Smart Mobility and Sustainable Tourism in Urban Areas: Two Case Studies in the South of Italy

Abstract

Sustainable tourism has a significant effect on other socio-economic sectors and on the environment, prompting the adoption of smart solutions for infrastructure and public services. However, the effect of tourism on the environment remains problematic, because the carrying capacity of many important tourism destinations has been exceeded in recent years. Mobility is one of the main drivers impacting the environment in urban development scenarios. Several cities in the south of Italy are characterised by poor and inefficient urban transport. The inefficiency of urban transport damages key economic sectors such as tourism and is responsible for urban degradation by reducing air quality and increasing CO₂ emissions, with a significant impact on the quality of life, human health and ecosystem integrity.

This chapter analyses the interaction between mobility and tourism with reference to urban development scenarios inspired by the technological solutions introduced by smart cities. This chapter evaluates two case studies, that is, the municipalities of Castel Volturno and Lecce, comparing the adoption of technological innovations and new end-user engagement policies. The two case studies are analysed by means of a modified driver–pressure–state–impact–response (DPSIR) analysis framework (OECD. Environmental indicators—development measurement and use—2003, 2003), whose results are the identification of (1) measures to be implemented with the active engagement of local communities and stakeholders; (2) policy options to be included in the “Strategic Plans” for sustainable urban development according to New Urban Agenda (NUA) paradigm (New Urban Agenda—Habitat III. United Nations—ISBN: 978-92-1-132731-1. http://habitat3.org/wp-content/uploads/NUA-English.pdf, 2017).