The territories of tourism: a reflection about the experience of the Tourist Districts (Local Tourism Systems) in Sicily

The tourist district is an important tool for territorial governance of regional tourism. The district is a type of Local System which is characterized by its multidimensionality, as well as the spatial contiguity of traders who belong to it. The territory is a space transformed by social interactions and relations of production: it is therefore the indispensable reference for measuring the impact of tourism. A bottom up approach in the process of identification of the districts is therefore vital. A Balance Score Card-approach is desirable to correctly manage this process. This study is a preliminary analysis derived from direct experience of the Sicilian tourist districts, recently formed.