The networking of alpine pastures for the development of sustainable tourism

Tourism is characterized by noteworthy changes regarding both the demand and the innovations in the services aimed to make the tourist experience more and more fulfilling and sustainable. Today, tourists are interested in living the journey also as an opportunity to catch the cultural and social aspects of a place. Summer pastures (“alpeggi”) and seasonal alpine farmsteads (“malghe”) are important spaces for tourism, but these are fundamental components of the economy, the society and the culture of the alpine landscape. In this context, leading new congruent principles to the re-use and refunctionalisation of summer farmsteads (“malghe”), alpine huts (“baita”) and all other seasonal production structures must be identified, in an attempt to valorise both traditional aspects and the innovative potentials of participated or nature tourism, able to guarantee the right environmental and economic sustainability.