Hospitality innovation through historic sites requalification in Italy: evidences from Marche Region

The development of cultural tourism reveals the changes in tourism demand and the growing awareness on behalf of both operators and scholars about the cultural, social and economic relevance of enhancing heritage assets. The relation between culture and tourism is particularly noteworthy in Italy, due to the huge amount of historic sites, and works of art, attracting tourists from all over the world. The aim of this paper is to highlight how the requalification of historic villages and precious buildings can lead to hospitality innovation, creating a new typology of hotel – named ‘albergo diffuso’ – which is not just a hotel but a context of experience for tourists. In this way, cultural value and economic value become a source of creativity for implementing innovation that is more and more sustainable.