Experiential, transformative and sustainable tourism enhancing local community cultural heritage
The 5 Senses Open-air Museum of Sciacca is a bottom-up tourism innovation project: the local community is the protagonist and works together to transform the town’s cultural heritage, art, crafts, history, gastronomy and landscapes - into beautiful, unforgettable, inclusive, cultural tourism experiences.
The town becomes an open-air living museum where, by enhancing the community competencies and empowering individuals to transform local resources, a sustainable development is generated.
Local
Italy
Sciacca, Agrigento province, Sicily
Mainly urban
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
No
No
Yes
2022-12-31
As a representative of an organisation
Name of the organisation(s): Cooperativa di Comunità Identità e Bellezza Type of organisation: Non-profit organisation First name of representative: Viviana Last name of representative: Rizzuto Gender: Female Nationality: Italy Function: President Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Piazza Libertà, 2 Town: Sciacca Postal code: 92019 Country: Italy Direct Tel:+39 334 322 0888 E-mail:progettazione@sciacca5sensi.it Website:https://www.sciacca5sensi.it/
The "Museo Diffuso dei 5 Sensi" was founded in 2019 through a COMMUNITY PACT in Sciacca - 38,000 inhabitants in Sicily - made to overcome an economic, social and cultural crisis
From day one, the goal has been to build BRIDGES BETWEEN DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS and competences present in the LOCAL COMMUNITY, to generate equitable and sustainable development
This has been done by CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH LOCAL HISTORICAL HERITAGE AND TRADITIONS so as to RESTORE THE FEELING OF BELONGING AND SHAPE NEW FUTURE ORIENTED AMBITIONS through the creation of genuine inclusive and sustainable tourism products and processes
A STRONG AND REDISCOVERED SENSE OF BELONGING has led to the creation of one of the first Sicilian Regional recognized eco-museums, with 50 memorandums of understanding engaging local stakeholders and asset holders signed
LOCAL CULTURE, TRADITIONS, KNOWHOW, CRAFT have been transformed into more than 60 tourist products for the experiential tourism market
CONTEMPORARY DIVERSITY has been developed by creating, for example, experiences for blind people which have become experiences for people temporarily blinded. Diversity has become an asset to the entire community
INNOVATIVE CREATIVITY processes have been generated by the new connections created within the local community among artisans, traders, entrepreneurs, schools and local associations (i.e. ceramic dispensers in b&bs, born from the connection between accommodation facility managers and ceramists or the Infopoints born inside bars, fabric ateliers, artisan shops and even natural and protected oases
A RENEWED “SPIRIT” AND “MEANING” OF PLACES have led to reopen 4 cultural heritage sites managed by volunteers acting as “shared heritage’ custodians”
Sciacca is today an award-winning cultural and social laboratory where an entire community has chosen to write its own future thanks TO A NEW SENSE OF BELONGING and the offer of a GENUINE QUALITY OF EXPERIENCE AND POSITIVE EMOTIONS to tourists and inhabitants.
CONNECTION: people develop a network that now makes shared potential usable
COHESION: once people are connected, a major force develops deriving from the group and pushes to emulate those who have already taken action
AWARENESS: enabling an increased understanding of the surrounding heritage value
EXPERTISE: the activities are carried out by creating expertise in any area of development thanks to training and engagement
RESPONSIBILITY: everyone takes their own dose of responsibility by stopping complaining and starting to take the first step
The entire project is founded on the pillars of SUSTAINABILITY and the CIRCULAR ECONOMY.
Accommodations that are part of the network of the Museo Diffuso dei 5 Sensi welcome tourists following special quality specifications with sustainability protocols. For example, a ban on the use of disposable soap, but only soap produced locally and used with dispensers made by local potters. Dispenser and soap that every traveller can do with his hands and bring home.
