The Albergo Diffuso promotion in Italy. Issues on buildings preservation and sustainable use of historical villages

Recurring statements referred to the relevance of the Albergo Diffuso for the sustainable development of small towns expressed by the government too, the steady attention of the media, both national and international, and of users towards this kind of hospitality, are the starting point for a close examination of some aspects of the phenomenon in Italy. The paper primarily analyzes the Italian legislation on the matter to emphasize the critical issues due to regional fragmentation of laws and their partiality. Secondly, it summarizes the principles of the theoretical model to highlight the range of interpretations given by the different regulations. Throughout the report many aspects reffered to the protection of historical centers and the minor building heritage will emerge, therefore some theoretical reflections will be introduced about the various meanings attributed to the historical center concepts and conservation of the minor architecture, and their exploitation for tourism purposes.