ABSTRACT
Chapter 5 deals with the empirical analysis of case studies. It starts from the investigation of caves as an environmental and tourist resource, first describing the general state of play of Italian caves and then exploring the specific cases of the Waitomo Glowworm Caves in New Zealand and the Castellana Caves in Italy. Speleological tourism (i.e. tourism linked to caves), has recently become a valuable economic resource for many areas – and particularly Italy, which boasts a large number of natural cavities equipped for tourism. It is estimated that Italian tourist caves are visited by more than 1.5 million persons each year, generating an aggregate annual turnover of approximately 20 million euro. The chapter also considers services related to cave visits, such as speleological museums, bookshops and photo and gadget vendors in the cave vicinity. When these related services are considered, as well as local catering services, accommodation facilities, commercial activities and sports venues, the annual turnover of the caves tends to double. In this way, tourist caves that are properly exploited can support collateral activities (e.g. services and accommodation), provide employment opportunities and attract public and private investment, thereby feeding a virtuous cycle with multiplier effects on local production and income.
