The motivation behind the TOURAL project is to unlock the potential of rural and remote regions in Europe by using sustainable tourism as a tool for economic diversification, cultural preservation, and social inclusion. TOURAL project regards rural and remote areas across Europe that often face economic stagnation due to over-reliance on traditional sectors like agriculture and forestry. These regions, however, possess rich cultural and natural assets that remain underutilized. The European Commission’s “Long-Term Vision for Rural Areas” emphasizes the need to diversify rural economies and enhance their resilience. Tourism, particularly cultural and creative tourism, is identified as a key driver for sustainable development in these areas.
The TOURAL project—short for "Multidimensional model of tourism verticals driving the sustainable balanced growth among rural & remote grids and urban clusters of rural regions, fostering macro-regional cooperation"—aims to support tourism development in rural regions while balancing growth between urban clusters and remote areas.
The project follows a threefold approach:
1. Multidimensional, it addresses complementary tourism sectors such as underwater cultural and nature heritage tourism, cultural and creative tourism, cultural science tourism, and silver tourism.
2. Participatory, it engages stakeholders in designing policies and tourism offerings, co-creating business models and products, and validating small-scale tourism services.
3. Integrated, it promotes joint planning and business development across borders with integrated value chains and policymaking.
The project involves partners from countries including Greece, Italy, Croatia, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Türkiye, and France, focusing particularly on the Adriatic-Ionian macro-region and the Black Sea Basin.
TOURAL aims to diversify rural economies by developing sustainable tourism models and also preserve local culture through the promotion of cultural and creative tourism. Through the consolidated actions of the consortium, the project aims to enhance social inclusion by involving local communities in the tourism value chain (Living Labs). Furthermore, through innovative models, TOURAL will attempt to foster environmental sustainability by encouraging responsible tourism practices. These efforts align with the EU Tourism Transition Pathway and broader European strategies for inclusive and sustainable growth.
Therefore, the social sciences and humanities also play a central role in TOURAL by analyzing tourism’s cultural and societal impacts, understanding community needs and local identities and shaping policies that are culturally and socially informed. This interdisciplinary approach ensures tourism development is both inclusive and respectful of local traditions and values.
