Implementing sustainable tourism certification: a study of ECST in Italian protected areas

The main objective of this preliminary research is to study how managers and directors of Italian natural parks perceive the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism (ECST) certification, the impacts it has on parks and the process needed to achieve it. Nine managers of different Italian natural parks were interviewed for the study. The results show that the common perception of the certifications is that the ECST helps demonstrate the authenticity of sustainable practices employed by the parks, promotes sustainable management and fosters collaboration between different stakeholders. However, the study also highlights the perceived challenges related to the communication and education strategies employed by the parks to maximise the certification’s impact. The study concludes that while the ECST is perceived as critical to promoting sustainability in natural parks, its effectiveness depends on a multifaceted approach that needs to address both the practical implementation and involve local stakeholders.