Abstract
While a large literature has stressed the role of infrastructures and tourism facilities for disabled people provided by the private sector in enhancing tourism flows, this paper explores, using data on Italian provinces, the relationship between tourism flows and local public expenditure in welfare policies for the disabled as a proxy for the commitment of local public authorities and communities to the well-being of the weakest people. The results show positive and significant effects on tourism and are confirmed when we broaden the analysis to other target groups, namely the elderly and the entire set of eligible recipients of welfare policies. In addition, where an airport station is available, such a positive relationship appears even more intense. These findings suggest how public policies for the social inclusion of disabled people may have beneficial effects beyond the targets, including the tourism sector.
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Notes
- 1.
Because of a large reorganization in the number and composition of its provinces (e.g., some municipalities passed to a different province), we do not consider Sardinia in the last 2 years of the time span under examination (2017 and 2018).
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Appendix (Figs. 4, 5, and 6)
Appendix (Figs. 4, 5, and 6)
Spatial distribution of variables of interest across Italian provinces (average values across the time span under consideration). Note: Panel (a) refers to welfare expenditure toward the elderly population, panel (b) depicts total local welfare expenditure. All expenditure figures are expressed in per-capita terms with respect to the eligible population
Evolution of local welfare expenditure for the elderly per eligible inhabitant, 2011–2018. Note: Local per-capita expenditure (euro per eligible inhabitant) in welfare services for elderly residents by Region over time. For comments, see main text
Evolution of local welfare expenditure per eligible inhabitant, 2011–2018. Note: Total local per-capita expenditure (euro per eligible inhabitant) in social services by Region over time. For comments, see main text
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D’Arrigo, S., Limosani, M., Millemaci, E., Monteforte, F., Sciulli, D. (2022). Tourism Flows in Italy: The Role of Local Public Policies Toward Disability. In: Abbate, T., Cesaroni, F., D'Amico, A. (eds) Tourism and Disability. Tourism on the Verge. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-93612-9_4
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