Turistica - Italian Journal of Tourism

Tourism Startups: fresh evidence by a systematic review

2024-10-02T10:49:09+02:00

There has been a growing interest in start-up companies and their potential to disrupt traditional industries in recent years. At the same time, the spread of tourism and the new forms of its provision require increasingly innovative and disruptive business ideas. Therefore, it seems appropriate to cross the two topics of start-up and tourism. This paper aims to provide a systematic literature review (SR) on tourism start-ups through a detailed and replicable process for analysis to examine the role and impact of tourism start-ups in the global tourism industry. The review begins by exploring the definition and classification of tourism start-ups, highlighting their distinctive features and entrepreneurial skills. It then delivers the results of a subsequent SR that shows various theoretical and empirical frameworks that indicate the need for further study with on-field research. The review methodology of this work has two preparatory phases. The first phase concerns a generic look at the most evident literature to identify variables to implement a systematic review process through R Studio software. Through this investigation, the authors attempt to provide scholars and practitioners with signs of how start-ups are emerging in the tourist business and input for future research.

Revitalising Abandoned Villages through Rural Tourism: Visitor Motivations and Satisfaction. The Case of Pentidattilo

2025-01-15T18:01:20+01:00

In recent decades, many rural areas and historic villages in Italy have faced significant challenges, including depopulation and economic decline, particularly in remote regions. This study examines the role of rural tourism as a revitalisation strategy for abandoned villages, analysing how tourism can transform these areas into valuable cultural and economic assets. Specifically, the research aims to explore the relationship between visitor motivations, satisfaction levels, and their intention to return. The borgo of Pentidattilo, located in the Aspromonte National Park, is used as a case study to understand how rural tourism can contribute to the economic, social, and cultural regeneration of marginal areas. The research is based on a survey conducted among visitors to Pentidattilo, using questionnaires and interviews administered both on-site and online. The aim is to gather data on tourists’ motivations, satisfaction, and willingness to return. Data analysis was performed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), supported by SmartPLS software, to assess the influence of factors such as the destination’s beauty, essential conditions, and tourism promotion on visitor behaviour. This research highlights the potential of rural tourism in regenerating abandoned villages by fostering authentic, meaningful experiences that enhance visitor satisfaction and encourage repeat visits. The findings contribute to the growing academic discourse on sustainable tourism and offer insights into the role of visitor motivations in shaping tourism experiences. Future research can build upon these results by exploring alternative tourism models and assessing the long-term impact of tourism on local communities. The study suggests that the success of rural tourism in revitalizing villages like Pentidattilo depends on balancing the preservation of cultural and environmental heritage with tourism growth. Tourism operators are encouraged to focus on delivering emotionally engaging experiences that resonate with visitors’ intrinsic motivations, rather than merely improving infrastructure. These insights provide valuable guidelines for developing sustainable tourism strategies that foster long-term visitor loyalty and support the economic development of marginalized rural areas.

Borghi National Plan: From the Pivotal Role of Stakeholders to Social Reporting

2025-01-03T16:49:25+01:00

The paper investigates how Sicilian municipalities and their partners plan to engage and communicate with their stakeholders in the projects funded by the Borghi National Plan, representing a key part of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) under Mission 1. The study uses the lens of the Local Territorial System (LTS) model and the concept of Territorial Social Responsibility (TSR) to assess such engagement and communication strategies. Furthermore, it explores the potential for integrating social reporting tools into these projects to enhance stakeholder accountability. The research contributes to the broader understanding of effective stakeholder engagement and communication in community-led projects and the role of transparency in fostering sustainable local development. The research is based on survey data from 31 entities, including 9 Sicilian municipalities and 22 project partners, collected in 2022. The survey consists of ten questions to evaluate the communication tools employed for stakeholder engagement and communication. Due to the different categories of respondents (i.e., municipalities, associations, and other types of organisations), the answers are shown by considering this distinction to depict if each category shows preferences towards specific communication tools in the various key survey questions. This approach allows for a deeper understanding of how different types of entities may prioritise communication strategies in the context of community-led projects. The study offers new insights into applying TSR through the Borghi National Plan through the LTS model. Communication strategies for stakeholder engagement, combined with the integration of social reporting tools, further enhance the ongoing discourse on transparency and accountability in community-led projects within the framework of local development initiatives and sustainability. The research underscores that municipalities should improve their social reporting tools and adopt multi-channel communication strategies to manage their territorial responsibilities effectively. The findings drawn by the research can help enhance stakeholder engagement, accountability, and transparency by the municipalities and their project partners in supporting more sustainable territorial development.