Patrimonio culturale come risorsa per lo sviluppo locale. Processi di valorizzazione e ruolo del marketing

In this chapter of the volume “La valorizzazione del patrimonio di prossimità tra fragilità e sviluppo locale”, the author deals with the problem of cultural heritage enhancement as a strategic asset for local sustainable development both from a social and an economic perspective. The chapter may be divided into two parts: in the first, after a review of the different approaches adopted by scholars and international organizations (i.e. Unesco) in defining the concept of cultural heritage, the author points out the most important features of cultural heritage as an economic asset, highlighting how the characteristics of local cultural heritage, i.e. the mix of tangible and intangible resources, may shape social capital and guide the development of the community as a whole. In the second part, the role of territorial marketing policies for local development are explored, focusing on the most important issues for their successful implementation: the role of meta-organizations; and the involvement of local stakeholders amongst which, first of all, the local community.