Boosting tourism ecosystems development and digital transition opportunities and challanghes

In addition to the economic, social and cultural crises triggered by the health emergency, there has also been a real emergency in the tourism sector. Many ad hoc measures have been adopted for the tourism sector by the so-called “savior state“, among which particular attention should be paid to the interventions carried out through the national promotion bank. Reference is made in particular to the constitution and strengthening by the publicly controlled company necessary Cassa depositi e prestiti of investment funds intended for the tourism sector, in order to prevent the impoverishment of Italian hotel hospitality following the covid-19 emergency and avoid acquisitions that could compromise its identity. In this direction, it is recalled the participation foreseen in the PNRR of the Ministry of Tourism in the National Tourism Fund, managed by CDP, through the subscription of shares (equity), for 150 million euros.

The paper, after some considerations about the new dimension of heritage, aims to reflect on effective legal tools of management and forms of governance of systems and networks of goods/services trying to identify new models of (or to “adapt“ the current organizational and functional models to define models of) governance participatory, partnership, integrated, multi-level and multi-actor, analyzing in particular the objectives of Component 3 of Mission 1 of the National Research Programme (Tourism and Culture 4.0) and the investments outlined for their achievement.

The challenges posed by the PNRR impose the integrated search for solutions consistent with the heterogeneous goals to be pursued in the context of cultural and artistic heritage for valorization through integrated business models. It is a matter of reflecting on a new business model that takes into account the G20 guidelines just given and the necessary complementarity between the sustainability of systems and the growth and use of community assets.

The contribution aims to deepen the role of energy communities in the green transition considered from the energy point of view with a particular focus on tourism. Renewable energy communities can, in fact, deeply affect both urban contexts and inland areas, determining a positive impact on the green and digital transition, contributing to the reduction of energy poverty and social inequalities and promoting sustainable tourism models.

Digitization would allow an integrated and intelligent use of the data, promoting innovative study paths and in-depth analysis, also through adequate search engines. This extraordinary material, wisely implemented and managed, could naturally open spaces of great importance and interest not only for study and scientific research, but also for information, teaching, training and, certainly, also for the proposal of more attractive contents for the visit, even remotely, and therefore as a tool of tourist-cultural attraction.