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UNESCO Chair in ICT to develop and promote sustainable tourism in World Heritage Sites 

Our Mission

Established in September 2013, USI UNESCO Chair is committed to perform research and teaching on how Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and digital media in general, can be effectively used to develop and promote sustainable tourism at World Heritage Sites (WHSs).

More information here.

Winter School 2026

The 2026 edition of USI UNESCO Chair Winter School, titled “Taste the past. Digital media for Byzantine heritage and authentic experiences in Northern Greece”, took place from 7 to 14 February 2026 in Thessaloniki and Kastoria (Greece).

More information here.

Master in International Tourism

Università della Svizzera italiana offers a Master in International Tourism (MIT), run by the Faculty of Economics in collaboration with the Faculty of Communication Sciences. The USI UNESCO Chair is deeply involved in this Master, through teaching, research, internships and theses opportunities.

Open Access Chapters

We are happy to announce the publication of the Handbook on Heritage, Sustainable Tourism and Digital Media, edited by Silvia De Ascaniis and Lorenzo Cantoni, published by Edward Elgar: https://doi.org/10.4337/9781788970082.

More information here.

The Making of a Masterpiece

An online exhibition curated by the UNESCO Chair (USI) presenting “le vêtement de Don Nicola Mazza”, a richely embroidered Catholic garment from the 19th century. The exhibition highlights its craftsmanship and the social mission behind its production.

Explore the exhibition here!

40th Session of UNESCO World Heritage Committee

Jun 23, 2016 |

The 40th session of UNESCO World Heritage Committee takes place in Istanbul, Turkey, in July 2016. A side event is dedicated to the "Integration of Sustainable Development into the Processes of the World Heritage Convention: Role of Academia and UNESCO Chairs". Among...

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Localising Websites of National Tourism Organisations

Jun 22, 2016 |

We are happy to announce the publication of a new report "Localising Websites of National Tourism Organisations: The Case of ETC Members". The report was compiled and edited by Emanuele Mele, doctoral student in Communication Sciences at Università della Svizzera...

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Fifth China & Europe International Tourism Forum

Jun 17, 2016 |

The event will take place on June 19-21, 2016, in Lin'an City, China. With the theme"twenty-first century tourism, heritage and memory", the forum will include topics like heritage tourism, community development coordination, and tourism development impact on heritage...

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