The Cultural Landscape and the Role of Stakeholders in Enhancing Regional Quality for Sustainable Tourism

Cultural landscapes represent the combined work of man and nature. They are places of identity and popular belief: they encapsulate aesthetic, ecological and cultural values and constitute a legacy to be preserved and passed onto future generations. As a result of current sensitivity to the environment, they are highlighted by the European Landscape Convention and recommended by the most recent EU policies. This chapter will analyse the meaning of cultural landscape and highlight elements or features of the cultural landscape that are particularly threatened by human activities, climate change and mass tourism. It will focus on key individuals and groups, rank them in terms of their likelihood of support and emphasise the role of stakeholder groups in developing strategies for sustainable and durable tourism.