Cultural tourism development and the impact on local communities: a case study from the South of Italy

Cultural tourism is the idea that a place’s cultural perception has enough value to make it a destination for travel. Communities characterized by a high level of cultural development are usually associated with a high level of satisfaction about living conditions and wealth. In this research, we postulate that the creation and development of the cultural attractions of a place to attract tourists also have a positive impact on the life condition of the local community, not only for increased money availability but also for a change of inhabitants’ mind-set. Case study methodology has been used to support the hypotheses.