TRACING A CYCLE ROUTE BETWEEN THE UNESCO SITES AND THE NATIONAL PARKS OF APULIA AND BASILICATA: A DESIGN ORIENTED STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

The project aims to contribute to solving the problem of touristic pressure in fragile places like UNESCO sites, through a comprehensive, sustainable territorial strategy. This goal is pursued by proposing an “off the beaten tracks” destinations offer, to give a better overall balance to the territory, by improving the attractiveness of the marginal landscapes that are surrounding the most frequented polarities, that need instead to be relieved them from the risks of excessive touristic pressure. This approach may result in a correct strategy, also considering the current situation related to Covid-19. The contribution is the narrative of an initiative of territorial exploration that aims to collect the necessary impressions and on-field analyses that are fundamental bases for a design-oriented approach to sustainable tourism development. The experience was conducted by a research group from the Polytechnic University of Milan, with the contribution of the UNESCO Italian commission, University of Turin, Alta Murgia National Park, among others, held in October 2019, appointed by the MiBACT as the year of slow tourism and within the activities of ASVIS (Italian Agency for Sustainable Development). The route, 350 km by bike in five stages, with short transfer segments by bus or train, has its starting point at the visitor center of the Umbra Forest (Apulia) and the arrival in Matera (Basilicata), European Capital of Culture 2019, thus embracing two Southern Italy regions, four provinces, two National Parks, two Regional Parks, and five UNESCO sites. Tourism plays a significant role in defining the landscape and in the administrative and planning goals of most of the communities of the crossed territories, both already popular destinations and inner areas experiencing socioeconomic distress and looking at tourism as a way out from their crisis.