Peer Review Test within the People Powered Tourism project: from the urban heritage of Șchei to the rural experiences of Prejmer

On 23–24 September 2026, partners of the People Powered Tourism project, funded through the Danube Region Programme, gathered in Brașov for a Peer Review Test organized by the Brașov Metropolitan Agency. The event aimed to test and evaluate tourism experiences developed together with local communities in both urban and rural areas.

Șchei – heritage, traditions and local stories

The first day focused on exploring Șchei, one of Brașov’s most distinctive historic neighbourhoods, known for its strong cultural identity. The itinerary highlighted local heritage, community stories, traditional crafts and gastronomy, bringing them together into an authentic tourism experience.

Participants visited Saint Parascheva Church, Șchei Gate, Catherine’s Gate, the Greek-Orthodox Church and the Museum of Urban Civilization of Brașov.

The experience continued at Casa Junilor, where participants took part in a traditional wood-painting workshop and enjoyed a lunch inspired by traditional recipes from Șchei and the Țara Bârsei region.

In the second part of the day, participants visited the First Romanian School and explored the stories connected to the historic streets, roadside crosses and houses of Șchei, together with local stakeholders.

Prejmer – rural heritage, crafts and gastronomy

The second day of the Peer Review Test was dedicated to Prejmer, where project partners tested a rural pilot built around cultural heritage, traditional crafts, gastronomy and community activities.

The programme included visits to the Prejmer Fortified Church and the Orthodox Church of Saints Peter and Paul, as well as a participatory wood-carving workshop.

The experience continued with a gastronomic activity featuring local products and traditional dishes. The day concluded with an authentic traditional gathering, featuring music, singing and dancing and bringing the community’s traditions and people to the forefront.

Exchange of experience for community-based tourism development

The two-day Peer Review Test provided participants with an opportunity to experience first-hand how local heritage, people, crafts, gastronomy and community stories can be integrated into a coherent and authentic tourism offer.

For the Chișinău partners, the activity was a valuable opportunity for knowledge exchange and inspiration for the development and promotion of their own community-based tourism pilots in Chișinău and the Goian Gorge area.

The Brașov experience demonstrates how tourism can be developed together with local communities by making use of existing resources and transforming heritage, traditions and local stories into meaningful experiences for visitors.

People Powered Tourism – tourism built together with people and for communities.