Regional competitiveness and tourism growth: a “latent” issue in rural development

In the discourse surrounding rural development and regional competitiveness in Europe, tourism growth emerges as a latent yet pivotal topic. With this in mind, this chapter strategically redefines the concept of “tourism attractiveness,” particularly in rural areas. Drawing from recent advancements in applied economics, the concept of “competitiveness indicators” is reframed as fundamental elements in any investigation of regional development, thereby reshaping the cultural boundaries and analytical tools used to evaluate tourism potential and territorial allure. Through a narrative analysis grounded in literature review, a comprehensive array of basic assets comprising the concept of “territorial potential”, alongside an associated monitoring approach based on “performance indicators”, is introduced and briefly discussed. This methodological framework may facilitate the creation of indicator dashboards for assessing tourism development, particularly in specialized rural regions, enabling the construction of composite indices of tourism growth and performance by integrating official statistical data and multivariate exploratory data analysis. Finally, deliberation on this approach within a specific context explores its potential for fostering sustainable tourism development and outlines potential policy implications for future research and planning strategies.