So in the breakfasts of the b&b, in the aperitifs and in the restaurants are found local products to which is connected the narrative of the farmers who cultivate them and the possibility to visit them to discover their everyday life. Real experiences alongside those offered by artisans who tell and teach the secrets of shaping clay, papier-mâché and coral decoration. The merchants, in addition to carrying on their business, become widespread infopoints, ready to tell Sciacca and its history.
It is a circular economy process in which the local community is not only the main stakeholder, but above all the largest asset holder of a shared bottom-up project where the sense of belonging and responsibility become powerful boosters of a process of profound change at benefit of all. And it's a replicable process; everywhere and anytime.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION HAS BECOME A DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY. The environment from constraint to opportunity. Examples:
- environmental associations are an integral part of the tourist offer;
- accommodations are progressively replacing single-use-soaps with local bio liquid-soap;
- which is contained in ceramic dispensers. Accommodations’ quality is improved, and the tourists’ target is getting higher as the destination becomes greener;
- experiences connected to slow tourism have been designed to satisfy a request from a green market;
- the community internal resources have been enhanced to develop a short supply chain supported by several cooperative’s associated businesses.
The "Museo Diffuso dei 5 Sensi" is managed by a “community cooperative” named "Identity and Beauty"
In our project citizens become responsible for the management, enhancement and promotion of cultural heritage:
shops, artisans and citizens become cultural heritage ambassadors as a network of widespread info-points was created and language barriers are now broken down by using digital tools as on-the fly translators
citizens, businesses, cultural associations became the “shared heritage custodians”, and they are in charge of the visits of 4 cultural sites
artisans, chefs, artists, citizens and businesses share, tell and make the cultural heritage accessible through over 50 experiences
accommodations, restaurants and bars improve their quality by signing “care of hospitality” specifications
the community reappropriates its history and is involved in the creation of free digital audio guides on Izi Travel. In this way the citizens firstly become aware of the beauty surrounding them and secondly learn how to explain it.
the community opens for the first time for a touristic-cultural purpose the 4.000 years old Thermal Bath caves, closed for years, a unique asset in the world. In one year, with openings managed only by volunteers (twice a week - for two hours) more than 10,000 visitors discovered the caves.
the experiences enabled us to safeguard an intangible heritage which risks being lost if it is not supported by a sustainable economy.
EVERYTHING DONE FOR TOURISTS IS USEFUL FOR RESIDENTS AND EVERYTHING DONE FOR RESIDENTS WELCOMES TOURISTS IN A BETTER PLACE
These actions generated a strong cultural impact, both for visitors and local community. Cultural heritage has begun to generate economy and knowledge - as the Faro Convention aspires.
Our community equipped itself with a decalogue containing the principles in which our project is grounded and some of them are:
- DIVERSITY for us is ANOTHER POINT OF VIEW;
- everyone has VALUE and is an essential part of the total. For us: 1+1=3
- our mission is to enhance the pieces of a mosaic made of IDENTITY
These principles allow us to cooperate by valuing and enhancing the different experiences, competencies, backgrounds and ways of living to have not only a welcoming community for those who visit us but also, and primarily, for those who are part of the community.
This approach enabled us to generate a strong social impact: THE WAY THE COMMUNITY INTERACTS AND COOPERATES TO CO-GENERATE HAPPINESS AND WELL-BEING CHANGED and a cohesive and healthy community started to act. The “sense of the possible” was recovered.
Examples:
- accommodations have begun to collaborate and no longer fight each other. Interactions between different professionals increase social cohesion;
- PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES DEVELOPED EXPERIENCES FOR PEOPLE WITHOUT DISABILITIES, such as driving a boat blindfolded, through the guidance of Stefano, a visually impaired person or practice scuba diving with HSA instructors;
- a road has been REGENERATED THROUGH ART (pottery) and it acted like a trigger to involve the whole community who participated in the works and to the management of the site: craftsmen, nurserymen, shop keepers, entrepreneurs, students…and even tourists who now;
- the governance model used to manage the project, a community non-profit cooperative, ensures A PARTICIPATORY GOVERNANCE;
- the wide range of accommodations, bars and restaurants, experiences’ providers who are part of the network enables us to have different price ranges of tourist products and services offered by the cooperative ENSURING AFFORDABILITY AND ECONOMIC INCLUSION.
