Quale turismo per il futuro di Taranto?

Taranto (Italy) is a very fragile city with one of the largest steel plants in Europe, currently facing a severe economic crisis and alarming environmental pollution. Today, the local administration and residents are trying to face a difficult and uncertain path of reconversion and territorial regeneration, also based on tourism development. The article provides qualitative evidence to identify the attractivity of the city and the current initiatives to design Taranto as a tourist destination. Then, critical aspects of touristic development are discussed, considering the infrastructural problems of the city, the uncertainty of the industrial sector, the unsustainability of cruise ship arrivals, and possible conflicts between inhabitants and tourists.