The European Capital of Culture. Will be Matera 2019 a successful example?

The paper aims at illustrating the role of being the European Capital of Culture as a chance for changing and re-qualifying the fabric of a regional territory. The European Capitals of Culture initiative is an important motor to express the territorial image and identity of destinations. Being European Capital of Culture can be an actual development force capable of effectively connecting the individual components of a geographical area in order to increase the whole territorial value. Only in destinations where the logic of big event becomes logic of territorial marketing, and medium-long term planning, the resulting development effects will not be transient and will trigger processes of enrichment and innovation leading to positive and long lasting results in supporting the competitiveness of the city. The paper presents the case of the Italian city of Matera, which has been supported by an efficient and effective organization to achieve these goals, taking advantage of a well designed regional planning.