Tourism Management Perspectives 22 (2017) 67–72

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

Tourism Management Perspectives

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/tmp

Integrating territory regeneration, culture and sustainable tourism.

The Italian albergo diffuso model of hospitality
Alberto Romolini a,⁎, Silvia Fissi b, Elena Gori b
a
Faculty of Economics, International Telematic University UNINETTUNO, Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, 39, 00186, Rome
b
Department of Business and Economics, University of Florence, Via delle Pandette, 9, 50127 Florence, Italy

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: The albergo diffuso (AD) model of hospitality was launched in Italy in the 1980s and has spread since then to in-
Received 19 September 2016 clude other countries. Until now, the literature has mostly dealt with case studies, through which it has defined
Received in revised form 6 February 2017 the characteristics of the model and examined the conditions for its creation, the services offered and aspects of
Accepted 8 February 2017
sustainability. Our exploratory study, conducted by means of a survey, offers an overall analysis of the phenom-
enon, with particular focus on how ADs are organised and managed. The results show that an AD is, to all effects, a
Keywords:
Albergo diffuso
company based on private initiative - and one that requires considerable investment for structural renovation.
Destination planning Our analysis also confirms the centrality of sustainability and of stakeholder relations, although some areas for
Local tourist supply improvement were found here. Lastly, Italian ADs are small and medium-sized structures that pay careful atten-
Sustainable tourism tion to marketing policy and communications, with particular use of digital technology.
Tourism development © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction resources, history, culture and infrastructure) and private (dwellings,

The idea of the albergo diffuso (AD) dates from the early 1980s in
Italy. In 1976 an earthquake had devastated the region of Friuli-Vene-
zia-Giulia and, as part of socio-economic reconstruction, the feasibility
of using the now-uninhabited small villages as hotel accommodation
began to be discussed. The adjective “diffuso” (spread out) denotes a
horizontal structure different from that of traditional hotels (Barbi,
2007), while the term “albergo” (hotel) indicates that visitors will find
the normal hotel services. From this first experience, the AD model
was created and gradually began to spread. This was a model well suited
to Italy's tourist industry (Dall'Ara, 2015). Italy has a wealth of small vil-
lages with considerable cultural heritage and strong local traditions, but
these smaller communities often struggle to compete with the large
towns (Loconte, 2016) because their cultural heritage is not properly
protected and there is a lack of maintenance and of investments in infra-
structure and new technologies to help develop the local tourism offer.
The AD is an accommodation model suited to these small villages,
assisting them in regenerating their tourism and cultural heritage and
in developing a suitable offer for tourists.
The AD is a unique model of hospitality that can, however, be repli-
cated outside of Italy in other countries, precisely because it encourages
development of the territory, exploiting resources both public (natural
⁎ Corresponding author.
E-mail addresses: a.romolini@uninettunouniversity.net (A. Romolini),
silvia.fissi@unifi.it (S. Fissi), elena.gori@unifi.it (E. Gori).
businesses and local products) (Confalonieri, 2011). It should be noted
that the AD was conceived in Italy, where most examples are concen-
trated. Only recently has it become a hospitality model found interna-
tionally, with interest in Albania (Liçaj, 2014), Romania (Avram &
Zarrilli, 2012), Spain (Di Clemente, Hernàndez Mogollon & Campòn
Cerro, 2014) and South Africa (Giampiccoli, Saayman & Jugmohan,
2016).
The AD model also adapts well to the area of sustainable tourism. Ex-
perience has shown that the use of territory for tourism may imply in-
tensive exploitation of resources and of the eco-system (Piersanti,
2013; Rispoli & Tamma, 1995). Consequently, from the 1990s onwards,
there has been increasing demand for sustainable tourism packages in
harmony with the development of the environment and of local com-
munities (Cater & Lowman, 1994). The AD meets these requirements
for sustainable tourism development, as it can combine tourist activities
with the growth of the territory and the conservation of the eco-system,
ensuring that the cultural environment is protected. This hospitality
model, therefore, respects the environment and cultural identity of des-
tinations, using and exploiting the existing buildings. In other words, by
restoring the buildings it regenerates historic centres and rural villages.
