Rurality as a driver of tourist demand in the Salento area: a systemic approach

After the Xylella fastidiosa outbreak, the Salento area (Southern Italy) needs a strategic plan aimed at disclosing the potentials of rurality. The study aim is to establish empirical evidence regarding the importance of the cultural, heritage and territorial components in acting as drivers for tourism flows. Using weighted least squares (WLS) regression models, the study analyses the 145 municipalities within the provinces of Taranto, Brindisi and Lecce. The proposed models estimate the relationship between tourist arrivals and numbers and territorial independent variables. Results demonstrate that rurality is a driver of tourist demand and reveal some specific components which allow for an increase in tourism growth, particularly agritourism locations as places where agricultural multifunctionality is realised. Policymakers may benefit from the results, which can be considered foundational for the development of territorial strategies aimed at creating alternative income for the local communities and restoring damages caused by the Xylella fastidiosa outbreak.