The antifragile potential of line tourism: Towards a multimethodological evaluation model for italian inner areas cultural heritage

Abstract

More than 60% of Italy is occupied by inner areas in continuous depopulation. It is a continuous abandonment which has led to the constant aging of towns and to devastating effects on the hydrogeological system but also to the risk of loss of local identities. In this heritage at risk, we can be able to find one of the cornerstones of a territorial rebirth. Slow tourism can be the appropriate action for a place-based strategy that is able to adequately enhance this widespread heritage. It is no coincidence that the theme of the recovery of public assets along slow tourism lines is increasingly relevant in the inner areas. In this sense, our research question focuses to imagine an antifragile tourism model that, starting from potential unused resources of territorial capital, can act to minimize fragility and maximize attractiveness. To do that, we suggest the use of an hybrid methodological approach based on the combined use of Geographic Information Systems and Multicriteria Analysis, in order to support the decision process to identify disused buildings suitable for adaptive reuse. What is challenging is to find out balanced reuse strategies, able to bring benefits both to the most attractive sites as well as to the most fragile ones according to the line perspective. In this paper, we present the first steps of an integrated model for the valorization of disused buildings, enhancing the regenerative capacity of slow tourism.