The Attractive Power of Rural Destinations and a Synergistic Community Cooperative Approach: A “Tourismability” Case

Abstract

The recent climate change, food scandals, pollution and work-related stress, are affecting life in big cities and tourism is suffering changes expanding its typical boundaries. The past decades were characterized by the tourism choice of exotic destinations; nowadays, a route inversion would be visible and remote and inner destinations are acquiring value and attractiveness. According to this perspective, administrators and event organizers are planning and structuring strategies ensuring memorable experiences for the tourists. In the sense of sustainable development, important aspects are cooperative approaches and capability to integrate traditions and expectations. The proposed research work focuses the attention on the analysis of 15 semi-structured interviews through SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) and perception analysis on an event called “Dream of a night…to that town” provided by the Municipality of Colobraro, Basilicata Region (Italy). The proposition of the research would focus the attention on a case study able to form not a top-down/bottom-up, but a horizontal strategy, a sharable best practice for the whole tourism sector in rural areas that would make truly effective the State decentralization, in which the small communities’ activism configures crucial source of competitiveness. The case proposed, contrasting modern lifestyles and common tourism choice, would be able to redirect the concept of attractiveness in privileging remote places that could offer memorable tourism experiences. So, a promotional “tourismability” strategy, integrating agricultural connotates of the territory with heritage, traditions, myths and legends, through a synergistic community cooperative approach, would be necessary to constitute an identitary, attractive, memorable and immersive tourism experience in rural areas.