No. 3 (2022)

To date, much literature is identifying the need for Island tourism and policy to address this need. However, only some studies address island tourism at a practical level or the effectiveness of policy implementation. These small territories are obliged to use extra-territorial resources as their hinterland for economic success. Such resources extend over a whole range of goods and services and include access to investments. Bearing in mind this limitation, this research will attempt to present a strategic planning methodology (integrated strategies) for drawing up strategic issues for tourism development from the point of view of sustainability, which is particularly appropriate to Islands. To this end, sociocultural aspects, the environment, and the economy, with particular emphasis on tourism, are examined to identify major strategic issues for sustainable
development in the Island context. This research focuses on the design level of policy to better understand the barriers and possible solutions to implementing sustainable tourism policy.

Today's tourist activities have become an essential part of daily life and are no longer considered luxury goods. For this reason, everybody needs to enjoy their free time at work, live on vacation and travel freely and independently. For this reason, its tourist services must satisfy the needs of everyone, even if the person has some difficulties, permanent or temporary disabilities or has a different culture or way of life. All guests are welcomed and accommodated in all parts of the grounds and tourist attractions if the infrastructure and local community are prepared for such tourist needs. Therefore, the article will explore the particularities of inclusive tourism, highlighting its positive and negative impacts on the territory and the local people. For the destination, tourism for all is a new variant of tourism and thus attracts many tourists. Nevertheless, it can also be considered a tool for requalifying and reprogramming tourist activities to provide well-being to all. For the local population, it means cultural enrichment and growth in quantity and quality, improving the lifestyle of the whole community.

The enhancement of the landscape is one of the cornerstones of sustainable tourism planning, both for the role it assumes in the transmission of the social and cultural values of the local communities and for its relevance at an international level, as a paradigm for enhancing the natural and cultural heritage by ensuring the pursuit of sustainable actions. The Italian peripheral territories having a substantial landscape value but are often inaccessible from the most well-known tourism destinations, are currently interested in the attention that makes them attractive for visitors and tourists, responding to the growing desire of contemporary society to experience some practices, away from the fast pace of urban life surrounded by a natural and cultural heritage and unique experiences. Especially in our time, characterised by environmental, pandemic, and geo-political challenges, peripheral areas need to discover tourism from a sustainable and networked perspective. These should be the principles for a co-planning method to enhance the landscape and local knowledge. By listening to the needs of the different categories of inhabitants, it is possible to renew the role of tourism in the face of our time's environmental, health and social challenges, to renovate it sustainably

The role of services within the tourism sector will be analysed to understand the importance of global planning of marketing activities concerning the different entrepreneurship and the various areas in which the company works. The Purposes of the Study are the areas of a marketing application in the tourism sector, the 7Ps model of the marketing mix for service companies, and the strategic solutions for effective communication will be illustrated. The global planning of marketing activities makes it possible to increase the perceived and delivered quality through correct customer management and business tools that improve the satisfaction and engagement of the various tourist targets served.

The experience of the Gargano National Park Authority - manager of the homonymous park and the "Tremiti Islands" Marine Protected Area - on the theme of the European Sustainable Tourism Charter (EUROPARC Federation), widespread recognition in Italian protected natural areas. Opportunity to describe the structure and operation of the Charter and reflect on the aspects of the application in a reality like the Gargano in the era of a pandemic.

Travel experience designer: tourism, experience and postmodern culture
Marxiano Melotti

 Abstract

The experiential dimension is one of the most critical aspects of contemporary tourism. The article examines the theoretical bases of the reflection on the relationships between experience, authenticity and consumer society, and applies them to tourism and experience construction. It then dwells on the importance of storytelling and the role of a new professional figure, the Travel Experience Designer, in the context of the postmodern liquid society. Finally, it devotes a specific section to the Airbnb Experience platform. On the one hand, it analyses the impact of Airbnb on urban dynamics, especially concerning the processes of Touristification, Disneyfication and Gentrification; on the other, it points out the storytelling techniques used by Airbnb Experience and its hosts, considered innovative travel experience designers, and underlines the impact of this platform and its narratives on the tourism job market, the tourist gaze and the representations of cities and their cultural heritage.

 

 

Tourism marketing and promotion green
Roberto Micera

 Abstract

Tourism has always been considered a major driver of economic development in many countries, but at the same time, it is also a sector that generates many negative externalities. For these reasons, sustainable practices are considered essential. The focus on sustainable tourism, environmental protection and green practices has been reinforced by the Covid-19 pandemic. There have been strong changes that are affected both tourism demand and supply and significantly modified approaches to the management of major business functions. Starting from these assumptions, the aim of the paper is to provide an in-depth look at the implementation of green practices in tourism business marketing, focusing on some strategic and operational tools.

