The Role of Governance in Managing UNESCO WHSs. The Case of the Trulli of Alberobello, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Italy

The presence of a rich heritage recognised by UNESCO is undoubtedly an advantage for host regions. The WH label makes a site more famous and has a number of benefits, but it also requires the improvement of resources and products aimed at tourists. To achieve this, heritage must be accompanied downstream by the active involvement of local communities. Upstream, it requires a sound planning strategy that ensures the involvement of local institutions, businesses and associations. These must work together, by means of a participatory system of governance, in a network capable of developing and capitalising on the other cultural and tourism resources in the region. This chapter presents a case study of the Trulli of Alberobello, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996 and a high-profile tourist destination, located in the picturesque Murgia dei Trulli of the Puglia region in southern Italy.