Cultural Heritage Tourism and Circular Economy: Enhancing Identity, Visibility and Sustainability

Recent trends in tourism have seen a decline in the traditional mass-consumption model, accompanied by a rise in a more segmented tourism to which local communities must adapt. The tourist is increasingly interested in the region as a source of material culture and nature and demands tailor-made holidays that match their specific expectations. Tourists moreover are increasingly well informed and aware of how they approach participation and what their social and ethical responsibilities are. Satisfaction must therefore be understood holistically, and that depends on the ability to offer alternatives in terms of greater enjoyability, pleasure and expectations.

This book sits at the nexus of an increasingly localized tourism and the concept of circular economy. It highlights how considerable cultural and natural heritage and excessive tourism demand makes the destinations less sustainable and requires organizational strategies that take account of the diversification of the goods and services on offer. The book explores the value to society of its cultural inheritance and stresses the participation of regional administrations and local communities in the safeguard of cultural heritage, supporting a participatory system of governance. Particular emphasis is placed on the founding and/or promotion of companies able to contribute to an economy that respects the cultural value of the regions and the development of sustainable tourism.

The volume is divided into four sections: The first, titled Cultural Identity and Tourism, addresses how local communities can turn cultural heritage assets into tourism assets. The second, called Cultural Heritage and Circular Economy for Regenerative Tourism, highlights the role of cultural heritage in order to create new value and meet the needs of tourists, using the principles of a circular economy. The third section, titled New Paradigm of Cultural and Natural Heritage for Sustainable Tourism, describes how the needs of tourists and host communities can be met in a sustainable manner. The fourth and last section, called Participatory Planning for Quality Tourism, presents case studies in engagement of communities in planning for heritage tourism.

Anna TRONO - professor of Political and Economic Geography, is an experienced researcher in tourism, environmental problems and urban planning in EU Countries. These skills and competencies have been acquired during the study visits as academic visitor at the Geography Departments of The London School and Political Science and Glasgow University. As chief scientist or other component of work groups, she has been actively involved in the preparation and management of numerous national and international research projects and in the organisation of international workshops and conferences on environment, cultural routes and religious tourism. She is co-chair of the IGI Commission on Geography of Governance for the years 2024-2028.In the last twenty years she has focused her research on local governance, environmental heritage, cultural routes and cultural/religious tourism and has published numerous essays and books on these themes, including Olsen D.H., Trono A., (Eds), Religious Pilgrimage Routes and Trails, CABI Publisher. 2018; Silva, C.N. & Trono A. (eds.) Local Governance and the New Urban Agenda. Springer 2020; Trono A., Arthur P., Servantie A. & Sánchez García E. A New World Emperor Charles V and the Beginnings of Globalization (Eds.) Roma, Tab Publisher, 2021; Trono A. (ed.) Sustainable Tourism and Cultural Routes In the Ionian and Adriatic Regions. Roma, Tab publisher, 2022; Trono A., Duda T. & Schmude J.(eds.). Over Tourism and “Tourism Over”. Recovery from COVID19 Tourism Crisis in Regions with Over and Under Tourism. World Scientific, 2023; Trono A., Castronuovo V. & Kosmas P., (Eds.), Managing Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Durable Tourism, Springer Nature publisher, 2024. Polyxeni MOIRA - is Professor of Sociology of Tourism at the Department of Tourism Management, University of West Attica, Greece. She has also served as Visiting Professor at the University of Ioannina, Harokopio University, the University of the Aegean, and the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, and is Assistant Director at the Hellenic Open University. She holds a PhD in Sociology from Panteion University of Political and Social Sciences, Greece. She holds three BA degrees: in Public Administration, International and European Studies, and Communication and Mass Media. She also holds three MSc degrees: in Rural and Regional Development, Pedagogy, and Administrative Law.With over 30 years of teaching experience in higher education, she has authored 20 scientific books―including Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage, Marine Tourism, Cruise Tourism, and Industrial Heritage Tourism, Tourism and Public Admiistration―and has published articles in more than 50 international and Greek academic journals. Her research interests focus on Sociology of Tourism, Consumer Behavior in Tourism, and Alternative Forms of Tourism, especially Religious and Pilgrimage Tourism, Marine and Cruise Tourism, Industrial Heritage Tourism, and Slow Tourism. Her most recent book in English (as editor or co-editor) is: Bozonelos, D. & Moira, P. (Eds.). The Politics of Religious Tourism. CABI, UK.