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Project objectives

The Challenge

Prato is currently facing a defining challenge: reimagining tourism as a lever for equitable, sustainable and innovative growth, by enhancing the unique assets that distinguish the city.

Traditional tourism in Tuscany is heavily concentrated in a limited number of destinations and restricted to specific periods of the year. Despite its extraordinary cultural, industrial and creative heritage, Prato is still widely perceived as a secondary destination — often experienced merely as a transit stop rather than a place of discovery.

The challenge is therefore twofold:

  • to diversify and qualify the tourism offer, making it more attractive, accessible and sustainable
  • to valorise the industrial, textile, design and fashion heritage as a central element of the city's tourism identity

The overall objective is to transform Prato into a destination capable of generating economic, social and environmental value, fostering a model of tourism that is slower, more conscious and better distributed across time and space.

A New Tourism Model for Prato

Addressing this challenge requires a profound rethinking of the tourism offer, grounded in:

  • co-design with local stakeholders
  • digital innovation and environmental sustainability
  • accessibility and social inclusion
  • integration between physical and digital experiences

Tourism is conceived as a continuous experience — before, during and after the visit — capable of extending visitor dwell time, deepening engagement and maximising benefits for the local community.

Expected Results

1. Economic Growth and Destination Attractiveness

The project aims to strengthen Prato's attractiveness through new itineraries, experiences and tourism products linked to its industrial and cultural heritage.

Expected outcomes:

  • +25% in visitors to cultural and tourism sites (from 200,000 to 250,000 per year)
  • increase in average dwell time from 2 to 8 hours per visitor (+400%)
  • +50% in tourist expenditure across the territory
  • creation of at least 30 new qualified jobs, with particular attention to young people, NEETs and women

2. A More Inclusive and Accessible Tourism Offer

The new tourism offer will be designed to reach a broader audience, with particular attention to persons with disabilities.

Expected outcomes:

  • at least 20 new accessible attractions
  • 30% of the tourism attractions involved will adhere to recognised accessibility frameworks
  • development of digital content and inclusive tools to support the enjoyment of experiences

3. Innovation and Digital Transformation

Tourism in Prato will be supported by advanced digital technologies that enrich the physical experience and extend its reach over time.

Expected outcomes:

  • over 30 SMEs introducing product, process or marketing innovations
  • at least 5,000 users of new digital services and products
  • creation of an immersive digital environment (Prato Metaverse) featuring virtual itineraries, audiovisual content and digital guides
  • integration of virtual reality, conversational artificial intelligence and digital twin technologies

4. Environmental Sustainability and Green Transition

The project contributes to the ecological transition of tourism through sustainable activity design and visitor awareness initiatives.

Expected outcomes:

  • 30% reduction in the carbon footprint of tourism activities developed under the project
  • 70% of official tourism communication channels will incorporate sustainability messaging
  • integration of experiences with sustainable mobility services and green hospitality options

5. Social Cohesion and Community Engagement

Tourism growth is conceived as a shared process, actively involving citizens, enterprises and institutions.

Expected outcomes:

  • increased level of local community participation across all stages: information, consultation, co-creation and co-decision
  • involvement of at least 20 SMEs in destination governance
  • training and capacity-building pathways for over 100 operators and 300 citizens, with particular focus on young people and women

6. Collaborative Governance and Destination Management

The project foresees the establishment of an innovative and transparent governance model for tourism in Prato.

Expected outcomes:

  • establishment of a collaborative DMO involving at least 30 stakeholders from the tourism ecosystem
  • deployment of monitoring tools and data dashboards to support evidence-based decision-making
  • definition of long-term policies for deseasonalisation and the rebalancing of tourist flows at regional level

A Lasting Impact for the City

Through these results, Prato aims to become:

  • a more competitive and sustainable tourist destination
  • a model of integration between industry, culture and innovation
  • a city capable of generating widespread well-being and new opportunities

A form of tourism that does not consume the territory — but enhances it, tells its story, and strengthens it over time.

Ultimo aggiornamento: 03/04/2026