Tourism environmental impact along religious routes and slow transport infrastructures: the role of coastal areas

Abstract

Tourism is a major sector of the European economy. In particular, religious tourism along pilgrimage routes is a prominent phenomenon. Some religious routes in the island of Sardinia, Italy, start from coastal zones and may exert a relevant impact over the environment. The aim of this paper is to analyse the environmental effects of Italian and Sardinian urban planning tools related with religious tourism. In particular, it focuses on SEA quality and integration with the European Tourism Indicators System (ETIS).