Walkability assessment and tourism cities: the case of Venice

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose a systematic review of the contributions present in the literature about walkability. This is aimed at defining a set of criteria and methodologies for the assessment of the level of pedestrian friendliness of cities characterised by mass tourism. Design/methodology/approach The paper is based on a theoretical review about walkability and on the study of mass tourism phenomenon in Venice in relation to the ongoing de-urbanisation process. The analysis of open data sets provides by the Public Institutions of Venice and the execution of on-site observations allowed a qualitative assessment on the level of walkability of the historical centre of Venice. Findings The results of the proposed study highlighted that the level of walkability in Venice is profoundly affected by the lack of base services, the presence of massive tourism flows and the scarcity of road signage. Practical implications All the elements highlighted in this work could lead to proposing several design solutions and policies to manage the tourism phenomenon in Venice in a more effective and sustainable manner. Social implications The assessment and enhancement of the level of walkability of urban areas represent a useful tool to manage the tourist flows and to reduce the conflicts between inhabitants and visitors in tourism cities. Originality/value The current work represents a valuable contribution towards the systematisation of the theoretical and methodological framework towards a tourism-based walkability assessment.