The Cittaslow Movement: Opportunities and Challenges for the Governance of Tourism Destinations

This Research Note analyses the contribution of Cittaslow (slow city) to the governance of tourism destinations by promoting the “slowness” perspective and the concept of sustainable development at the local level. This movement strongly encourages policy-makers to orient its various efforts essentially to define and implement policies, activities and initiatives for sustaining economic development, social well-being and environmental sustainability. In this way, it stimulates the improvement of quality of life for inhabitants and tourists of the involved destinations. Based on a qualitative analysis focused on “Cittaslow Association”, this study concentrates on opportunities and challenges for certified destinations as well as the linkages between practices defined by the Cittaslow Association and sustainable development. From a theoretical point of view, the Research Note contributes to destination development literature, offering significant highlights on the governance of tourism destinations. From a managerial point of view, it supports policy-makers underlining the main opportunities and challenges for a tourism destination in being certified as Cittaslow.