On 13–14 October 2026, Chișinău hosted the Third Steering Committee Meeting of the international SUSDEST-NET project, implemented under the Interreg NEXT Black Sea Basin Programme, with financial support from the European Union.

The event brought together representatives of partner organizations from the participating countries, providing an opportunity to review project progress, exchange experiences, and coordinate joint activities aimed at promoting sustainable tourism destination development across the Black Sea Basin region.

The main objective of the meeting was to assess the project’s implementation progress, present the results achieved by each partner, identify existing challenges, and agree on priorities and concrete actions for the next implementation period.

During the opening session, participants were welcomed by representatives of the Chișinău municipal authorities and project partners, who emphasized the importance of cross-border cooperation in unlocking tourism potential, promoting sustainable practices, and strengthening institutional capacities for effective tourism destination management.

Throughout the two-day meeting, project partners presented their achievements and progress in implementing planned activities, discussed technical and organizational aspects of project implementation, and agreed on key priorities for the upcoming period. Particular attention was given to exchanging good practices, strengthening cooperation among local stakeholders, and developing common approaches to sustainable tourism destination management.

An important topic of the meeting was the contribution of Chișinău Municipality to sustainable tourism development. In this context, several recent initiatives of the local public administration were highlighted, including the establishment of the Chișinău Tourism Destination Management Committee and the launch of the development process for the Chișinău Municipal Strategy for Sustainable Tourism Destination Development for 2027–2032.

Representatives of Chișinău Municipality also expressed their readiness to actively contribute to the development of a common policy for sustainable tourism destination development, one of the key outcomes envisaged under the SUSDEST-NET project.

The meeting programme also included a study visit to the Cricova Winery Complex, offering participants an opportunity to discover an outstanding example of wine heritage preservation, tourism development, and the promotion of the Republic of Moldova’s tourism potential.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the project partners reaffirmed their shared commitment to the effective implementation of SUSDEST-NET, strengthening institutional cooperation, and successfully carrying out the planned activities. These joint efforts are expected to contribute to the development of more competitive, attractive, and sustainable tourism destinations across the participating regions.

Hosting the Third Steering Committee Meeting in Chișinău also provided an important opportunity to promote the municipality and the Republic of Moldova as active partners in European cross-border cooperation and regional development initiatives.