From mine industries to a place of culture, tourism, research and higher education: case study of the great mine Serbariu

Abstract

PurposeThis study aims to explore how closed factories could be transformed and provide a path for sustainable development for a territory. The authors focus on the case of the Great Mine Serbariu, located in Carbonia (Sardinia), which used to be the largest coal mine in Italy between 1939 and 1964.Design/methodology/approachThe authors adopt a qualitative research design based on an exploratory single-case study, drawing on interviews with the main stakeholders, on a survey conducted among 5,158 visitors, and on administrative documentation of the City Council.FindingsThe analysis of the Great Mine Serbariu case showed that the regeneration of an exhausted mine serves a model of sustainable development, especially for the redevelopment of other urban and industrial degraded areas. The Great mine Serbariu was restored and turned into a place of culture, tourism, research and higher education, with the Italian Cultural Centre of Coal Mining (ICCCM) establishing its headquarters in the heart of the former mine. It attracted almost 220,000 visitors, generating both domestic and international tourist flows and making an industrial heritage a real resource for the area.Originality/valueThis article advances the authors’ understanding of how closed industries could become an instrument for sustainable development on the social, economic, touristic and cultural levels. This study would help local governments with examples to enhance the historical resources to create a new identity that led to a sustainable development of an urban landscape, and to create networks with other comparable museums all over Europe to better exploit the touristic and cultural potential.

Liberalization and Global Business Dilemma in Third World Countries: A PEST Analysis

“…Revenue generated from cultural tourism can support the preservation and promotion of cultural landmarks, traditions, and festivals. For example, UNESCO World Heritage Sites in countries like Egypt, India, and Peru attract tourists interested in exploring rich cultural histories (Pau, Contu & Rundeddu, 2022). Liberalization can empower indigenous communities by providing them with opportunities to participate in global markets while preserving their cultural identity and traditions.…”

Green Infrastructure and Slow Tourism. A Methodological Approach for Mining Heritage Accessibility in the Sulcis-Iglesiente Bioregion (Sardinia, Italy)

“…The principal result of this extensive mining activity is the economic depression that required rethinking a new development, also through forms of sustainable tourism [56] capable of enhancing the great heritage of industrial archeology [57] in a particularly beautiful mining and coastal landscape [58].…”