The Economic Resilience of the Urban Destination in Sicily (Italy)

Generally, tourism is perceived as an economic-driving force that contributes to accelerate the processes of economic and social development. On the other hand it creates pressure and transforms the environment (both urban and natural), especially when the transformation is fast. Several studies analyze in depth the role of tourism in the development of the destinations. The effects are different and also depend on where the pressure manifests. In cities, in addition to the risk of overcoming the carrying capacity in social and environmental terms, tourism brings the loss of identity. This is even more true in proximity of economic shocks, where the sudden reduction in tourist flows and the need to contain costs for businesses are risks for the sustainability of the tourist destination. In this sense, the case of Sicily is emblematic. This Italian region in recent years has grown in international tourist flows, with a growing appreciation for its natural and cultural elements. The purpose of this chapter is therefore to describe the behaviour of the main urban tourism destinations in Sicily with respect to the economic shock that occurred in Italy in 2008, through a quantitative analysis that thus highlights the resilience of the cities to changes in the relative tourist flows.