The whole project is based upon citizen participation and involvement as the The 5 Senses Open-air Museum of Sciacca is a BOTTOM-UP TOURISM INNOVATION PROJECT aimed at creating a collaborative network, where CITIZENS ARE THE MAIN ACTORS AND NOT SIMPLE USERS, to make the city tangible and intangible cultural heritage a mean to create an unforgettable cultural tourism experience, relying on Sciacca’s uniqueness: its people and the their area’s “beauty”.
The project started with a think-tank which, through a PARTICIPATORY APPROACH involving representatives from the different business and cultural associations, ENGAGED CITIZENS TO DECIDE TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY which cultural heritage should have been enhanced to make Sciacca an attractive destination and which name should be given to the project to convey the agreed vision. Additionally, the project CAPITALISED ON THE EXISTING HUMAN CAPITAL by creating 50 MEMORANDUMS OF UNDERSTANDING with cultural and philanthropic associations, trade categories and public institutions.
The project’s heart and strength is in all the people who are involved and are participating with their own resources and competences and who are taking responsibility for a specific task/project.
Today are part of the project:
- 125 cooperative associates
- 47 tourism businesses
- 40 associations
- 27 accommodation facilities
- 15 restaurateurs
- 14 artisans
- 10 neighbourhood association
- 10 schools
- 10 institutions
- 7 art-cultural sites.
The approach adopted in Sciacca turned an underused cultural heritage area into a place of new attractiveness and vibrancy, which is culturally interesting for both visitors and the local community, especially re-generating trust and hope (in a period of dramatic crisis, globally), earning and training opportunities for all and generating new jobs.
LOCAL LEVEL:
In our project the LOCAL COMMUNITY becomes responsible for the cultural heritage management, enhancement and promotion, has acquired a strong awareness of coordinated and targeted community actions’ potential, and is therefore investing time and resources towards a common goal.
- shops, artisans and citizens become cultural heritage ambassadors as a network of widespread info-points was created
- locals became the “shared heritage’ custodians”, and they are in charge of 4 cultural sites managed by the cooperative
- craftsmen, citizens share and make the cultural heritage accessible through over 50 experiences
- accommodations, restaurants and bars share with travellers the cultural heritage made available through the project
- different community members are involved in audio guides' creation, a digital tool to share cultural heritage. Firstly they regain a sense of belonging and secondly learn how to explain it
- the municipality with which we collaborate on a daily basis such as, for example, for the Christmas holidays
REGIONAL LEVEL:
- the Sicilian Regional Tourism, Sport and Entertainment department supported us for different prizes applications as well as the provincial Tourism Office of Agrigento
- we are working with the Sicilian Region Government for the Vapours Caves of Mount Kronio openings management
- we are working the Curia of Agrigento for a religious museum, church and bell tower openings management
NATIONAL LEVEL:
- Invitalia, the National Investment Agency for Inward and Economic Development, financed with 114.849 euros.
The idea was born from the first community think tank and its overall management was overseen by the Cooperative President Viviana Rizzuto - a program manager for multinationals companies - and by the Project Creative Director, Emilio Casalini - journalist, tourism expert, anchorman and writer, who applied their knowledges to the project.
These competencies - SOCIAL MANAGEMENT and IDENTITY STORYTELLING - were also inspired by the overall theory behind the project namely that the whole community needs to grow and develop in a horizontal, sustainable, responsible, and circular way.
HORIZONTAL ECONOMY: with a horizontal structure, the stakeholders are the whole community, the governance is the expression of the engaged local community, investments are shared and the revenues immediately distributed among all the community individuals.