Until now, research on the subject has concentrated on analysis of
case studies, endeavouring to reconstruct the various aspects of the
phenomenon: the conditions for creating an AD (Avram & Zarrilli,
2012; De Montis, Ledda, Ganciu, Serra & De Montis, 2015; Dropulić,
Krajnovic & Ruzic, 2008; Fissi, Gori & Romolini, 2014; Paniccia,
Pecjlaner & Valeri, 2007; Tagliabue, Leonforte & Compostella, 2012),

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2017.02.002
2211-9736/© 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
68 A. Romolini et al. / Tourism Management Perspectives 22 (2017) 67–72
the services offered (Orlandini, Vallone, De Toni & Cecchetti, 2012;
Vallone & Veglio, 2013) and sustainability for the territory (Vallone,
Orlandini & Cecchetti, 2013).
The AD, however, is also an enterprise, whose business dynamics, fi-
nancial and managerial features have received insufficient attention in
the literature. Yet these are decisive elements for the definitive growth
and dissemination of the model. Our research, therefore, aims to exam-
ine the organisation and management of the AD model, analysing them,
in particular, in Italy, where the model was created and where, hitherto,
it is most widely found.
2. Literature review
In recent years, tourism research has seen growing importance given
to the social and emotional aspects of travel (Ross & Iso-Ahola, 1991;
Wacker, 1996). Cohen (2005) identifies as the key trends in modern
tourism a desire for authenticity, fantasy and strong emotions, in a
search for experiences where tourists can become part of their experi-
ence and ‘live as the locals do’. According to Murphy, Pritchard and
Smith (2000, p. 44) the tourist destination might be defined as “an
amalgam of individual products and experience opportunities that com-
bine to form a total experience of the area visited”. In line with these
trends, the AD is a key element of a tourist destination, that allows vis-
itors to get to know local traditions and culture and, in a journey of “ex-
periences”, to appreciate the area in the same way as do its residents.
The AD is also an element of competitiveness for the territory. In past
studies, the variables that foster the competitiveness of a tourist desti-
nation have been analysed by many authors (Buhalis, 2000; Heath,
2002; Ritchie & Crouch, 1999 and 2000; Dwyer & Kim, 2003). Ritchie
and Crouch (1999) identified many factors for measuring competitive-
ness, grouped into four areas: support factors and resources, core re-
sources and attractors, destination management, and qualifying
determinants. The same authors subsequently (2000) added the con-
cept of sustainability to their model, suggesting that “competitiveness
is illusory without sustainability”. It is one of the key advantages of
the AD experience that it is able to marry sustainability and competi-
tiveness of the territory of the tourist destination. Vallone et al. (2013)
point out that the AD is a model of sustainable development that allows
for the use of local resources, both tangible and intangible. Sheehan and
Presenza (2013) also note some characteristics of the AD that sit well
with the aim of sustainability: conservation of local buildings and archi-
tecture, modest use of restructuring materials, use of local people and
businesses, understanding of local culture and traditions and fresh in-
vestments in the territory with local funding sources.
The AD has also been linked to the emergence of business innovation
in the field of tourism and SMEs (Droli, 2013; Paniccia, 2012;
Quattrociocchi & Montella, 2013) and to a revitalised economy for
small villages (Piersanti, 2013). While research to date has not been
able to outline a theoretical framework for the phenomenon on which
to base research in the field (Paniccia, 2012), Sheehan and Presenza
(2013) do, however, identify some factors that facilitate the innovation
of this business initiative. For example, the AD can provide high levels of
profitability with modest investments compared with hotels, and better
economies of scale compared with B&Bs. It can also augment the tour-
ism offer in an already mature area.
Early studies of the AD date from the 21st century (Dall'Ara, 2002)
and concentrated on the characteristics of this innovative model of hos-
pitality. Endeavouring to define the model's distinctive features led
these first researchers to focus their attention on analysing case studies.
In recent years, some attempts have been made to systematise stud-
ies of the phenomenon by identifying its characteristics (Confalonieri,
2011) and to carry out exploratory research into its spread and dissem-
ination (Villani & Dall'Ara, 2015). Confalonieri (2011) identified the
characteristics of the AD: valuable structures and buildings, which
may be interesting from a historical or artistic standpoint; uninhabited
buildings within a single village, suitable for renovation and adaptation
for use as tourist facilities; basic services for residents and tourists; the
possibility to set up a reception desk in a central position; a significant
number of residents who welcome relationships with tourists but also
value the preservation of traditional culture and a sense of belonging;
appropriate signage able to help tourists appreciate the unique history,
art and culture of the area; special events and initiatives organised for
the improvement and preservation of the area; local traditions, includ-
ing culture and cuisine, that can be redeveloped; a entrepreneur who
is interested in the “AD” project. Villani and Dall'Ara (2015), on the
other hand, concentrated on studies to determine the framework for
ADs and their users, but without considering the implications of how
ADs were actually managed. It is this organisational aspect that requires
further examination, analysing the distinctive management features of
this hospitality model. Indeed, to date, the literature has particularly fo-
cussed on defining the characteristics of the AD, in an attempt to con-
struct a theoretical model that can act as a framework for the
phenomenon.
