Tourism development through heritage enhancement and hospitality innovation

The changes occurred in the tourism sector over the past years have generated new business ventures and innovative management tools. Moreover, the increasing development of cultural tourism reveals the changes in tourists’ customs and the growing awareness on behalf of operators about the cultural, social and economic relevance of enhancing cultural goods. This paper aims to investigate the synergies between tourism and cultural heritage, showing that heritage preservation can lead to tourism innovation. This can be achieved if all actors within tourist destinations acquire a systemic view in planning and implementing the activities aimed to both enhance cultural assets and improve hospitality services. In this way, the co-evolution between organizations and environment creates synergies able to produce value and sustainability for all stakeholders. The study of the «albergo diffuso» here presented is an example of how the requalification of a historical village leads to territorial development and the creation of new forms of hospitality.