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Abstract

The Piedmont, in the village of Marmora, Maira valley near Cuneo, hosts the first Climahotels of Northwest Italy: it is the Occitan inn Lou Pitavin. Marco and Valeria manage the property since 2000 and have turned it into one of the six Climatehotels active in Italy, receiving such certification in 2014. Awarded by the CasaClima Agency based in Bolzano, the ClimaHotel certification is a seal recognised as one of the best examples for energy saving and sustainability. Over these years the Maira valley has become a crossroads of ‘slow’ and ‘soft’ tourism. Local authorities, operators and institutions have proposed a tourism offer which focuses on territories, along with local culture, traditions and beauties: an Alpine Valley lacking big tourist infrastructure specifications like ski slopes and lifts, has managed to attract the attention of German, Austrian, Swiss, Dutch and Belgian tourists, who visit these mountains both in the winter and in the summer for hiking and ski touring. In Marmora, they can choose Lou Pitavin Inn for spending their holiday in a structure with a real commitment towards the ecological, economic and socio-cultural problems of the valley.

Keywords

• Maira Valley
• sustainable tourism
• short supply chain
• local excellence