Acquista:
SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN SALENTO: THE CASE OF “PORTOSELVAGGIO-PALUDE DEL CAPITANO” PARK
Is now well recognized Apulia’s strong tourist vocation, particularly the one in Salento, part of a region where substantial
natural and environmental resources assume extremely different aspects and confi gurations among them, passing from the
stocky Gargano Peninsula – the so-called “Italy’s Spur”, till reaching the very tip of the “boot”, commonly indicated also
as “fi nis terrae”.
This research retraces the slow and troubled journey that Porto Selvaggio’s Park has faced from a sustainable and environmental
tourism perspective: in fact, for over twenty years, there has been a long season of lost hopes and vain expectations.
Environmental protection, fundamental asset of the community, has in Apulia his initial legislative drafting in 1980,
with the approval of the regional law n. 21 that triggered the Natural equipped Park of Porto Selvaggio-Torre-Uluzzo, in
Nardò’s municipality (LE).
It had to be wait however until 2006 when with the regional law n. 6, the park was expanded with the inclusion of the
protected Palude del Capitano.
Already identifi ed by the regional law n. 19/97, and it assumed its current name of “Regional Natural Park of Porto
Selvaggio and Palude del Capitano”.
Tourism is an essential opportunity for the Salento’s development but requires a careful strategy based on the principles of
sustainability: in this perspective, the Lecce’s Province has finally embarked on a virtuous path with the creation of the
Park System of Salento (consisting of 6 protected areas), the acceptance of the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism
in Protected Areas and the certifi cation achievement by Europarc Federation.
This initiative would allow the local tourism sector to fi nally break free from the marked seasonality which still continues
to characterize it.
Keywords: Salento, sustainable tourism, environmental protection.
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