CIRCULAR ECONOMY: the economy is “circular” because the project creates a skilled-people network who take, transform and reuse resources from the area where they live into tourist products without waste. If applying the quantity theory of money, MV = PQ, a truly connected community accelerates the speed (V) of circulation of money. Social cohesion becomes a boost for the real economy
RESPONSIBLE TOURISM: the impact on local populations, on the social system and on the identity balance is not influenced by external elements but by the engaged community.
SUSTAINABLE TOURISM: the whole structure of the project is genetically built on sustainability at three levels.
A) Respect for the environment as a fundamental strategic resource
B) Controlled use of the land’s products by respectful tourism
C) Ethics and profit are no longer in conflict
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: many theories explain how the development of a community must go through the involvement of most of its members and this project shows exactly how it can work.
Results (R), Outputs (O), Impacts (I)
1. Sustainability
R: more sustainability in accommodations; Marevivo Oasis is a widespread info-points and an experience provider; + 15 slow tourism experiences
O: lower soap waste through ceramic dispensers with a local liquid soap, natural environment as part of the tourist experience; cooperative associates connect/buy local, fresh and seasonal products
I: hospitality quality changes; the community improves its sense of belonging to the territory, it’s happier, welcomes better, becomes more connected; supply chain is shortened; the destination becomes more attractive for tourists we wish to have
2. Inclusion
R: hosts work together; people with disabilities develop experiences for people without disabilities; different generations interact; info-points use on-the-fly translators.
O: associates work toward a shared goal: each diversity is an additional point of view and everyone is a resource for the community
I: the sense of belonging to the community and to its environment is improved, the whole community is engaged toward a common goal, it is shaped by common future oriented ambitions and tourist feel part of it
3. Aesthetics and quality of experience for people
R: the community created +50 experiences, +14 free Izi.travel audioguides and manages 4 heritage sites
O: craftsmen, professionals, citizens have regenerated a street now covered in ceramics and it became a strong place for selfies
I: the SENSE OF BELONGING is restored and the community shaped its own ambitions by also being flexible and ready for external changes
4. Economy:
R: in 2022 we had:
-1620 experiences sold with 80% of revenue for artisans
-43 remote workers and 206 nights spent in Sciacca
-+20% the increase in turnover declared by some merchants near regenerated areas
O: permanent citizens can really see temporary citizens discovering the place they share
I: growth in high quality tourism strongly impacting on local economy.
From a process point of view, the project aims to foster a successful tourism innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem by connecting all stakeholders to collaboration opportunities and prioritising capacity building in tourism and cultural services. To achieve this strategic objective, we have developed tools and governance to allow and foster collaborative action between public administrations, schools and universities, trade associations, micro, small and medium enterprises, investors, artisans, merchants, and people living in an area where they were born and they decided to live.
The project's innovative part is both about process and tools.
PROCESSES INNOVATION:
From a process point of view, the project is a PARTICIPATORY PROCESS OF TERRITORIAL INNOVATION inscribed in a lasting temporal perspective because it is based on two ingredients: community - made aware and competent - and identity, whose purpose is economic well-being, social, environmental and cultural importance of the community and whose centrality is the human being.
The applied method is also a PROCESS REPLICABLE everywhere because every corner of Italy offers an endless heritage of identity that just waits to be valued by the communities..
No more Top-Down strategies but Bottom-Bottom-Bottom-Up, where the final "UP" is not a return to another level but the same upgrade of who before was bottom.
In order to achieve this strategic target, we have developed:
- an innovative Local Governance Model
- templates and disciplinary agreements
- a local innovative tool called “Community-Destination Model Canvas”
PRODUCT INNOVATION:
In Sciacca, our storytelling is supported by the use of two innovative digital tools that allow access to original contents and break down language barriers:
- audio guides created by the local community on Izi.travel platform
- simultaneous translators device to help widespread Info Points to dialogue with foreign guests.
