participated in a Conference and Round Table discussion on Experiential Tourism, Sustainable Tourism: for a Mediterranean network of territories, communities, businesses and research. At this prestigious and highly attended event which was hosted over two days at the Headquarters of the Confagricoltura, Palazzo Sant鈥橝ndrea della Valle and the Sapienza University.
Confragricultura is the main Italian organisation for the protection and representation of agricultural businesses. It works for the development of farming businesses, as well as the primary sector in general, for the good of the community, the economy, the environment and the territory. It favours access to business innovation, to the sustainability of agricultural practices, as well as to company competition on domestic and international markets. During the presentations their members voiced their concern about the high amount of tourists and ancillary workers which travel into Rome which is in sharp contrast to other rural areas which are becoming depopulated. Prof. Avellino presented the paper which is co-authored with entitled Experiential yet Sustainable Tourism: A part solution to Overtourism in the case of the Maltese Islands, which to a certain extent shares the impacts of successful tourism drives which is also leaving a negative impact on local residents, their quality of life and even on the Tourism Experience.
The delegates concluded that there is a need for a shared definition of experiential tourism and a networked strategic for the EuroMed region for practical sustainable tourism, capable of bringing together the needs of communities, territories, businesses through research, stakeholder input and committed governance.
Prof. Avellino also had a cordial meeting with Prof. Camilla Miglio, Director SEAI and Dr Luca Reitano, where they agreed that the University of Malta and Sapienza University, share many common interests especially in the areas of Tourism, Culture, Management and Agri-Gastronomy niches. They also discussed the potential for Dual Degrees, including Erasmus Mundus, staff and student exchange and research potential.
