Sports as Well-Being Practice: The Diversification of Tourism Through the Integration of Sport, Wellness, and Health

Alta Valtellina is a popular sports destination especially when it comes to winter sport practices. Since the 1960s, in line with the touristification process of the Alpine macro-region, the ski industry has grown as the main economic sector which still determines the attractiveness of the whole area. However, besides the economic advantages, the growth of ski tourism has produced intense environmental, social, and economic impacts, creating also spatial gaps and inequalities with the surrounding areas, not involved in ski tourism development. Furthermore, the current climate conditions and socio-economic challenges have led to the need to renovate, adapt, and diversify such a development model, mainly dependent on winter sports. Within this framework, the following chapter outlines the contribution by the 2022 PhD workshop, to reflect on the potentialities of the Alta Valtellina area to diversify its socio-economic development model. Additionally, it delves into how the workshop addresses various forms of territorial fragilities, particularly in anticipation of the 2026 Winter Games, and explores the potential extension of the event legacy across space and time. Specifically, and against the background of a winter sport event, it aims to provide possible scenarios for achieving the diversification of ski tourism through a new concept of sport based on its integration with wellness and health. In these terms, sport is no longer conceived as a competitive and monopole activity dependent on ski destinations; on the contrary, it is envisioned as a healthy and inclusive practice that involves different functions, places, services, and social groups. For this purpose, three primary spatial strategies have been developed for the Alta Valtellina area. These strategies involve the integration of locations directly impacted by the 2026 Winter Olympics with other areas that are at risk of exclusion due to current investments in the mega-event.