Abstract
This paper examines the potential contribution of landscape archaeology to the development of proximity tourism in protected natural areas. While international mass tourism continues to raise concerns regarding greenhouse gas emissions, resource pressures, and cultural commodification, proximity tourism has been proposed as a more sustainable alternative fostering shorter travel distances, local value creation, and stronger place attachments. Yet the notion remains conceptually vague and is often operationalized as domestic leisure or short visits to natural or historical settings, without engaging with the interdependencies between cultural and ecological dimensions. Protected areas, especially in the post-pandemic context, stand at a strategic intersection between environmental conservation and cultural interpretation. Approaching these landscapes through the lens of landscape archaeology allows us to reconnect natural environments with the traces of past human inhabitation, use, and meaning, thereby enriching visitor experience and strengthening local heritage narratives. Drawing on the case of the “Via delle Frazioni Alte” trail (Path of the High Hamlets) in the Gran Paradiso National Park (Western Alps, Italy), the paper explores how archaeological interpretations of settlement patterns, land-use practices, and cultural landscapes can support forms of tourism that are environmentally responsible, locally embedded, and culturally resonant. Through this approach, protected areas can be reframed not only as ecological reserves but also as dynamic cultural landscapes, opening new pathways for sustainable and meaningful proximity tourism.
Presenters
Francesca Silvia RotaAssociate Professor, Department of Economics and Statistics, Cognetti De Martiis, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2026 Special Focus—Pathways to Resilience; Sustainable Practices in Tourism and Leisure
KEYWORDS
Proximity tourism; Landscape archaeology; Heritage landscapes; Protected areas; Gran Paradiso