 

 

The tourism product and its promotion. the case of the archipelago of the Tremiti islands
Gianluca Monturano

 Abstract

This work investigates in detail the theoretical-economic concept of the tourism product, understood as an element capable of determining development opportunities for the territories that have them. A specific focus concerns the organisation and promotion of integrated tourism products, which also look at sustainability principles. The work reports the Tremiti Islands Archipelago as a virtuous example of a tourism product, especially in terms of promotion, analysing the growth trends of different socio-economic variables.

 

 

Sustainable tourism: ecological footprint ecological footprint and carrying capacity of destinations
Francesca Petrei

 Abstract

Sustainable development has been central to the political, social, and economic debate for several years, and now it is even more so facing the first tangible evidence of climate change. Of course, this also applies to sustainable tourism. To reach a truly sustainable tourist development territory, it is essential to have a precise
theoretical framework, but above all, to move from the theoretical concept to statistical measurement and to have specific indicators according to the framework. Furthermore, it is necessary to implement multi-level targeted policies, such as, for example, green marketing.

 

 

Tourist destinations and market international scenario and reference
Andrea Pozzi

 Abstract

The unprecedented depth and duration of the COVID-19 shock have severely affected the tourism industry. While reducing due to mobility restrictions, tourism demand has increasingly shown new needs and behaviours. Sustainability and wellness have emerged among travellers’ priorities, leading destinations to adapt their offerings. The present contribution attempts to explain these changes in the context of Italy while stressing the need for networking to face the new emerging challenges. Particular attention has been devoted to the steps for network development, providing guidance for the destinations to set up collaborative processes.

 

 

Physical and digital channels for the fruition of products and services
Claudio Rossi

 Abstract

Digital marketing tools and strategies can be an invaluable resource for small and medium touristic companies, but there are advantages and disadvantages to using these tools. To maximise investment effectiveness, creating a digital marketing strategy that makes the most of the interactions between digital communication tools while keeping in mind whom we want to reach and engage with our communication and our products is essential. This article explains how to select the best digital communication channels and
integrate them with our offline communication to create an efficient digital marketing strategy.

 

 

The competitive challenge in minor tourist destinations. references to socio-cultural and environmental responsibility
Marcantonio Ruisi

 Abstract

This contribution considers the socio-economic development of small tourist destinations. Attention is mainly paid to identifying the customer segments and the entrepreneurial dynamics that qualify the supply chain of the tourist industry by analysing the relations among operators who satisfy similar needs (not only direct
competitors but also indirect ones) and even those among suppliers and complementors. Further considerations regard the socio-environmental responsibility and not only that - which the subjects called to promote the development mentioned above must assume. The study commitment limited to small-scale destinations considers the "morphological" characteristics in these spatial circumstances in which some phenomena can worsen, including overtourism, the absence of a part of the offer on-site supply chain, and the lack of specific professional skills.

 

 

The customer satisfaction
Biagio Simonetti, Raffaela Ciuffreda

 Abstract

Customer Satisfaction is the consumer's response to whether their need has been satisfied based on the initial expectations. Statistical Quality Control, a management system relying on the quality of services instead of the turnover, includes Customer Satisfaction. Using Customer Satisfaction within a competitive market, a company can assess the satisfaction level of a customer and its future expectations, measure the quality of the company as perceived by customers, and identify any strengths and weaknesses. Methods used to evaluate Customer Satisfaction are multiple. Some of these models involve customers, while others use data collected not directly from the subject of interest.

 

 

Skills, innovation and inter-organisational relations in the value of the tourism product: towards a design method for the "tremiti islands archipelago" product
Lucia Varra

 Abstract

In the literature, the concept of tourist products is ambiguous. It has blurred boundaries, affected by the angle from which it is viewed (business, tourist, institution, etc.) and by the levels of analysis (level of supply, demand, destination management, etc.). The various efforts to integrate different concepts and perspectives have not led to univocal interpretations and design models. In the present work, the construction of a model is proposed after a theoretical framework, which is also a working method. It is valid both for specific and global tourist products. Therefore, both for processes governed by private individuals, local bodies, and mixed subjects. Holistically, the proposed model aims to identify the components capable of creating innovative and
lasting added value according to the enlargement and enrichment of the tourist product. In increasing value, innovation, and skills, managing human resources, interorganisational relations, and the resources and services involved incrementally take on particular importance. These elements, which become significant model dimensions, have been applied to the product "Arcipelago Isole Tremiti", for which the model can be a stimulus and starting point for reflections on destination design.