The Connection Between Cultural and Natural Heritage. Ex Ante Evaluation Methodologies for Sustainable and Durable Tourism

Cultural and natural heritage are considered key elements of the identity and uniqueness of territories, capable of contributing to people’s wellbeing and health, as well as to environmental regeneration, attractiveness of sites and durable and sustainable forms of tourism. However, the capitalization of these assets requires planning strategies subject to high uncertainties. The theoretical connection between cultural heritage and natural heritage can be a useful tool to stimulate sustainable development processes capable of co-creating new meanings for territorial growth. After investigating the sides and aspects of the “complex infrastructure” created by the potential connection between Natural Heritage and Cultural Heritage, the chapter investigates the ex ante evaluation methodologies useful for the arrangement of projects aimed at sustainable development on a territorial scale, shaped on the mixed heritage under study. Through the predisposition of a potential evaluation framework, useful indicators are provided for the analysis of the status quo of the territorial heritage and for the preliminary understanding of interventions oriented towards sustainable tourism development. The proposed multi-criteria evaluation framework aims to make explicit the potential multi-dimensional productivity that derives from the strategic connection between the natural heritage and the cultural heritage as drivers for achieving wellbeing and social, cultural and economic growth in a durable perspective.