 million, between €100,000 and €300,000 in non-refundable funding per project, with an own contribution of at least 10%;
• submission in MySMIS2021 between 28 September and 28 October 2026, with a minimum threshold of 70 points;
• only companies established under Law 31/1990 can apply, not PFAs or individual businesses;
• the company must have been established by 3 January 2025 at the latest and must have made an operating profit in 2025;
• the funded activity must appear in Annex 5 (the list of eligible fields). We could not confirm on the official pages that accommodation activities are included. Check your CAEN code in the annex before doing any preparation.

The other regional tourism calls in 2026 are not open to private companies. PR South-West Oltenia is funding resort communes and county councils with almost €6 million, with submission between 31 August and 27 November 2026. PR South-East has Action 6.2 for the Danube Delta ITI under consultation between 16 September and 6 October 2026: €25.19 million, with projects between €100,000 and €3 million, for local authorities (UAT), ADIs, places of worship and their partnerships. Private guesthouses are not eligible in these calls, but they benefit indirectly from the tourism infrastructure in the area.

Which costs are usually funded and which are not?

In calls for micro-enterprises, eligible costs are usually the construction, extension or modernisation of premises, equipment and fittings, renewable energy systems for own consumption, software, and digitalisation and marketing solutions. Under PR North-East, the managing authority states that salaries are not eligible. Vehicles and machinery with combustion engines are not funded either. The exact list differs from one call to another and you will find it in the applicant's guide.

What this means for your business

Our recommendation is to start from where the guesthouse is located, not from a particular programme:

1. Find out which LAG your commune belongs to and read the intervention sheets in its SDL. There you can see whether agritourism or accommodation is eligible and what lump sum is awarded.
2. If you have an SRL in the North-East, check today whether accommodation appears in Annex 5 of call 2. The 28 October deadline leaves little time for the technical project and for permits.
3. Prepare the documents required almost everywhere: the ownership or use document for the land and building, the urbanism certificate, the balance sheets and the calculation of de minimis aid received in the last three years.

The pitfalls we see most often: companies established too recently for the seniority condition, a CAEN code that is not authorised at the investment site, buildings without clear documents and business plans with unrealistic occupancy rates. With the eligibility check you can quickly see whether your company meets the basic conditions.

Frequently asked questions

Can I build a new guesthouse with EU funds in 2026?

There is currently no national AFIR call for this. Some LAGs fund farm accommodation or agritourism through lump sums, and regional programmes may accept the activity only if the CAEN code appears in the call's list. Check the SDL of the LAG in your area first.

Can I apply as a PFA or individual business?

For some LAG calls, yes. The GAL Clisura Dunării call, for example, accepts PFAs, individual and family businesses. For call 2 for micro-enterprises under PR North-East, no: only companies established under Law 31/1990 can apply there.

How much can I receive for an agritourism guesthouse?

The amount depends on the call. LAGs often use lump sums, for example €30,000 or €50,000 at GAL Clisura Dunării. Under PR North-East, micro-enterprises receive between €100,000 and €300,000, with an own contribution of at least 10%, but only if the field of activity is eligible.

Can my town hall get funding for tourism?

Yes, through regional programmes. In Oltenia, resort communes can submit until 27 November 2026. In the Danube Delta, the call for Action 6.2 is still under public consultation, so the guide may change.

Official sources

• AFIR – active submission call windows, CAP Strategic Plan 2023–2027
• AFIR – LEADER, intervention DR-36
• GAL Clisura Dunării – intervention I4-M3, local gastronomy points and non-agricultural activities
• PR North-East – modernisation of micro-enterprises, call 2
• ADR Nord-Est – announcement of call 2 for micro-enterprises
• PR North-East – summary of questions and answers from the public consultation
• ADR South-West Oltenia – funding for rural tourist resorts
• PR South-East – Action 6.2, tourism and heritage in non-urban areas (consultation)

Information checked on 27 September 2026. Conditions may be amended by the managing authority — check the guide in force before submitting.