Routes have been indispensable to form the mobility patterns for centuries, but only in last years is emerging a growing body of literature on tourism trails. The crucial moment of transition from the functionalist paradigm of transport geography to the systemic and experiential one, concerning mobility as a sociological phenomenon, also presupposes theoretical studies about tourism trails systems.
To unravel the complex interrelations between the different elements that make up the touristic trail systems, it is necessary to analyze the demand, the means of transport, the areas involved, the actors involved in the building of a touristic offer, and, to link all the components mentioned, the history narrated.
It must in fact be premised that every path can become a trail if it is filled with contents, becomes purposeful; an interesting story must be built around it, to attract visitors who can be guided in the interpretation of the natural and historical landscape in which they go to immerse themselves.
As for potential visitors, an interesting theme is linked to proximity tourism, interpreting the concept in a double meaning, not only in a geographic one, but also a cultural one. Furthermore, the use of the travel experience has a fundamental point in the choice of the way to travel along the route: in this sense, the emerging issues relating to the concept of slow tourism, with the different interpretative nuances attributed to this idea, appear to be of considerable importance. The complexity of the management and the careful planning of the route is necessary to enhance the visual and narrative points of attention and to direct the tourist gaze towards the elements of greatest appeal; then there are interesting issues regarding the models of management and governance applied.
The purpose of this paper is, therefore, to provide some initial reflections for the construction of a theoretical framework concerning the role of trails in the creation of tourist space.
Keywords: trails|mobility|proximity|slow tourism|governance
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