Il ruolo della Bandiera Arancione per la valorizzazione dei piccoli comuni dell’entroterra

Objectives. The main purpose of this paper was to determine the extent to which environmental awards may help enhancing the small-towns heritage. After a theoretical framework on the role of certification programmes in destination branding policies, focus was set on the Orange Flag to understand if municipalities properly take advantage of the award both in their communication policies and in the sustainable development of their territory. Methods. The survey was based on a questionnaire (CAWI method) forwarded to the 2014 Orange Flag municipalities in the Marche region. The following research questions were central: How aware are policy makers of the importance of the Orange Flag? How does promotion of the Orange Flag fit into the communication initiatives of the destination? What are the perceived benefits related to the implementation of the Orange Flag: does the award enhance the destination image and improve the environmental performance? Findings. The research revealed that municipalities do not take full advantage of the possibilities provided by the award mainly in terms of co-branding and stakeholders’ involvement. Although they recognize great validity to the programme. Practical implications. The findings raised in this paper suggest a more efficient use of the award. In particular, a better use of co-branding policies and a wider sharing of sustainability issues are suggested. Originality of the study. The effectiveness of environmental awards in enhancing small-towns heritage is still under debate and very few studies examine the municipalities’ perspective. Further investigation of tourists’ and locals’ perceptions would have helped building a complete overview, but would have needed an additional research.