The approach used in Sciacca is done by an innovative, inclusive and responsible GOVERNANCE that:
- manages the process transforming local heritage into tourist products/service valuable in today’s tourism market
- ensures quality
- monitors impacts to act when necessary
- generates better income opportunities for ALL.
It sees the coexistence and cooperation of 3 councils:
-the Board of Directors: is composed by 9 experts who drive the governance and supervise the activities having the skills to properly run the whole organisation
-the Management Board is composed by 14 talented young people with specific technical competences and know-how, who have found a good reason to proactively work at the development of their territory rather than impoverish it by abandoning it
-the Supervision Board is composed by the representatives of 50 categories and associations of the engaged-community. Its functions are those of an ethics committee controlling the project’ sustainability and the preservation and enhancement of the region / area tangible and intangible heritage.
The method implemented is a 3-phase process guiding the community from awareness to quality tourist products/services’ delivery based on cultural heritage:
- AWARENESS of the heritage available but not yet enhanced
- COMPETENCE, meaning empowering individuals to transform resources into social, cultural, environmental, economic and human value
- CONNECTIONS in the territories, so essential today, to create synergies for a development that will last over time.
This inclusive and bottom-up tourism innovation project carried on in Sciacca has been named as a unique social engineering laboratory in Italy. The applied method is also a PROCESS REPLICABLE everywhere because every corner of Italy offers an endless heritage of identity that just waits to be valued by the communities to which are provided the tools to take in hand the design of their future, in a responsible and sustainable way.
The project was planned as a model capable of being replicated practically anywhere. Sciacca’s size - 38.000 inhabitants - it’s enough to replicate it in places from 1.000 to 100.000 people.
We have not invented anything new but we have put into practice and tested what everyone says must be done but few really do. We are monitoring the results and impact on people's happiness and well-being. A new start-up, founded by the same people of Sciacca who’s been working on the Museo Diffuso, is born to be able to replicate in other places what is already a best practice. And has already begun the work to regenerate socially and culturally other 4 small towns in Sicily that won 1.6m each to implement our project. This shows how the model is already requested by other municipalities.
Since people and identities (the historical/artistic/cultural heritage of the area where they live) are ready-to-be-valorised resources in whatever country/region/territory, the project offers an innovative and replicable method ready to scale-up and to be implemented everywhere in EU and internationally. During this period with millions of jobs at risk because of the different crisis we are living, especially in the tourism sector, the 5 Senses Open-air Museum offers a GOVERNANCE MODEL which can help communities grow both socially and economically, in a sustainable and responsible way.
Additionally, the 5 Senses Open-air Museum of Sciacca has been awarded and was selected for several national and international prizes for social innovation and tourism such:
- 1° Prize of ECTN Awards 2022: Destination of Sustainable Cultural Tourism
-Selected by CNR’s and the EU Regions Research and Innovation Network as one of 16 "innovative ecosystems"
- selected in 2022 as a good practice for the Cultural Heritage in Action online catalogue
- selected in 2021 as a best practice within the Community of Innovators in circular and human-centred cultural tourism within the Horizon 2020 Be.CULTOUR project
Since the last 3 years we are facing extraordinary problems, such as the Covid19 pandemic and the effects of the war in Ukraine that have added to those structural problems that the world of Italian tourism, like many others in Europe and the world, has had on its shoulders for a long time, long, long time. Problems concern the territories:
- where the impact of tourism is becoming a problem and the phenomenon of overtourism occurs;
- where young people leave their homes because there is no prospective for future and thus the ghost villages increase;
- where there’s no vision and no capability to create a dynamic and efficient system outside public conferences;
- that have not yet understood the value of care for travellers who should be welcomed as friends or temporary citizens;
- where the actors do not network together but make always new networks always different and always parallel;
- that have never invested in describing their identity. Becoming first aware of it, and then sharing it with the world.
In short, there is a lack in: sustainability, well-being, awareness, care, network, narration, vision, method and this what our project aims to provide.
