Heritage and cultural identity as drivers to enhance tourism demand: the case of Southeastern Sicily

The thesis proposed in this paper aims to demonstrate the linkage between heritage and cultural identity of a territory and the development of tourism demand. Several contribu- tions in the literature on cultural resources highlight the role of these resources as the com- petitive factor of destinations and incoming tourism. The specific tourist context taken into account is the Southeastern of Sicily. After an inventory of sources of heritage and cultural identity of South-east Sicily, the contribution proposed in this paper has taken into account the preferences, the reasons of traveling and the satisfaction of foreign cultural tourists that recently visited the Southeastern Sicily. The random sample confirms preferences of inter- viewed in terms of heritage and cultural offer. The demonstration of this thesis, through the preliminary results of the empirical investigation, is useful in leading the debate in the lit- erature, but above all, is crucial in guiding policy makers' choices towards investments that can generate a significant and measurable economic and social impact of the tourism indus- try in Sicily. Managerial and policy maker implications are in the direction of a careful as- sessment and management of heritage and cultural resources of the tourist destination.