Our research, therefore, aims to concentrate on the management
aspects of the AD, examining not single case studies, but the whole
phenomenon, while taking into account the territorial context of
Italy, where the model was conceived and where it is most
widespread.
3. Research method
In the endeavour to conduct a detailed study of the management as-
pects of this hospitality model, our research used a survey administered
to Italian ADs, to members of the national association (ADI), the leading
network for the sector. ADI counts 86 member businesses in Italy and
two abroad1 with most of the structures located in Sardinia (11), follow-
ed by Lazio and Tuscany (8) and Umbria (6). The survey was sent by e-
mail to 79 structures2 in June 2016 and 58 replies were received for a
feedback of 73%. The information of the survey was collected at 31st De-
cember 2015 and the questionnaire was divided into 5 areas (with the
possibility of giving multiple answers for each question): General Infor-
mation, Territory, Sustainability, Structure and Marketing (Appendix A).
These themes were chosen, based on studies carried out to date, which
highlighted – especially the case studies – the qualifying elements of the
AD. Moreover, the selection of the themes was based on the component
of the Ritchie and Crouch's (1999) model “destination management”.
These themes are indeed the most consistent with the AD management
issues and they can be summarized as follows: Territory includes as-
pects about the organisation and the interaction with the stakeholders;
Sustainability concerns with the resource stewardship with a careful at-
tention to the vulnerable resources of the destination; Structure in-
cludes, on one hand, the service and activities dimension and, on the
other, the use of information system; Marketing represents a critical
issue for the AD management including attention to product, pricing
policies and promotion.
The first section aimed to gain an overall view by gathering informa-
tion on the companies running the model of AD. Next, given that this
form of hospitality has a strong link with the territory, enabling visitors
to “live like the locals”, we studied the connections with the key stake-
holders and the activities offered. We then examined the question of
sustainability, considering respect for local places and residents, and
the search for a model of sustainable economic development by the var-
ious business initiatives. Attention was also paid to the characteristics of
the structures hosting the AD, as fundamental elements of the hospital-
ity model. Lastly, given that the AD is a company and, as such, must ac-
quire and win the loyalty of clients, our survey analysed marketing
tools.
1
Data updated to 20th May 2016.
2
ADI has 86 members. 4 of these could not be reached at the email address found on the
website, while 3 did not have an email address.
 A. Romolini et al. / Tourism Management Perspectives 22 (2017) 67–72
4. Results and discussion
As far as the characteristics of AD business set-up are concerned,
most were found to be private companies (95%), without public share-
holders. This fact influenced the choice of company structure for
organising business activities, with a majority (51%) deciding to form
limited companies. Less common were unlimited companies (21%)
and sole traders (14.9%).
Regarding dates of foundation, most companies opened to the public
after 2000, with a considerable number (8) of start-ups in 2012. There
were 4 exceptional cases of businesses set up well before the AD
model was created (the oldest dates from 1985). These evidently, as
time went on, were transformed to incorporate the characteristics of
the new hospitality model.
Our enquiry then examined the length of time taken to renovate the
buildings, from start to finish. On average, we found that it took 8 years
to renovate a structure to host an AD. The end date refers to building
restructuring but does not necessarily coincide with the date of opening
to the public, which frequently took place before building work was
concluded.
Regarding funding, the principal source was the resources of the
stockholders (51%), who used their own funds to restructure build-
ings in the villages. There was also considerable public funding from
the Regions (35%) and the European Union (24%), as well as from
banks and credit institutions in 24% of cases. It should be noted
that, often, funding from different sources was combined contempo-
raneously. Moreover, the buildings being restored were mostly the
property of the stockholders or sole trader (in 69% of cases), or
were rented (35%).
Our survey has therefore brought to light some characteristics typi-
cal of the business activity behind the AD. It is mainly a private initiative,
using company setups that do not involve local public shareholders (for
example, Municipalities or Regions). Hence funding is obtained from
the stockholders themselves or from banks. Public intervention in the
spread of the AD is mostly found in the obtaining of regional or Europe-
an funds to significantly support the business initiatives.
