Almost 30 consortium partners, both on-site and online, were brought together from 16 to 18 September 2026 in Tulcea, Romania, for the TOURAL project’s 5th and final General Assembly. The meeting was organised and hosted by the Romanian project partner, Association Local Action Group Danube Delta (GAL DD), and took place at the “Mihail Kogălniceanu” Conference Hall of the Tulcea County Council. Discussion and updates across all project work packages were held during the meeting, and participants agreed on the final steps until the end of the project on 31 December 2026.

On the first day, the project’s overall progress and the status of deliverables, the final implementation of the UCCST models and Action Plans in the pilot sites, and the small-scale validation activities were the central points of discussion. Additional attention was given to stakeholder engagement, the individualisation of business models, and the tourism products and services developed within the project. Also, the assessment of the project KPIs was carried out by engaged partners.

The second day focused on dissemination, exploitation, and the sustainability of TOURAL results beyond the end of the project, including the Policy Brief and the roadmap for the replication of the project’s outputs. The meeting closed with a session on preparations for the final EC review
and a Project Closure Round Table.  In the afternoon, partners visited the Ethnography Museum of Tulcea (Muzeul de Etnografie Tulcea) and explored the permanent exhibition “The People of Dobrogea”, which reflects the multicultural identity and traditions of the region.

The General Assembly concluded with a study visit to the Tulcea region Danube Delta on the third day. The delegation visited the Ecotouristic Centre – Aquarium of the Institute of Ecomuseal Research “Gavrilă Simion”, which presented the genesis, history, and culture of the Danube Delta. Partners then travelled by boat along the St. George branch of the Danube to the town of Sulina, seat of the first European Commission of the Danube; then the route continued through Crișan and the Delta’s smaller channels to the Mila 23, with a visit to the Ivan Patzaichin
Community Innovation Centre, followed by a birdwatching session at lakes hosting bird colonies.

In the final months of the project, we continue to be proud to be part of the TOURAL, committed to preserving cultural heritage and raising public awareness while promoting sustainable cultural tourism in rural areas.

The project is funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe Framework Programme.