Corso di geografia turistica

Unit C1

p.91

• Amusement parks have had a long history. Over time there have changed to become what we know today: large areas, equipped with toys, leisure and sports facilities.
• Extremely varied in size, shape, and for the type of structures hosted, these parks, however, have some common characteristics: they are all enclosed locations, which are accessed through the purchase of tickets; they are artificial, evocative of fantasy worlds, and so are disconnected from the place in which they are located; are able to sustain high visitor levels of congestion; and the attractions on offer are continuously renewed, being ever more spectacular and exciting.
• They are established almost everywhere as tourist destinations in their own right, a real reason for a visit, to the point that any other attractions in their locality (artistic, environmental, cultural) are secondary or are even ignored.
• The market for theme parks worldwide amounts to a sum that is in constant growth and results in a strong economic impact on the surrounding areas, helping to create wealth and generate positive effects on employment levels and the development of local infrastructure.
• In Italy, in the face of strong demand, the construction of new parks must take into account the limitations imposed by the geography of their location, from environmental constraints, widespread urbanization and chronic shortages of infrastructure.
• Gardaland is a story in itself, a positive example of what a proper business strategy can achieve: proximity to major communication routes (road, rail, air), splendid landscapes, attractive and spectacular theme shows that are always fresh, and prudent promotional offers that are also available to the international market, have made the park the driving force of Lake Garda tourism.

Unit C2

p.99

• Study of the case of Liguria highlights the strategies identified to revitalise a stagnant and declining tourism offer, implemented through promoting the territory and the diversification of tourism products.
• Following World War II, Liguria became particularly popular for beach tourism. But the coasts were disfigured by property speculation and the overcrowding of the narrow coastal strip, poor infrastructure and high prices ultimately led to an inexorable decline, exacerbated by the emergence of more convenient and attractive destinations (Spain, Tunisia, Egypt).
• From the beginning of this century, authorities have worked together to reinvent holiday Liguria, progressing in a synergistic way: by creating multi-seasonal tourism products (traditionally limited to the summer months); by proposing new forms of accommodation, improving accessibility (with alternative means of transport to the car); enhancing the small inland villages; promoting multi-target tourism products (for families, cyclotourism, etc.); investing in professional training; and facilitating access to credit for tourism related businesses.
• The aim of this strategy is to promote Liguria as a region that is able to satisfy the desires of tourists in terms of quality (of beaches, villages, nature, infrastructure), imagination, and by the variety of the products (beach, cultural, sports, conference, nature, family, food and wine tourism).

Unit C3

p.107

• Beach tourism is an ancient form of tourism, deeply rooted in our country thanks to its extensive coastline and the beauty of its beaches.
• In Italy, seaside holidaymakers are most numerous in four regions (Emilia-Romagna, Veneto, Tuscany and Campania), which together share over 50% of the number of tourists. Especially in the South, those visiting the coast account for almost all of the tourists. The problems linked to sustainability in coastal areas are added to the loss of competitiveness of Italian seaside destinations over those abroad.
• Emilia-Romagna is an example of how flexible and forward-looking intervention strategies can help restore competitiveness and attract more tourists.
• •, The Romagnola Riviera exploded in the 1960s as a favourite mass tourism resort, building its fortune on its wide sandy beaches, traditional cuisine and the initiative of its friendly and exuberant people.
• In 1989, the mucilage invasion in the seawater caused a sharp drop in visitors, aggravated in the years immediately following by the appearance on the market of new and more economically competitive destinations. It was the impetus for a profound renewal.
• A process of infrastructure improvement and product differentiation commenced, and events created that were suitable for multi-seasonal tourism, and at the same were time capable of attracting increasingly large numbers of people.
• Leisure facilities were rethought, opening up to spa tourism and convention tourism, making the beach an extension of the city, with games and activities for families and young people, and social and cultural events being transferred to this space.
• At the same time the particular natural features, food and local culture of the hinterland were rediscovered and enhanced in order to offer a complementary tourism product.

Unit C4

p.113

• Virtual tourism takes advantage of advances in computer graphics to enable travel in worlds created or recreated with the help of computers.
• For years archaeology has made use of this advanced technology to show ancient architecture and to interpret the functions of finds. 3D reconstruction allows the original beauty of important archaeological sites to be admired.
• The latest technological proposal relates to the use of augmented reality directly on the visited site. This is not simply looking at an environment through a screen, as in digital reconstruction, or to enter a simulated reality with the help of special equipment (visor, goggles, earpiece, etc.) as is possible in virtual reality.
• Augmented reality permits the superposition of different types of information (real data, satellite information, video, multimedia aids) to simultaneously view the real surroundings with the virtual reconstruction: the tourist can move within the archaeological site but sees it “augmented” with scientifically reconstructed virtual details.
• Due to the extraordinarily importance of the excavations at Pompeii, the European Union has funded the creation of software that will allow visitors to immerse themselves in the past by wearing a helmet equipped with a computer connection. Walking the streets of Pompeii visitors will be able to see the people of Pompeii moving virtually between perfectly reconstructed locations with enriched detail.
• Access to a destination as unique as Pompeii must form part of a policy that enhances and protects it for future generations, and at the same time uses it as an instrument of active knowledge.