As far as the recent history of the AD is concerned, while the first
structures were set up from 2000 onwards, in the fifteen years that
followed there was constant, though not explosive growth in the
number of new companies set up. This limited spread of ADs may
be connected with the fairly long time (8 years, as mentioned
above) needed to restructure the buildings and the considerable in-
vestments required.
In relation to their Territory, the ADs belonged to a variety of local
and national associations or consortiums, mostly connected with sus-
tainable tourism policies (47%), local cultural (40%), food (28%) and
craft (23%) traditions. This bears witness to the link between the ADs
and the promotion and implementation of sustainable tourism policies.
On the other hand, a good 23% of participants in the survey said they did
not belong to any association or consortium. This fact shows that, de-
spite its importance for the territory, this activity needs to be more
widely known, including to local and national associations that ought
to involve a tourist activity like the AD in promoting local and cultural
traditions.
Further confirming their close link to the territory, we found many
initiatives promoted by ADs with public and private organisations for
promoting and safeguarding local places, demonstrating how important
these structures are for local tourism. Main initiatives were connected
with food and wine (50%), conferences and events on local develop-
ment (39%), on safeguarding culture and traditions (28%) and on envi-
ronmental sustainability (24%). However, 28% of interviewees said
they were not associated with any network initiatives. One of the stron-
gest characteristics of the AD is its relationship with its own territory, for
which it is an important instrument of valorisation and tourism promo-
tion. But there is still a need to further develop these relationships, by
wider communication and dissemination of the model's potential.
69
In terms of Sustainability, the main features resulting from our sur-
vey were the use of renewable energy sources - especially photovoltaic
systems (38%) - and the attempts to minimise wastefulness (e.g. by
substituting low energy consumption household appliances - 72%), to
reduce waste production (50%), to use recycled raw materials (41%)
and to harvest rainwater (22%). There is potential room for improve-
ment regarding sustainability policies, by increasing the spread of re-
newable energy – over half of the structures had no active systems or
ongoing projects. Likewise, there was little use of sustainability certifi-
cation or quality branding; indeed 65% of those replying to our survey
did not possess any. For the remainder, their certification was for envi-
ronmental management systems or branding for hotel or tourism ser-
vices (Eco World Hotel, Slow Tourism, Eco Leader by TripAdvisor, etc.).
We then attempted to take a snapshot of the phenomenon of the
albergo diffuso, bearing in mind the number of Structures operating in
Italy and involved in the survey (79) and their sizes. The average AD
has a covered area of 814 m2, or 700 m2 if the median is calculated.
The largest structures cover 2000 m2 and the smallest just 200 m2. Of
course, Ads are also part of a wider surrounding area that provides
services such as swimming pools, horse riding and so on. ADs are
small-to-medium structures with on average 53.4 beds, well below
the Italian average for hotels of 67.3 beds (Federalberghi, 2016, p. 26).
Structures differ greatly, however. Some have more than 100 beds
(the largest, 150) while others have less than 20 (the smallest, 12).
The median capacity of ADs is 36.5 beds. Considering the small size of
the ADs, it's not surprising that the respondents declare a limited use
of information systems that provide managers with the necessary infor-
mation for AD management and for understanding visitor needs and
satisfaction.
So ADs are generally smallish structures, in terms of both area cov-
ered and, above all, of tourism offer. This is a typical characteristic of
the model, which renovates modestly sized buildings in small villages
and therefore cannot offer the same number of beds as large hotels.
More spacious, however, are the structure's surroundings where some
of the activities on offer take place. All in all, there are notable differ-
ences between ADs. The model can be applied to micro-structures
with not many more than 10 beds, as it can to structures similar to a me-
dium-sized traditional hotel with over 100 beds. It is a flexible model,
which can be adapted to different business initiatives, depending on
funding available.
We went on to analyse the types of services and activities for clients
offered by ADs, of which there is a fair variety. The main services include
an Internet connection, TV in the accommodations, a parking area,
shared rooms for recreational and cultural use, shops selling local pro-
duce, restaurant services, gardens, parks and wedding and event plan-
ning. In the ADs we studied, less common services included a library, a
swimming pool and transportation services. Sales of local products
and restaurant services are those most closely linked to the territory
and to promoting and protecting local crafts and traditions. Again, activ-
ities available to clients demonstrate close ties to local life and include
food and wine tours, hiking and excursions to local places of interest,
cookery lessons and cycling tours. Clearly ADs have already developed
a considerable range of activities and services comparable to those of a
traditional hotel (Internet connection, TV, parking etc.) to which they
have added initiatives linked to learning about local traditions and
culture.
