Current Issues in Mountain Tourism Management
A.Y. 2026/2027
Learning objectives
Comprehension of tourism as an open system and how environmental, economic, social, political, health, technological issues are affecting mountain tourism. The course will also help students to understand the basic principle of how tourism can create wellbeing for the hosting communities, applying analyses and case studies to different mountain destinations. Ultimately, the course will help students to reflect on the development of new forms of tourism and the management of resilient mountain tourism destinations.
Expected learning outcomes
- relevant knowledge of the theories and tools needed to understand tourism as an open system;
- ability to critically analyse of the impacts of tourism on host communities, and the needs of different stakeholders;
- ability to critically analyse the emerging trends affecting mountain tourism;
- ability to recognise opportunities for the development of new forms of tourism in mountain destinations.
- ability to critically analyse of the impacts of tourism on host communities, and the needs of different stakeholders;
- ability to critically analyse the emerging trends affecting mountain tourism;
- ability to recognise opportunities for the development of new forms of tourism in mountain destinations.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
The course focuses on the specificities of mountain destinations.
The first theoretical part is aimed at describing the different types of mountain destinations, the challenges of climate change and the possible forms of resilience.
The second part explores the "Win-Win Heritage Experience", a successful model applied in global and Italian UNESCO mountain destinations, engaging 3,000 entrepreneurs.
The model fosters experiential tourism in mountain destinations by integrating material and immaterial heritage enhancing local businesses (food, agriculture, crafts, ) through voluntary public-private networks.
Key takeaways:
students will acquire hands-on practical tools & techniques to develop:
* Experiential tourist products and services with economic and social value based on the cultural, natural and environmental resources of mountain areas.
* Tourist product in which local culture represents an important development drive for the local economy.
* Win-Win partnership between Private and Public stakeholders to foster year-round mountain tourism and local development.
The first theoretical part is aimed at describing the different types of mountain destinations, the challenges of climate change and the possible forms of resilience.
The second part explores the "Win-Win Heritage Experience", a successful model applied in global and Italian UNESCO mountain destinations, engaging 3,000 entrepreneurs.
The model fosters experiential tourism in mountain destinations by integrating material and immaterial heritage enhancing local businesses (food, agriculture, crafts, ) through voluntary public-private networks.
Key takeaways:
students will acquire hands-on practical tools & techniques to develop:
* Experiential tourist products and services with economic and social value based on the cultural, natural and environmental resources of mountain areas.
* Tourist product in which local culture represents an important development drive for the local economy.
* Win-Win partnership between Private and Public stakeholders to foster year-round mountain tourism and local development.
Teaching methods
Lectures, active participation in classroom role-plays on cases of mountain destinations, discussions of international case studies on development models for mountain destinations, discussion on the "Win-Win Experience" Model.
Teaching Resources
Prior to the course, students have to study the two articles, one webinar and two websites.
The role-play activity, conducted through group work, will be based on the application of the articles' content to real-world case studies of mountain destinations, with particular reference to the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Rock Engravings.
1. Basile M. (2020). A new entrepreneurial training model: the "Win-win UNESCO Experience". In Humanistic Tourism: Values, Norms, and Dignity. Routledge. M. Della Lucia & E. Giudici (Eds.) https://www.routledge.com/Humanistic-Tourism-Values-Norms-and-Dignity/Lucia-Giudici/p/book/9780367623401
2. Basile M. (2020). A new entrepreneurial model towards co-planning a "Win-win UNESCO Experience". In World Heritage, Place Making and Sustainable Tourism. Studien Verlag. K. Luger & M. Ripp (Eds.) https://www.studienverlag.at/produkt/6091/world-heritage-place-making-and-sustainable-tourism/
3. Unimont: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ditfhsw-DI0
4. Rock Engravings in Valcamonica Unesco official site; https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/94/
5. Rock Engravings National Park http://www.parcoincisioni.capodiponte.beniculturali.it/index.php?en/136/about-rock-engravings-national-park
Electronic copies of the 2 articles have been made available via the MyAriel UNIMI portal.
The role-play activity, conducted through group work, will be based on the application of the articles' content to real-world case studies of mountain destinations, with particular reference to the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Rock Engravings.
1. Basile M. (2020). A new entrepreneurial training model: the "Win-win UNESCO Experience". In Humanistic Tourism: Values, Norms, and Dignity. Routledge. M. Della Lucia & E. Giudici (Eds.) https://www.routledge.com/Humanistic-Tourism-Values-Norms-and-Dignity/Lucia-Giudici/p/book/9780367623401
2. Basile M. (2020). A new entrepreneurial model towards co-planning a "Win-win UNESCO Experience". In World Heritage, Place Making and Sustainable Tourism. Studien Verlag. K. Luger & M. Ripp (Eds.) https://www.studienverlag.at/produkt/6091/world-heritage-place-making-and-sustainable-tourism/
3. Unimont: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ditfhsw-DI0
4. Rock Engravings in Valcamonica Unesco official site; https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/94/
5. Rock Engravings National Park http://www.parcoincisioni.capodiponte.beniculturali.it/index.php?en/136/about-rock-engravings-national-park
Electronic copies of the 2 articles have been made available via the MyAriel UNIMI portal.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The award of the 2 CFU will be based on the individual study of the articles and webinar listed below, the level of active participation during the course, and the outcomes of a collaborative group activity.
This group activity will be presented and discussed orally in class and will involve the application of the "Win-Win Heritage Experience" model.
The applied case study will focus on the Rock Drawings in Valcamonica, designated as the first Italian UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.
Students will be required to study the UNESCO sites and the rock carvings and to become familiar with their content.
Students who do not attend classes will be required to study the same documents, to complete a project involving the development of an experiential tourism product designed to enhance the rock art heritage of Val Camonica, including an interview with local entrepreneurs, and to sit a written examination in person at the Edolo campus.
This group activity will be presented and discussed orally in class and will involve the application of the "Win-Win Heritage Experience" model.
The applied case study will focus on the Rock Drawings in Valcamonica, designated as the first Italian UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.
Students will be required to study the UNESCO sites and the rock carvings and to become familiar with their content.
Students who do not attend classes will be required to study the same documents, to complete a project involving the development of an experiential tourism product designed to enhance the rock art heritage of Val Camonica, including an interview with local entrepreneurs, and to sit a written examination in person at the Edolo campus.
Professor(s)