Designing Thematic Tourist Trails for Local Development: A Framework Based on Territorial Heritage

The tangible and intangible heritage of a region can form the basis for innovative tourism models capable of fostering sustainable development in a specific local area. In this context, thematic trails are increasingly recognized as a tool for connecting tourism to local heritage, although they tend to focus on food and wine itineraries, avoiding the development of structured models that can be replicated in other production chains. This study aims to fill this gap by proposing a scalable framework for designing thematic tourism itineraries that integrate and enhance local heritage. Inspired by the “Destinazione Impresa” model, the proposed framework emphasizes community engagement and multilevel collaboration among stakeholders as key factors for sustainable and localized tourism. The framework was tested in two rural areas of Piedmont (Italy) selected for their distinctive productive traditions and limited exposure to mass tourism: Moncucco Torinese, linked to the gypsum supply chain, and the Biellese area, linked to dairy production. The participatory methodology employed, based on the Delphi method, confirmed the willingness of local stakeholders to co-design thematic trails. Findings highlight the potential of thematic trails to enhance economic diversification, foster community participation and preserve local identity, while offering a practical and transferable methodology for sustainable tourism development in underexplored areas.