In management terms, it was interesting to investigate the main
booking channels used by clients and the advertising and Marketing
services employed by the ADs. Bookings are chiefly managed by devel-
oping in-house, independent functions that principally use electronic
channels (Internet and e-mail, 97.8%) and, next in popularity, the tele-
phone (66%). More limited, though still significant use is made of tour
operators (46.8%) and of travel agents (26.7%). The main choice for
booking management seems to be more efficient use of digital channels,
thereby reducing costs of commission to tourism intermediaries and
managing marketing policies.
70 A. Romolini et al. / Tourism Management Perspectives 22 (2017) 67–72

ADs seemed to find local and regional tourist networks not very
efficient and these channels accounted for only 8.5% and 6.4% of
our respondents' use respectively. There is clearly a need for
local authorities to strengthen their policies for promoting the ter-
ritory. These are currently insufficient to support tourism develop-
ment of the small structures and small villages where the ADs
operate.
Digital means again prevail as channels for marketing and promo-
tion, especially own websites (95.8%), specialist web portals (Expedia,
Booking.com and similar) (85.4%) and digital portals managed by
local institutions (45.8%). Notable use is also made of social media, es-
pecially Facebook (79.2%) and of specialist blogs (22.9%). Lastly, there
is still considerable room for traditional word-of-mouth (72.9%) and,
rather less, for specialist travel magazines (37.5%). Marketing and pro-
motion channels, therefore, are various and are combined together,
from the currently prevalent use of digital technology and social
media, to the more traditional travel publications and informal contact
between visitors who have experienced the AD and new users. ADs are
also promoted on websites managed by local institutions (45.9%).
There is not, however, a corresponding percentage of bookings, as al-
ready mentioned above.
5. Conclusions
Lastly, our research endeavoured to examine management ap-
proaches regarding bookings and solutions used for marketing and pro-
motion. In both cases digital solutions prevailed, as these enable
efficient management of bookings and promotion of the structure on In-
ternet and social media. There was, however, a tendency towards mixed
use of digital and traditional channels. It emerged also that public poli-
cies for marketing and promotion implemented by local authorities
had little impact on the management of ADs. Local and regional promo-
tional channels, in fact, do not attract a sufficient number of tourists,
driving ADs to use the commercial channels employed by other hotel
structures. Considering the limited resources of these SMEs, better pub-
lic promotion of these smaller enterprises would bring unquestionable
benefits in terms of tourist flow, giving greater visibility to the AD
model.
One of the limits of our study was the decision to restrict it to
ADs belonging to ADI and operating only in Italy. Future research
might usefully repeat the survey to include structures not belong-
ing to that network and operating abroad. Given the limited spread
of the model outside of Italy, initial research might use the case
study method, only subsequently surveying a more numerous
population. Another area of investigation into AD management
not included in this study is performance analysis, to evaluate
company profitability within the framework of SMEs and of family
businesses.

The AD is a new model of hospitality, developed in Italy and only re- Appendix A
cently extended abroad, especially as a business idea. The first struc-
tures were set up in Italy from 2000 onwards and the years that
Aspects surveyed Results
followed saw constant, if limited growth of new businesses.
As already indicated, in contrast to previous case studies, our re- General information on AD
Company setup • Sole trader: 14.9%.
search aimed to examine management aspects of the albergo diffuso,
• Unlimited companies: 21.2%.
by means of a survey administered to Italian ADs. Our research showed • Limited companies: 51.1%.
that compared with traditional hotels ADs are small-to-medium struc- • Other: 12.8%.
tures, both for their property size and number of beds available (53.4 Public stakeholders • Yes: 4.7%.
on average). In effect, ADs are SMEs that, by their very nature, offer a • No: 95.3%.
Year of opening to public Specific value for each respondent
modest number of beds, but with services quite equal to those of the tra- Year restructuring began Specific value for each respondent
ditional hotel plus the addition of special activities enabling visitors to Year work ended Specific value for each respondent
learn about local life and culture. Funding sources • Public funding from EU 24.4%.
It was found that the typical AD is a private company with one or • Public funding from Regions 35.5%.
• Public funding from local authorities
more stockholders, set up as a sole trader or company without public
4.4%.
sector shareholders. Funding for start-up mainly comes from the sole • Private funding from banks or credit
trader or stockholder, confirming the entrepreneurial nature of institutions 24.4%.
the model. The role of public organisations is therefore to provide • Private funding from stockholders:
resources, through regional or European funding, to add to private in- 51.1%.
