Depopulation is a problem felt in many regions of the European Union, mainly affecting inland and rural areas. In many cases, these areas are characterized by economic, social, and infrastructural marginalization. Their rehabilitation is desirable in view of a better balance of social and infrastructural management. This said, there are no proven solutions for depopulation that can be applied to all territories in the same way. On the contrary, if we examine progress in the fields of ITC and digitization, we can gather interesting suggestions on how to deal with this issue. This essay intends to analyze these aspects and to examine ways to strengthen, through programs and instruments of the sharing economy, the competitiveness and potential attraction of geographical areas considered marginal and that risk demographic collapse.

La despoblación de las áreas rurales es un problema para numerosas regiones europeas, incluida Cerdeña (Italia), donde hay varias poblaciones en peligro de desaparecer. Se han llevado a cabo diferentes políticas para reforzar su competitividad, y el presente trabajo pretende subrayar las oportunidades ofrecidas por distintas estrategias. Se analizarán, por tanto, los principales proyectos de desarollo territorial promovidos en Cerdeña y el papel del turismo en la búsqueda de un nuevo atractivo para las zonas rurales. Todos los datos serán tratados con los Sistemas Informativos Geográficos (GIS). La investigación confirma que las áreas rurales, a pesar de ser ricas en recursos culturales, medioambientales, históricos, etcétera, todavía no hanconseguido explotar estos recursos con fines turísticos, como bien podrían hacer. No obstante, hay varios fondos que pueden ser utilizados, y en las conclusiones se hacen algunas consideraciones útiles para mejorar el atractivo turístico de estas zonas e intentar frenar el descenso demográfico.

Religious tourism is a very important sector in the sphere of cultural tourism and can be an authentic engine of development, especially for rural areas, which are the subject of various policies implemented at a regional and national level within specific European programmes aimed at improving territorial cohesion and increasing social and economic development. While it is true that the most iconic sanctuaries are the main attraction, it is equally true that if adequately exploited, minor religious sites can also represent a potential resource capable of attracting new and more consistent flows of visitors. The paths of faith could be a possible answer to these development needs given that, as established by the European Council, they are a useful instrument for increasing the competitiveness and the development of the traversed areas, also strengthening their identity. In Sardinia, an attempt in this direction can be identified in the actions implemented by the Region through the establishment of the Excursion Network of Sardinia, which has recognised the importance of the “itineraries” as a tool for seasonal adjustment and sustainable development: the setting up of a Regional Cadastre for Paths and Horse trails and an organised network, such as the Sardinia Trekking Portal, to be implemented with religious itineraries, can thus be interpreted as a marketing action aimed at promoting the paths and trails.

The rural areas in Italy are made up of small municipalities that despite being extensive in area are sparsely populated. These marginal areas are affected by problems such as rural exodus, loss of tradi‑ tions, abandonment of the territory, etc. Despite this, in these small centers there is a rich cultural and environmental heritage that can be exploited to create new socio‑economic opportunities through tourism. Among the main tools used to achieve these goals are cultural itineraries. This article aims at analysing the potential of routes for the sustainable development of rural areas through the Digital Atlas of the paths of Italy. The methodology is based on the theory of the original Italian government programme and an in‑depth analysis of the Santa Barbara route, in Sardinia. This work confirms that itineraries are useful for rural areas development, if there are unified rules and if the ICTs are implemented.