Educational tourism as a driver for rural development: assessing competition and strategic choices of Italian language and culture schools in the Marche Region (Italy) through Porter’s Five Forces / Il turismo educativo come motore di sviluppo rurale: valutare la concorrenza e le scelte strategiche delle scuole di lingua e cultura italiana nelle Marche (Italia) con il modello delle Forze di Porter
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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.13138/2039-2362/3188Abstract
Educational tourism is a growing industry, that includes a variety of niches. Among these, language tourism involves language and culture schools for foreigners that also provide hospitality and tourism services, including tours and excursions, field visits and cultural initiatives, and experiential workshops. These realities, if located in rural contexts, can represent a growth factor for rural areas and an opportunity for cultural exchange between tourists and local communities. To better understand forces and factors influencing this industry, this study describes the case of two Italian language and culture schools for foreigners which also offer tourism services in a rural area of the Marche Region, near the city of Macerata. Through semi-structured qualitative interviews and by applying the theoretical model of Porter’s Forces, the case presents an overview competitive environment, pointing out strategic choices and distinctive aspects of the presented realities.
Il turismo educativo rappresenta un’industria in forte crescita, che accoglie al suo interno una serie di nicchie molto variegata. Tra queste vi è il turismo generato dall’offerta formativa delle scuole di lingua e cultura per stranieri che, oltre ai servizi relativi all’insegnamento della lingua, offrono ospitalità, tour ed escursioni, visite e iniziative culturali, laboratori esperienziali. Tali realtà, se localizzate in contesti rurali, possono rappresentare un fattore di crescita per le aree rurali e un’occasione di scambio culturale tra turisti e comunità locali. Per comprendere al meglio le forze e i fattori che influenzano il settore, questo studio descrive il caso di due scuole di lingua e cultura italiana per stranieri che offrono anche servizi turistici in un’area rurale della Regione Marche, in provincia di Macerata. Attraverso interviste qualitative semi-strutturate e applicando il modello teorico delle Forze di Porter, il caso presenta un quadro generale del contesto competitivo, sottolineando scelte strategiche e aspetti distintivi delle realtà presentate.
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