• Other: 17.7%.
vestment. The thinking behind public funding is thus that of supporting
a business initiative to help develop a hitherto non-tourist area. From a The AD and its territory
financial viewpoint, a considerable amount of investment is required Types of consortium/association • None: 23.4%.
• Preserving traditional food: 27.7%.
and a long time (8 years on average) is needed to restructure the • Preserving traditional crafts: 23.4%.
properties. • Preserving local culture: 40.4%.
The main characteristic of the ADs is, first and foremost, their link • Developing sustainable tourism poli-
with the territory. This is confirmed by their strong participation in net- cies: 46.8%.
• Other: 19.1%.
works and associations involved with local food and crafts and by their
Initiatives promoted or organised with • None: 28.3%.
organisation of events promoting the local area. In this sense, the AD is partners and stakeholders • Permanent museum displays: 10.9%.
an important instrument for developing areas outside the traditional • Temporary museum displays: 15.2%.
tourist routes and, as such, should have a key role in local policies. Not • Photographic exhibitions: 17.4%.
all the structures, however, had consolidated relations within their ter- • Traditional exhibitions: 21.7%.
• Food and wine events: 50%.
ritory. This highlighted a need to disseminate the model and its poten- • Conferences/events on environmental
tial for local development in order to further involve stakeholders and sustainability: 23.9%.
regulatory public bodies. • Conferences/events on developing the
Our survey also confirmed the role of the AD in implementing poli- territory: 39.1%.
• Conferences/events on preserving
cies of sustainability, as new construction is not required and, at the
traditions and culture: 28.3%.
same time, the existing building heritage is restored. There is, however, • Other: 6.5%.
much room for improvement in sustainability policies applied in man- Any means of interaction with territory • Yes: 39.1%.
aging the separate structures, particularly regarding use of renewable • No: 60.9%.
energy and creation of internal procedures to acquire certification of en- Any system for monitoring impact on • Yes: 27.7%.
territory • No: 72.3%..
vironmental sustainability.

Appendix A (continued)
Aspects surveyed
The AD and sustainability
Certifications and quality branding
Renewable energy sources
Strategies for waste reduction
The structure
How properties are held
Area occupied
Beds available
Services delivered directly
Activities quarter
Marketing
Client booking methods
Advertising and marketing channels
A. Romolini et al. / Tourism Management Perspectives 22 (2017) 67–72 71
Appendix A (continued)
Results Aspects surveyed Results
Loyalty campaigns • Yes: 40.5%.
• None: 65.0%. • No: 59.5%.
• Environmental management system
certification: 5.0%.
• Ecolabel: 7.5%.
• EMAS: 0%.
• Other: 27.5%. References
• None: 53.2%.
• Photovoltaic systems: 38.3%. Avram, M., & Zarrilli, L. (2012). The Italian model of “albergo diffuso”: A possible way to
• Eolic systems: 0%. preserve the traditional heritage and to encourage the sustainable development of
• Biomass systems: 6.4%. the Apuseni Nature Park. GeoJournal of Tourism and Geosites, 9(1), 32–42.
• Geothermal systems: 0%. Barbi, C. (2007). L'albergo diffuso: a proposito di partenariato pubblico-privato nel settore
turistico. Queste Istituzioni, 146/147, 33–46.
• Biogas systems: 0%.
Buhalis, D. (2000). Marketing the competitive destination of the future. Tourism
• Other: 8.5%.
Management, 21(1), 97–116.
• None: 6.5%.
Cater, E., & Lowman, G. (1994). Ecotourism: A sustainable opinion? Chichester: Wiley &
• Rainwater harvesting: 21.7%. Sons.
• Use of food leftovers: 8.7%. Cohen, E. (2005). Principales tendecias en el turismo contemporáneo. Polìtica y sociedad,
• Limiting waste production: 50.0%. 42(1), 11–24.
• Low consumption lighting and do- Confalonieri, M. (2011). A typical Italian phenomenon: The “albergo diffuso”. Tourism
mestic appliances: 71.7%. Management, 32(3), 685–687.
• Use of recycled materials: 41.3%. Dall'Ara, G. (2002). Albergo diffuso: un'idea che piace. La Rivista del Turismo, 4(1), 36–40.
• Other: 10.9%. Dall'Ara, G. (2015). Manuale dell'albergo diffuso. L'idea, la gestione, il marketing
dell'ospitalità diffusa. Milano: FrancoAngeli.
