Tourism in Ticino: Balancing Figures, Equilibrium, and Quality

Tourism in Ticino has achieved a stable and satisfactory balance. Now, instead of chasing constant growth, the focus should shift to quality, moving beyond a purely economic mindset obsessed with raw figures. These are the insights of Claudio Visentin, a professor on the Master's in International Tourism at USI, who spoke to Vittoria De Feo in a recent interview for laRegione.

Commenting on the latest cantonal tourism data, Claudio Visentin notes that the sector has reached a phase of stability: "Tourism in Ticino is fine as it is. It has reached significant and stable figures over the years." According to the professor from the Faculty of Communication, Culture and Society, this state of affairs does not necessarily require further expansion. On the contrary, Visentin warns against an over-reliance on metrics: "We must not become slaves of numbers. The idea that we must always grow is dangerous." This is particularly true given that the current situation is "profoundly satisfactory. Tourist numbers are high, and I do not believe we have the capacity—or the desire—to accommodate any more."

In comparison with other destinations, Ticino stands out for its balanced tourism, which is well-integrated into the region and far from the issues of overcrowding: "In our region, for now, we do not suffer from the dangerous phenomenon of overtourism." External factors, such as competition from nearby destinations like Lake Como, also aid this situation. Another central point concerns the quality of tourist flows. Figures, Visentin observes, do not tell the whole story: "They tell us nothing about the type of tourist, for instance." Indeed, there are significant differences between visitors: "A returning tourist, who goes to see things they missed the first time and no longer visits the main attractions, is as light as a feather. Conversely, a day-tripper, perhaps arriving by car or coach, is a blight—they are extremely heavy."

In his remarks, the professor also stresses the importance of maintaining a balance between tourism and local life: "It is vital that tourism never becomes the primary industry, because it would end up crushing everything else." In other words, the risk is that it would distort the very identity of these places. Alongside the economic dimension, Visentin highlights the social and cultural value of tourism, which is also built on encounter and exchange: "Everyone likes the profits from tourism, but they must not be the priority. A wealthy country cannot have a purely economic vision of tourism; to flatten the discourse to a strictly financial one is counterproductive. In this light, I would suggest working more on the quality of the experience and the relationship between visitors and residents."

In conclusion, regarding the outlook, the USI Master's in International Tourism professor specifically mentions "de-seasonalisation"—made possible by Ticino's microclimate—and the careful management of phenomena such as short-term rentals and secondary residences, which can have significant repercussions on the local area.