Social farms in support of local and accessible tourism

In the last decade, different forms of tourism were born, also including “social tourism.” Different meanings are attributed to the expression “social tourism,” and these entail different interpretations which are linked to an ethical approach, in some cases related to marketing. This form of tourism is organized by public and private bodies in order to spread and enhance the territory’s resources. A first and basic definition that can be attributed to social tourism is the one proposed in 2006 by the International Bureau of Social Tourism, which defines it as access to travel and leisure opportunities for all. Academic literature has long highlighted the ethical and economic importance of social tourism for companies, territories, and tourists. Indeed, it seeks to carry out a cultural change aiming at thinking and designing the spaces and services of tourist structures in order to make them accessible to everyone without any distinction. All of this characterizes a more inclusive and evolved social model (Kastenholz et al., 2015). Therefore, alongside green tourism, there is the vital need for an inclusive tourism that is able to overcome social, cultural, gender, and age barriers, with the ultimate aim of guaranteeing to each individual the right to travel. In this context, it is fundamental to involve local communities in the promotion of their own territory as a place for receiving social tourists. In order to protect the territory, it is necessary to create sustainable and responsible tourist pathways involving local communities (Altinay et al., 2016).