Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic and the numerous policy responses implemented to deal with it have brought about some significant changes in the tourism sector, leading to a differentiation of both supply and demand. Tourists are increasingly demanding “tailor-made” products capable of creating experiences that meet specific psycho-physical and recreational needs. In recent years, “nature” and “culture”, both consisting of material and immaterial resources, have multiplied the “reasons to visit” for external and internal tourists, contributing to the economic and social value of local communities and playing a fundamental role in building the sustainable and accessible world of the future. To this end, there is a need for a conscious strategic link between natural and cultural heritage, according to planning criteria and tools that contribute to the co-creation of a sustainable and resilient supply system. The chapters in the book explore the conditions and factors that enable heritage tourism to be socially and economically beneficial to local communities, without compromising the natural environment, the state of conservation of the heritage and the need to preserve it for future generations.