Objectives of the course
The course explores the relationship between sustainable tourism and cultural heritage. Students learn key territoriality concepts—space, nature, territory, environment, landscape, and place—while analyzing territorial planning in tourism, emphasizing environmental awareness, sustainability, and community participation.
Students will develop:
1. Comprehension – Understanding fundamental historical and critical heritage concepts.
2. Knowledge – Familiarity with heritage typologies: natural, cultural, material, immaterial, and digital.
3. Capacity – Viewing heritage as a cultural construct or material/virtual product beyond mere sites or objects.
4. Value Understanding – Recognizing heritage’s significance for societies.
5. Political Insight – Grasping the political and ideological dimensions of heritage.
6. Agency Awareness – Understanding key stakeholders at local, national, and international levels in heritage management.
7. Project Develoment – Creating an individual heritage-based project.
By the end, students will critically engage with heritage in tourism through sustainability and cultural awareness.
A. Ecological transition and digitalization
B. Rural development, land management, agrifood and food supply chains;
C. Health, water and hygiene, One Health;
D. Sustainable Energy, environment and natural resource management;
E. Entrepreneurial and industrial development for local prosperity;
F. Cultural heritage and sustainable tourism;
G. Social Sciences and Humanities.
SDGs: 8 (Decent work and economic growth), 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities)
Topics and contents:
This course explores sustainability through three key areas of environmental and tourism policies: a) The spatial dimension of tourism and the role of cultural heritage in local communities. b) Environment and landscape as identity-building resources, linked to local knowledge and material/immaterial heritage. c) Social empowerment in a transcalar perspective, incorporating creative entrepreneurship to address interconnected global and local challenges.
Teaching Methodology The course combines lectures with interactive sessions to encourage student participation. Lessons incorporate visual tools (PowerPoint presentations) and multimedia resources to enhance learning.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students will:
• Understand fundamental historical and critical heritage concepts.
• Recognize different heritage typologies, including natural, cultural, material, immaterial, and digital assets.
• View heritage beyond physical sites or objects, considering it as a cultural construct or material/virtual product.
• Analyze the political and ideological dimensions of heritage and identify key stakeholders in its management at local, national, and international levels.
• Develop a heritage-based personal project as an individual assignment, applying concepts to a specific case study.
This course equips students with critical perspectives on sustainability, heritage, and tourism while fostering practical engagement with contemporary challenges.
Session 1
– The spatial dimension of tourism and the role of cultural
– heritage in local communities
– Project work introduction, group organization
– Use of video and mapping tools
Session 2
– Environment and landscape as identity-building resources,
– linked to local knowledge and material/immaterial heritage.
– Project work: selection of case studies and brainstorming
– Field work and meeting with local tourism stakeholders
Session 3
– Social empowerment in a transcalar perspective,
– incorporating creative entrepreneurship to address
– interconnected global and local challenges.
– Project work: analysis of case studies in groups
– Third Part
– elaboration of infographics
Session 4
– Heritage Tourism for All, material and immaterial heritage in
– an inclusive perspective.
– Project work: analysis of case studies in groups
Session 5
– Project Work final presentations, analysis and self-
– evaluation. Revision for the public presentation.
Public presentation of results with local stakeholders