research; third mission
This work was born from a collaboration between CAST and CAI (Club Alpino Italiano) and analyzed the crucial role of tourism (in particular the hiking and trekking niches) for the economy of mountain territories, often depopulated or underdeveloped. In particular, the project focused on the case study of the regional park of “Corno alle Scale” in the region of Emilia-Romagna, which is undergoing a rethinking process about its future as a tourism destination.
The park was founded after Second World War and it was used traditionally for vacations and skiing; it led to the building of many houses and hotels around Lizzano in Belvedere and Vidiciatico, which structures are now obsoleted and depopulated. Moreover, this location is also suffering from the competiton of the near Alps.
This job analyzed the visitors’ profiles and suggested sustainable tourism ideas able to impact the local economy (in terms of jobs and incomes) in a positive way. The outputs were shared with stakeholders interested in a sustainable progress of the destination.
Period of the project: 2019-2020
Scientific Coordinator: Paolo Figini
Team of research: Lucia Danzi
Keywords: analysis of tourists, development projects, hiking, trekking, Corno alle Scale
The project is a collaboration between CAST and CAI (Club Alpino Italiano Emilia-Romagna)