Mapping landscape qualities across the inner Bradano valley by integrating GIS and RS applications to support sustainable tourism strategies

Abstract

This contribution presents a methodological approach for mapping the landscape qualities of the inner Bradano Valley (southeastern Italy), by exploiting the potential of Geographic Information System (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS) to support new territorial strategies centred on sustainable tourism. The research specifically focuses on the northern section of the Bradano Valley, on the border between Basilicata and Apulia, which is recognised as inner territory by the National Strategy for Inner Areas. This area is characterised by a complex hilly landscape, where natural components, historical urban settlements, and wide- spread built heritage mostly related to agricultural activities are interconnected through a system of historical infrastructure and a network of minor roads (the UNESCO via Appia Regina Viarum, the Tratturo regio Melfi-Castellaneta, the FAL railway Altamura-Potenza, and the abandoned railway Melfi-Gioia del Colle, the Bradanica road Matera-Foggia, the Cammino Materano routes), that offer valuable opportunities for promoting slow tourism and improving accessibility to these heritage-rich places. The landscape, which appears empty and uniform, becomes more appealing to visitors over the spring and summer seasons due to the colour contrasts and nuances of the croplands. These seasonal phenomena hold strong potential for tourism development in this area, especially when combined with the promotion of the rural heritage and cultural practices. The re- search shows how GIS-based mapping plays a key role in integrating both geospatial information in a static form, mostly related to natural and built heritage, and the dynamic mapping of seasonal landscape phenomena by RS applications of multispectral satellite imagery, supporting an interactive map-based device for promoting knowledge, fruition, and development of tourism strategies in inner areas.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.20365/disegnarecon.35.2025.22