LOCAL DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

This course is part of the basic training activities of the Master's Degree Course in Intercultural Development of Tourism Systems. This module and the one taught by Prof. Stefano Soriani form a single 12 cfu course, with common objectives and teaching methods. The aim of the teaching is to transmit theoretical knowledge in order to develop the ability to analyse and interpret tourist destinations, grasping their environmental and historical-cultural potential. It also aims to illustrate how tourism can be transformed to become environmentally and socially sustainable.

1. Knowledge and understanding:
1.1 Acquire the key notions for a critical approach to the interpretation of geographies shaped by tourism
1.2 Understand the notion of transformative/sustainable tourism through a series of concrete examples
1.2 Understand best practices that can be adopted to make tourism a sustainable practice

2. Ability to apply knowledge and understanding

2.1 Analyse contemporary tourism destinations
2.2 Understand the environmental and social impact of tourism
2.2 Using the key concepts and best practices of sustainable tourism
2.3 Recognise the dynamics of tourism development (past or current) and be able to identify the social, cultural and environmental issues related to them

3. Judgement skills
3.1 Assess the factors, economic, environmental and socio-cultural that contribute to the sustainability (or unsustainability) of tourism at different scales

4. Communication skills:
4.1 Explain acquired knowledge in writing in a logical, coherent and concise manner
4.2. Acquire the key terms of the concepts used in the geography of tourism of the Anglo-American international academic debate and best practices of sustainable tourism

Being able to read texts in English

The course deals with the key themes of the geography of tourism applied to different territorial contexts with particular reference to sustainable development.
After an initial introductory part focusing on the theoretical discussion of the relationship between geography and tourism, the components of the tourism system and the different types of tourist destinations, the course will focus on what is meant by sustainable development in its economic, social and environmental declinations.
Subsequently, the course will address the themes of climate change, the landscape-local communities-tourism relationship, and the processes of cultural and natural heritage enhancement, focusing on the role of practices and narratives in the definition and construction of destinations.
Cultural, mountain, seaside, food and wine, outdoor, green and walking tourism will be investigated in their capacity to activate sustainable forms of tourism and considering future trends and tendencies.
This second part of the course will be characterised by the analysis and discussion of concrete case studies of destinations, including the city of Venice. To this end, working groups will be carried out.

Students attending classes:
- Lecture notes and materials provided via moodle during the course
- L. Bagnoli, Manuale di geografia del Turismo. Dal Grand Tour al Covid. UTET Università, 2022.

For non-attending students:
- Lecture notes and materials provided during the course via moodle
- L. Bagnoli, Manuale di geografia del Turismo. Dal Grand Tour al Covid. UTET Università, 2022
Suggested supplementary reading:
- Valdemarin S, Lucia M.G. (eds.) (2022), Geografia dell’attrattività territoriale. Comprendere e gestire lo sviluppo locale. Pearson, Milano.

Written examination of approximately 60 minutes: 3 open questions requiring a brief but comprehensive answer. Each answer is worth 10 points.
N.B. One of the questions in the written examination will be on the results of the practical exercise that will be assigned (it will be carried out in working groups or individually by both attending students and non attending students.

Front lectures . Active participation in class with questions, comments, suggestions is encouraged.

Italian

All materials necessary for passing the exam (for both attending and non-attending students) are uploaded on the course's Moodle page

written

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Climate change and energy" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development