De Montis, A., Ledda, A., Ganciu, A., Serra, V., & De Montis, S. (2015). Recovery of rural cen-
• Owned: 68.8%. tres and “albergo diffuso”: A case study in Sardinia, Italy. Land Use Policy, 47, 12–28.
• Rented: 54.2%. Di Clemente, E., Hernández Mogollón, J. M., & Campón Cerro, A. M. (2014). The albergo
• Leased: 0%. diffuso: an horizontal hospitality model for rural tourism destinations of Extremadu-
• Other: 2.0%. ra. Junta de Extremadura: Consejería de Educacíon (pp. 159–175).
Specific value for each respondent Droli, M. (2013). Il management delle opportunità imprenditoriali “a chilometro-zero”:
Specific value for each respondent buone prassi per l'innovazione d'impresa nell'Albergo Diffuso. XXV Annual meeting
of sinergie (pp. 97–112)Referred Electronic Conference Proceeding.
• Restaurant: 47.9%.
Dropulić, M., Krajnovic, A., & Ruzic, P. (2008). Albergo diffuso hotels – A solution to sustain-
• Internet: 87.5%.
able development of tourism, in Conference Proceedings 27th on “Organizational Science
• Garden/park: 45.8%.
Development”. Slovenia: Portorose.
• TV in rooms/flats/suites: 75.0%. Dwyer, L., & Kim, C. (2003). Destination competitiveness: Determinants and indicators.
• Direct phone line in rooms/flats/- Current Issues in Tourism, 6(5), 369–414.
suites: 25.0%. Federalberghi (2016). Datatur. Trend e statistiche sull'economia del turismo. Roma: Edizioni
• Shared spaces for recreational/- Ista available at www.federalberghi.it
cultural purposes: 52.1%. Fissi, S., Gori, E., & Romolini, A. (2014). Il connubio tra impresa e territorio. Il caso
• Conference room: 18.8%. dell'albergo diffuso il “Borgo di Sempronio”. ImpresaProgetto Electronic Journal of
• Bar: 47.9%. Management, 1, 1.
• Shop selling local produce: 50%. Giampiccoli, A., Saayman, M., & Jugmohan, S. (2016). Are albergo diffuso and community-
• Car parking: 54.2%. based tourism the answers to community development in South Africa? Development
• Wellness zone/area: 14.6%. Southern Africa, 33(4), 548–561.
• Fitness zone/area: 2.1%. Heath, E. (2002). Towards a model to enhance destination competitiveness: A Southern
African perspective. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 10(2), 124–141.
• Children's play park: 10.4%.
Liçaj, B. (2014). Albergo diffuso: Developing tourism through innovation and tradition the
• Pool: 20.8%.
case of Albania. Online International Interdisciplinary Research Journal, 4(3), 84–91.
• Riding stables: 2.1%. Loconte, P. (2016). A survey of interesting practices in the country. In F. Rotondo, F.
• Shuttle service: 20.8%. Selicato, V. Marin, & J. Lopez Galdeano (Eds.), Cultural territorial systems. Landscape
• Library: 27.1%. and cultural heritage as a key to sustainable and local development in Eastern Europe
• Wedding and event planning: 41.7%. (pp. 329–349). Springer International Publishing Switzerland.
• Other: 8.3%. Murphy, P., Pritchard, M. P., & Smith, B. (2000). The destination product and its impact on
• Food and wine tours: 62.2%. traveller perceptions. Tourism Management, 21(1), 43–52.
• Hiking: 62.2%. Orlandini, P., Vallone, C., De Toni, A., & Cecchetti, R. (2012). Total quality research of
• Cycle tours: 54.1%. tourism services. Special case: “Albergo Diffuso”, in Conference Proceedings 15th Toulon-
• Cookery lessons: 59.5%. Verona Conference “Excellence in Services”.
• Art lessons: 8.1%. Paniccia, P. (2012). Nuovi fermenti di sviluppo sostenibile nel turismo: l'esempio
• Sport courses: 16.2%. dell'albergo diffuso. Tra borghi storici, residenze d'epoca e antichi casali rurali.
ImpresaProgetto Electronic Journal of Management.
• Excursions to local places of interest: 62.2%.
Paniccia, P., Pecjlaner, H., & Valeri, M. (2007). Da borgo ad albergo: il caso Sextantio. La
• Other: 10.8%.
Rivista del Turismo, 9(4), 17–23.
