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 enables students with technical and scientific backgrounds to understand how natural, environmental and cultural resources can be transformed into local development opportunities through collaborative stakeholder processes.
The model equips students with the competencies required to operate as local development facilitators in mountain areas, supporting entrepreneurs in the co-creation of experiential tourism products that integrate tangible and intangible heritage while enhancing local food, agricultural and craft-based enterprises through voluntary public-private stakeholder networks.
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.
Special attention is devoted to the development of interdisciplinary competencies required by future mountain professionals operating at the interface between territorial resource management, local communities and economic development.
Learning outcomes:
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.
Interpret natural, cultural and landscape heritage as territorial capital that can support sustainable local development processes.
Interact effectively with stakeholders from different sectors, including agriculture, forestry, tourism, public administration and local enterprises.
Apply collaborative approaches to the analysis of complex mountain development challenges and the identification of shared solutions.
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 enables students with technical and scientific backgrounds to understand how natural, environmental and cultural resources can be transformed into local development opportunities through collaborative stakeholder processes.
The model equips students with the competencies required to operate as local development facilitators in mountain areas, supporting entrepreneurs in the co-creation of experiential tourism products that integrate tangible and intangible heritage while enhancing local food, agricultural and craft-based enterprises through voluntary public-private stakeholder networks.
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.
Special attention is devoted to the development of interdisciplinary competencies required by future mountain professionals operating at the interface between territorial resource management, local communities and economic development.
Learning outcomes:
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.
Interpret natural, cultural and landscape heritage as territorial capital that can support sustainable local development processes.
Interact effectively with stakeholders from different sectors, including agriculture, forestry, tourism, public administration and local enterprises.
Apply collaborative approaches to the analysis of complex mountain development challenges and the identification of shared solutions.
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.
Activities are delivered exclusively through face-to-face sessions and are intended to integrate technical and scientific knowledge with socio-economic competencies relevant to local development processes in mountain regions.
Activities are delivered exclusively through face-to-face sessions and are intended to integrate technical and scientific knowledge with socio-economic competencies relevant to local development processes in mountain regions.
Teaching Resources
Before the start of the course, students are required to study the articles listed in the bibliography, the webinar, and two websites related to the case study: the UNESCO website on the Rock Drawings of Valcamonica and the website of the National Park of the Rock Engravings of Naquane.
Group role-play activities will be based on the application of the concepts and tools presented in the selected readings to real-world mountain destination development cases, with particular reference to the UNESCO Rock Drawings of Valcamonica.
Through the role-play activities, students will experience territorial analysis, stakeholder collaboration and the co-design of experiential tourism products, applying methodologies previously used in real local development projects in mountain areas.
Students are also encouraged to visit the National Park of the Rock Engravings of Naquane independently and to read the interpretative panels along the visitor trail in order to gain first-hand knowledge of the site and its cultural context.
This experience represents an important preparatory activity for the classroom exercises, during which students will be required to apply approaches to heritage enhancement, cultural heritage communication and scientific outreach within the framework of local development projects in mountain regions.
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.
Group role-play activities will be based on the application of the concepts and tools presented in the selected readings to real-world mountain destination development cases, with particular reference to the UNESCO Rock Drawings of Valcamonica.
Through the role-play activities, students will experience territorial analysis, stakeholder collaboration and the co-design of experiential tourism products, applying methodologies previously used in real local development projects in mountain areas.
Students are also encouraged to visit the National Park of the Rock Engravings of Naquane independently and to read the interpretative panels along the visitor trail in order to gain first-hand knowledge of the site and its cultural context.
This experience represents an important preparatory activity for the classroom exercises, during which students will be required to apply approaches to heritage enhancement, cultural heritage communication and scientific outreach within the framework of local development projects in mountain regions.
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 ECTS credits will be based on the individual study of the articles, webinar and supporting materials listed below, the level of active participation in class activities, and the outcomes of a collaborative group assignment completed during the course.
The group assignment will be presented and discussed orally in class and will involve the application of the "Win-Win Heritage Experience" model to a real mountain local development case study.
The applied case study will focus on the Rock Drawings of Valcamonica, designated in 1979 as the first Italian UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Students will be required to study the UNESCO site and its rock art heritage and to become familiar with its historical, cultural and territorial context.
Students who do not attend classes will be required to study the same materials and will be assessed through an individual project involving the design of an experiential tourism product aimed at enhancing the Rock Drawings of Valcamonica heritage.
The project work must include at least one interview with a local entrepreneur or stakeholder, which must be recorded and submitted as part of the assessment.
Non-attending students will also be required to sit a written examination in person at the UNIMONT campus in Edolo.
The group assignment will be presented and discussed orally in class and will involve the application of the "Win-Win Heritage Experience" model to a real mountain local development case study.
The applied case study will focus on the Rock Drawings of Valcamonica, designated in 1979 as the first Italian UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Students will be required to study the UNESCO site and its rock art heritage and to become familiar with its historical, cultural and territorial context.
Students who do not attend classes will be required to study the same materials and will be assessed through an individual project involving the design of an experiential tourism product aimed at enhancing the Rock Drawings of Valcamonica heritage.
The project work must include at least one interview with a local entrepreneur or stakeholder, which must be recorded and submitted as part of the assessment.
Non-attending students will also be required to sit a written examination in person at the UNIMONT campus in Edolo.
Professor(s)