Development of Strategies for Dance-Related Tourism in the Realm of Experiential Creative Tourism

Events have always been the foundation of socialization and community-building and, today, have become such important elements of tourist attraction that they have fostered the emergence of real management in the sector. The objective of this research is to trace the benefits of a closer link between one of the least considered performing arts, namely, dance, and the tourism associated with it. Today, we are witnessing a real cultural evolution of what concerns tourist fruition: we are moving from a tourist package where the tourist has a spectator role to a tourist offer where the guest becomes the main actor of the same offer. This finds its highest expression in the concept of creative tourism, which represents a subcategory of broader cultural tourism and places alongside the enhancement of the tangible resources of a territory - places of historical and artistic interest - the enhancement of intangible resources through the active participation of the tourist, who becomes co-creator of the product/service. Although it has not so far had many moments of theoretical in-depth study according to its influence on tourism demand, an important role can be represented by dance. There are many trips that are undertaken to destinations that have seen the birth of certain genres and styles of dance. Tourists who decide to enrich themselves with dance-related performances and experiences seem to belong to a niche audience. Often these are people already connected to the dance industry (theater operators, dancers, choreographers), and so rarely are audiences made up of more than just real amateurs in the audience. Three categories of participants in dance-related tourism can be identified: 1. Passive recipients: spectators, visitors to dance museums, festival participants, etc. 2. Active dance tourists: amateur dancers, participants in non-professional stages or competitions 3. Professional dancers: participants in professional competitions, members of dance companies, artistic cast of a theater, etc. In the context of experience economy (and tourism), travel takes on greater meaning and value if it becomes a collection of memories related to activities typical of the place being explored. Experiences related to participation in courses, stages, or competitions at the amateur level of dance represent an added value for a travel package that can be included in the proposals of tourist intermediaries. Trips of this kind allow the tourist to be transported to a different dimension through new cultural experiences and learning about the history of another region of the world; in fact, dance is inextricably linked to the destination's culture. Many times, the ideas of an artistic project arise precisely from the context of reference, which can be analyzed both socially and spatially, linked to both the territory and the context in which it takes place. Dance is a complex and technical art form, but it is also a practice that concerns the psycho-physical well-being of the person, and it is possible to imagine it as a tourism experience even for a portion of the population that is not trained in it. All of the elements mentioned so far can be useful in the development of destination management strategies that focus on the "dance" element as an attraction. This paper intends to conduct an analysis of the potential development profiles of this form of tourism, examining the central elements that can be applied to the strategy of a tourism destination.