Innovazione sociale e turismo responsabile a Bologna: pratiche empiriche e prospettive teoriche

In the era of “reflexive modernity”, new forms of mobility and consumption are emerging. This has largely influenced the reconfiguration of traditional forms of tourism into more sustainable and inclusive practices. If on the one hand the tourist plays an active role in “consuming” the leisure experience, on the other hand local community has a growing importance during the decision-making process concerning tourism development. Drawing upon the analysis of five case studies of innovative tourism practices located in Bologna, where the number of tourist has consistently grown (+45,7% in the last decade), this paper focuses on the social innovation perspective applied to tourism to observe the changing processes in local community participation, social relations among actors and the satisfaction of new needs. It concludes with remarks on the potentials of social innovation as a tool for urban attractiveness and for a more inclusive and responsible development.