On 18–19 September 2025, the 3rd TOURAL Project General Assembly was held in Zadar, Croatia. The meeting was organized and hosted by the TOURAL project partner ZADRA NOVA at the premises of the Student Dormitory in Zadar.
During the GA meeting, project partners discussed the work completed during the first one and a half years of the project, as well as the next steps for the upcoming months.
On the first day, our partner ICBSS, leader of WP2: Policy Pathways for Rural Regions & Macro-Regions/Sea-Basins, shared key findings and recommendations for rural and macro-regions. CERTH, as the project coordinator, presented progress on:
- WP3: UCCST Models
- WP4: Business Modelling & Design of Tourism Products
- WP5: ICT Tools/Platform & Data Spaces
Special attention was paid to the six Living Labs that took place in Spring 2025 – one for each TOURAL Pilot Site – as their results form the basis for the project’s upcoming tasks.
On the second day, as part of the project’s activities, partners explored the Croatian pilot sites through a series of study visits, including a guided tour of the cultural and natural heritage of the City of Pag and the village of Šimuni on the Island of Pag, as well as a visit to the International Centre for Underwater Archaeology in Zadar, recognised by UNESCO as a Category 2 Centre.
At the International Centre for Underwater Archaeology, participants were introduced to the Centre’s mission: the preservation and promotion of underwater cultural heritage in Croatia, the Mediterranean, and Europe. A presentation was also given on the concept “System of Protection and Management of Underwater Cultural Heritage in the Localities of Velika Shallows near Cavtat, Letavica and Baron Gautsch”, which was highlighted by UNESCO in 2023 as a best practice example in underwater cultural heritage.
At TOURAL, the 3rd General Assembly marked a milestone, reviewing achievements, strengthening partnerships, and shaping the roadmap ahead. With a dynamic presence, partners engaged in fruitful discussions and defined the next steps to advance sustainable tourism and safeguard cultural and natural heritage across our pilot sites.
