LIGURIATOURISM-IBA -Regional Develpoment of Western Liguria

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The project has the objective to define and test a sustainable tourism model in a pilot area in Liguria, contributing to the reform of the tourism sector; the model is based on the protection and valorisation of natural and cultural capital for the improvement of the local economy and the resilience to climate change. The project is carried out by University of Genova as beneficiary, Liguria Ricerche as affiliated partner with the endorsement of Regione Liguria, in order to respond to the specific needs of the area, where tourism has a great weight in the local economy and - at the same time - a high unexpressed potential. The approach is focused on: natural capital assessment, preservation and valorisation through the application of Ecosystem Payment Schemes (mainly related to outdoor sports); valorisation of the cooperation of public and private actors; upskilling of public and private actors, notably of policy makers, civil servants, tourism workers and entrepreneurs. For this purpose the work plan is articulated in: WP2, initial assessment with a preliminary analysis for the upscaling proposal on the local tourism business; WP3, guidance to create, monitor the upskilling and reskilling pathways toward sustainable tourism; WP4, Strategy and local Pilot Actions for the mainstreaming of sustainable tourism and climate change adaptation The main expected result is the providing of an integrated tourism development model based on sustainable and sporting enjoyment of the area's natural/cultural resources, to be replicated throughout the region and in other coastal areas. This will be supported by: an upskill of the tourism sector's operators in terms of awareness of capital natural potential, opportunities for valorisation in accordance with the principles of environmental, economic and social sustainability; an upskill of the public administrator in terms of management competence to valorise the territory; a permanent network of public/private subjects.