Master II in Agent for Responsible Tourism in Sustainable Local Systems

The Masters degree course is aimed above all at humanities graduates and it sets out to respond to the newly developing professions that operate in the field of responsible tourism by way of a greater recognition and appreciation of the inherent value of the local area as well as the encouragement of innovative entrepreneurship that promotes the local area. Tourism has become one of the most important economic sectors on an international level, reaching in 2008 a record of 924 million tourists worldwide. The system of “local tourism” in Italy is unique in the way the resources of the local area are developed as well as advancing innovative development projects by way of encouraging collaboration between town councils, public authorities and tourism operators. Working towards responsible tourism means promoting a point of encounter between guests and host and creating a new perspective that brings about a rediscovery of signs, symbols, and gestures – common elements in the context of cultural heritage and landscape assets. Therefore it is by starting with the local area that the conditions can be created for a “culture of hospitality”, which is a necessary condition for developing a form of tourism the involves tour operators and the community, together with a variety of elements: economy, culture, landscape and ecogastronomy.