PRO-TUR
Designing mountain tourism. Tools for understanding territories, developing strategies, defining impacts
How can tourism be turned into a truly sustainable resource for mountain areas? Between the risks of tourism monoculture, climate change and the pressures of mass tourism, planning tourism development in mountain areas now requires specific skills and a strategic vision.
PRO-TUR provides the tools to analyse tourism dynamics starting from the specific features of mountain territorial contexts, interpret trends in demand and supply, assess economic, environmental and social impacts, and define sustainable tourism development strategies. At the end of the course, participants obtain 4 university credits (ECTS credits) in micro-credential format, a recognised certification of skills that can be used in their professional pathway.
The training combines face-to-face lessons with individual work on a case study, carried out remotely with constant tutoring according to a specific methodology. An optional in-depth day on the local context of Alpago and a final seminar with local stakeholders complete the activities. Direct exchange with administrators, operators and other members of local communities makes it possible to anchor the skills acquired to the reality of the territories, developing dialogue and co-design skills.
Pre-enrolment deadline: 18 September 2026 at 12:30
Enrolment deadline: 29 September 2026
Enrolment fee: €272.50
Course period: 14 October and 23-24 November 2026
Contacts:
- DISSGeA Department
- Course Director Benedetta Castiglioni - etta.castiglioni@unipd.it
- Sabrina Meneghello - sabrina.meneghello@unipd.it
The course is intended for tourism professionals, public administration, trade associations, business operators, cultural operators, guides and escorts, consultants in planning and fund-raising, and all those who wish
to engage in sustainable, effective tourism planning that is tailored to the specific features of mountain areas.
The course is aimed at those who already work in the tourism sector, but also at those who are indirectly involved in it and at those who design and promote strategies for
territorial development
The course therefore aims to offer useful conceptual and operational tools for:
- understanding the territorial dynamics typical of mountain contexts in which tourism operates
- analysing the elements of tourism demand and supply in order to identify the characteristics of destinations
- identifying the most suitable strategies from a sustainability perspective.
Programme
14 October - San Vito di Cadore (BL)
from 9.00 to 17.30 - lunch provided by the organisation
- Welcome for participants and introduction to the course
- Lectures:
- Geography of tourism in mountain areas: an introduction
- The organisation of mountain tourism
- The tourists’ point of view: motivations, expectations, feedback
- Presentation of the online work and the online practical activity
- presentation of the methodology for analysing mountain tourism contexts (two synchronous meetings, on dates agreed with the course participants)
- personal in-depth activity (asynchronous)
- a progress assessment meeting on the practical activity (on dates agreed)
23 November - optional day
- Fieldwork for further study of the local context of Alpago (board and lodging not included)
24 November - Spert (Alpago, BL)
from 9.30 to 17.30 - lunch provided by the organisation
- Working groups. Discussion of the results emerging from the practical activities
- Presentation by the groups in plenary session
- Concluding seminar with local stakeholders: Tourism in mountain contexts and future planning initiatives
- The tourism system in mountain areas: challenges, risks, opportunities
- Methodology for the analysis of mountain tourism and the identification of strategies: general issues and in-depth study of an individual case study. In particular, the following will be examined in depth:
- Indicators of tourism development
- Impact assessment
- The identification of promotion and development strategies
- The relationship with other economic activities and with sectoral and intersectoral policies
- The languages of tourism promotion
- Focus on a case study in the Belluno area (Val Boite or Alpago)
- Discussion of the case studies with local stakeholders
