Deep transformations are presently characterizing the national tourism sector, largely in response to the change in the legislative system with specific regards to ‘federal tourism’. Along with other aspects the following issues emerge which the conference hopes to explore and develop more profoundly:

• The examination of the ways in which the new regulation can be adopted from an organizational point of view. In fact it is interesting to examine the different ways in which regions become involved in tourism activities; for example, the same responsibility for the organization and promotion of tourism is in some cases, in different regions, associated to ‘different sectors’; (internationalization, culture and tourism, trade and tourism etc.)
• The evaluation of the different ways of defining regional-provincial relations in terms of the functions performed, areas of responsibility and coordination arrangements, also with regard to public-private synergies.
• The evaluation of the different regional and specific area approaches to the tourist brand, which is often handled in divergent ways with little integration between public and private.