Inequalities in the Tourism Sector through Italian Twin Transition Policies

In recent years, Italian towns have been investing heavily in the twin digital and green transition. 

These investments span a wide range of areas, from strengthening local governments' digital infrastructure to expanding green spaces and improving the energy efficiency of buildings. The tourism sector has been deeply affected by these transformations, as digital innovation and sustainability have become central to strategies for growth and competitiveness.

The hospitality and tourism industry consumes a significant share of global resources—accounting for 10.6% of total energy use and 5.8% of water consumption—while also contributing to air pollution and material extraction (World Travel & Tourism Council, 2023). Yet there is substantial potential to optimise resource use through emerging technologies, such as smart building management systems and artificial intelligence (AI) for monitoring and analysing energy consumption (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2023).

Tourism has traditionally been considered less digitalised than other sectors; however, recent years have witnessed rapid advances. Today, digitalisation is reshaping how tourism services are delivered, experienced, and managed, with growing emphasis on smart technologies, sustainability, and enhanced customer experiences.

A key initiative in the Italian context is the Tourism 4.0 Plan, which aims to increase the accessibility and attractiveness of historical and cultural sites, particularly in rural and underserved areas. By leveraging technology, the plan seeks to make Italy's rich heritage more widely available and inclusive. Central to this strategy is the Digital Tourism Hub, a national platform designed to connect the entire tourism ecosystem. It integrates services and data across public and private stakeholders, thereby improving the visibility and coordination of tourism offerings nationwide.

Italy's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) has also allocated €6.605 billion to the tourism sector. These investments aim to promote sustainable tourism and encourage the use of renewable energy to reduce consumption. Among the initiatives supported is the Amanotesa project, which seeks to expand cultural provision in suburban areas as a means of fostering social inclusion.

The Negative Side of the Twin Transition

The shift towards greener forms of production and consumption, alongside digital transformation, is expected to deliver long-term environmental benefits and create new growth opportunities. However, a green and digital divide is also emerging. This not only slows overall progress but risks widening gaps between individuals, regions, and social groups, thereby increasing inequality in the long run.

A central question, therefore, is whether these innovations foster inclusive access to tourism and equitable local development, or whether they instead generate a more exclusive, elite-driven model of tourism. Eco-friendly and smart environments can strongly influence tourists' choices, yet visitor flows can also undermine the social sustainability of destinations through issues such as overcrowding, rising service costs, and housing market pressures.

It is also important to note that sustainable travel often comes at a higher cost, making it more affordable to wealthier individuals and encouraging a more elitist tourism model. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the sector may face considerable challenges as they confront both the costs of digitalisation and the wider financial pressures of the transition.

Clustering Italian Provinces: Patterns of Tourism, Digitalisation, and Sustainability

Given the breadth of the tourism sector, this study narrows its focus to one perspective: the impact of twin transition policies. An exploratory analysis was conducted to investigate territorial inequalities and examine how digitalisation and environmental sustainability policies shape disparities within the Italian tourism system, particularly in relation to structural and geographical differences.

The analysis considered four main groups of variables:

• Tourism: demand and supply;

• Digitalisation: investment in digital tourism projects and eco-management;

• Sustainability: presence of green-certified accommodation, levels of pollution and density of green areas;
• Social: average income.

These dimensions capture the principal areas where twin transition policies have been applied to tourism. Average income was included as a control variable to reflect local socio-economic conditions. Beyond their direct relevance to tourism, these dimensions are essential for understanding inequalities: disparities in access to digital investment, uneven distribution of sustainability initiatives, and variations in income levels create differentiated opportunities for tourism actors, while posing distinct challenges for local communities.

The results (see figure) reveal three distinct clusters of Italian provincial capitals. The third cluster (green) includes 57 cities, such as Caltanissetta, Grosseto, Agrigento, and Avellino, mainly in the South, Center, and Islands. The second cluster (blue) comprises 39 provincial capitals, including Livorno, Sondrio, and Bergamo, largely in the North. The first cluster (red) consists of just three cities: Milan, Rome, and Florence.

Overall, the clustering highlights three profiles. Cluster 1 comprises infrastructure-rich, high-capacity contexts—mainly large cities—that combine significant opportunities with strong environmental awareness while attracting the largest share of tourism flows. Cluster 2 occupies an intermediate position, with moderate development and partial adoption of sustainability practices. Cluster 3, by contrast, reflects more constrained economic and infrastructural contexts, with lower income levels and weaker twin transition performance.

The findings further underline a pronounced North–South divide. Northern provinces, typically characterised by advanced digital infrastructure, a higher share of green-certified accommodation, stronger tourism demand and supply, and more developed public services, also record higher income levels. Yet these same areas consume more resources such as gas and energy, contributing to a larger environmental footprint. Conversely, the South and Islands record fewer tourist arrivals, lower shares of green-certified accommodation, and reduced access to services, while also displaying lower incomes and resource consumption.

This pattern highlights a paradox: the large cities that attract more tourists and invest in sustainable infrastructure are simultaneously those consuming the most energy and generating the highest levels of pollution, while smaller southern cities remain largely overlooked by twin transition policies. As a result, despite their stated aim of promoting sustainability and inclusivity, these policies risk reinforcing existing divides and inequalities.

Additional Areas of Investigation

Tourism is a multifaceted phenomenon influenced by diverse variables. One crucial factor is the variety of attractions. Italy offers an extraordinary range: some cities are renowned for beaches, others for artistic and cultural heritage, fashion or mountain landscapes. Different types of tourism correspond to different types of cities.
Geography and infrastructure also play a decisive role. The North, with its dense airport network, is better positioned to attract flexible forms of tourism, such as short stays or stopovers. By contrast, the South—with fewer transport connections—tends to attract more niche tourism, often less costly but more selective.

Social media has further reshaped the sector, amplifying trends and influencing travelers' choices.

Although many studies highlight the economic benefits of tourism for local populations, in the long term, it may also create risks for regional economies, generating dependency and vulnerability.

Article prepared by Erica Gaudino, EFIS Centre