La valorizzazione del turismo nelle aree interne. Alcune riflessioni sulle prospettive di sviluppo locale in Irpinia

Following the earthquakes (1962 and 1980), Irpinia has undergone profound changes, which has erased historical memories and natural places, altering the identity of the places, depriving them of their peculiarities to the point to be no longer recognizable by the same community. However, in the face of changes in the environment and the landscape, examples of successful recovery and enhancement of cultural heritage are not lacking. Irpinia also keep a rural landscape as a whole not entirely affected by the processes of economic growth. Infact, there are different kind of resources, environmental, enogastronomic, handcraft as well as a deep-rooted entreprise culture and a consolidated manufacturing specialization, which offer considerable potential for economic development, especially as regards tourism activities, currently not appropriately exploited. and used. The affirmation of these resources for tourism purposes must be pursued through actions to strengthen and integrate the different types of tourism, which, in distinguishing the offer in a distinct way, can satisfy increasingly choosy tourists, with new needs and that are looking for unusual experiences. The purpose of the work is to study how tourism, and specifically the different forms of niche, can help to curb the progressive depopulation and the process of ageing and trigger virtuous local development processes.