Piersanti, A. (2013). L'albergo diffuso Sextantio: un'idea di sviluppo sostenibile. In M. A. La
• Directly online/by e-mail: 97.8%. Torre (Ed.), Dal turismo sostenibile alla responsabilità sociale d'impresa/From sustain-
able tourism to corporate social responsibility (pp. 449–457). Napoli: Università degli
• Directly by phone: 66.0%.
Studi Suor Orsola Benincasa Editore.
• Travel agency: 27.7%.
Quattrociocchi, B., & Montella, M. M. (2013). L'albergo diffuso: un'innovazione
• Local tourist network: 8.5%. imprenditoriale per lo sviluppo sostenibile del turismo. XXV Convegno annuale di
• Tour operator: 46.8%. Sinergie, Referred Electronic Conference Proceeding (pp. 97–112).
• Chains/networks: 6.4%. Rispoli, M., & Tamma, M. (1995). Risposte strategiche alla complessità. Le forme di offerta dei
• Other: 0%. prodotti alberghieri. Torino: Giappichelli.
• Website: 95.8%. Ritchie, J. R. B., & Crouch, G. I. (1999). Tourism, competitiveness, and societal prosperity.
• Specialist web portals: 85.4%. Journal of Business Research, 44(3), 137–152.
• Websites of local institutions: 45.8%. Ritchie, J. R. B., & Crouch, G. I. (2000). The competitive destination: A sustainability per-
• Specialist blogs: 22.9%. spective. Tourism Management, 21(1), 1–7.
• Facebook page: 79.2%. Ross, E. L. D., & Iso-Ahola, S. E. (1991). Sight seen tourists motivation and satisfaction.
• Printed material: 37.5%. Annals of Tourism Research, 18(2), 226–237.
• Exhibitions: 18.8%. Sheehan, L., & Presenza, A. (2013). “Albergo Diffuso”: a sustainable tourism innovation or
a niche accommodation? In G. Schiuma, J. C. Spender, & A. Pulic (Eds.), Smart growth:
• Word of mouth: 72.9%.
organizations, cities and communities (pp. 1888–1904). Zagreb, Croatia: IFKAD Inter-
• Other: 4.2%.
national Forum on Knowledge Asset Dynamics (12–14 June).
72 A. Romolini et al. / Tourism Management Perspectives 22 (2017) 67–72

Tagliabue, L. C., Leonforte, F., & Compostella, J. (2012). Renovation of a UNESCO heritage in
Silvia Fissi is Assistant Professor at the Department of Busi-
southern Italy: ASPHP and BIPV for a “Spread Hotel” project. Energy Procedia, 30,
ness and Economics of Florence University. She holds a
1060–1068.
Ph.D. in Planning and Control from the University of Florence
Vallone, C., & Veglio, V. (2013). “Albergo diffuso” and customer satisfaction: A quality ser-
and a Laurea (Master degree) in Economics from the Univer-
vices analysis, in Conference Proceedings 16th Toulon-Verona Conference “Excellence in
sity of Florence. She currently teaches Planning and Control
Services”.
at the School of Economics. Her research interests include
Vallone, C., Orlandini, P., & Cecchetti, R. (2013). Sustainability and innovation in tour-
public management, local authorities, tourism management,
ism service: The albergo diffuso case study. Eurasian Journal of Social Sciences,
corporate social responsibility, and accounting history.
1(2), 21–34.
Villani, T., & Dall'Ara, G. (2015). Albergo diffuso as a model of original hospitality and sus-
tainable development of small historical villages. Techne, 10, 169–178.
Wacker, N. (1996). Changing demands. Journal of Advertising Research, 36(1), 31–34.

Alberto Romolini is currently Associate Professor in Finan-
cial Accounting at the International Telematic University
Uninettuno, Rome, Italy. He holds a Ph.D. in Public Manage-
ment and a Master in Public Management from the Universi-
ty of Siena (Italy). He currently teaches financial accounting
and management control in tourism services. His research
interests are in the field of Corporate Social Responsibility
(CSR) and non-financial reporting, public management in lo-
cal authorities and health-care entities, history of accounting
and tourism management.
Elena Gori is Associate Professor of Financial Accounting. She
holds a Ph.D. in Planning and Control from the University of
Florence and a Laurea (Master degree) in Economics from
the University of Florence. She currently teaches Public
Management and Accounting (post graduate level) at the
School of Economics. Her research interests include public
management, local authorities, tourism management, corpo-
rate social responsibility, and accounting history. She is di-
rector of the Centro Interuniversitario di Studi sul Turismo
(Interuniversity Centre of Tourism Studies) of the University
of Florence.