Tourism Flows in Italy: The Role of Local Public Policies Toward Disability

While a large literature has stressed the role of infrastructures and tourism facilities for disabled people provided by the private sector in enhancing tourism flows, this paper explores, using data on Italian provinces, the relationship between tourism flows and local public expenditure in welfare policies for the disabled as a proxy for the commitment of local public authorities and communities to the well-being of the weakest people. The results show positive and significant effects on tourism and are confirmed when we broaden the analysis to other target groups, namely the elderly and the entire set of eligible recipients of welfare policies. In addition, where an airport station is available, such a positive relationship appears even more intense. These findings suggest how public policies for the social inclusion of disabled people may have beneficial effects beyond the targets, including the tourism sector.