Economic and Social Sustainable Synergies to Promote Innovations in Rural Tourism and Local Development

Giovanni Quaranta, Elisabetta Citro and Rosanna Salvia
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Giovanni Quaranta: Mathematics, Computer Science and Economics Department, University of Basilicata, Viale dell’Ateneo Lucano, Potenza 85100, Italy
Elisabetta Citro: Local Action Group “I sentieri del buon vivere”, Largo Padre Pio snc, Laviano 84020, Italy
Rosanna Salvia: Mathematics, Computer Science and Economics Department, University of Basilicata, Viale dell’Ateneo Lucano, Potenza 85100, Italy

Sustainability, 2016, vol. 8, issue 7, 1-15

Abstract: The role of tourism in rural areas is pivotal for the integration and valorization of territorial resources and it is strengthened by the capacity to promote local community participation in processes of development. The paper addresses the issue by presenting and discussing a case study of a rural area of southern Italy where a territorial network for the development of local tourism has been set up. The innovative initiative aimed, firstly, to facilitate a closer connection between production and consumption by reducing transaction costs and, secondly, to connect local production with quality conscious consumers looking for traditional products. The network project also aimed to create conditions conducive to increasing the competitiveness of the local production chain and tourism sector. The case study shows how the challenge for many rural territories lies in increasing levels of trust and rebuilding social capital as a precondition of developing the tourism sector and fostering socio-economic development as a whole. Traditional institutions, as well as hybrid institutions, with the support of research organizations, can play a key role.

Keywords: community development; rural tourism; environment and sustainability; social capital; rural development; rural innovation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (28)

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