Villages, Memory and the Future: The Challenge of Cultural Tourism in

Villages, Memory and the Future: The Challenge of Cultural Tourism in Liguria

Cultural tourism is increasingly central to Italy's appeal: beyond major museums and cities, small inland villages hold history, landscapes and traditional skills. In Liguria, despite a rich and widespread heritage, most tourist flows remain concentrated on the coast, while the inland often captures less than 10% of total stays.

Data from ENIT and ISTAT show that more than half of foreign visitors choose Italy for its historical, artistic and identity-related assets. This creates an opportunity: to transform villages into attractive cultural destinations that extend the tourist season, support local economies and showcase collective memory and landscapes.

Opportunities and challenges

Strengths of Ligurian villages include traditional architecture, small museums, local craftsmanship and identity-based events. Still, challenges persist:

• Accessibility and services — limited infrastructure, transport and accommodation in inland areas.
• Visibility — promotion and itineraries poorly coordinated compared with the coastal offer.
• Sustainability — risk of short-term, low-impact tourism with limited benefits for local communities.

Possible paths forward

Making cultural tourism a catalyst for regeneration requires integrated strategies that place communities and both tangible and intangible heritage at the center. Concrete measures include:

• Thematic routes and village networks — linking history, food and craft, and nature to offer diversified, less seasonal experiences.
• Diffuse musealization — small museums, exhibitions and workshops to showcase local collections and skills.
• Training and community engagement — capacity building for local operators and participatory initiatives.
• Coordinated digital promotion — accessible information, digital itineraries and campaigns that connect inland and coast.
• Quality and sustainability — flow management, soft mobility and attention to environmental and social impacts.

Examples from Val Pennavaire, the museums of Castelbianco and local craft initiatives offer a replicable model: value local identities, foster participation and create authentic tourism products. The challenge is to turn these good practices into local policies and lasting networks that ensure continuity and benefits for residents.

In short: cultural tourism can drive regeneration for Liguria's villages if backed by investments in accessibility, training, coordinated promotion and sustainable practices. Developing a diffuse destination helps preserve memory and landscape while generating new economic and social opportunities for the inland areas.