Bus transport service provision and tourism policies: lessons from Piedmont, Italy

With a focus on sustainable tourism, this article explores the relationship between bus transport policies and tourism development planning. The study aims to assess bus service provision from a tourism and transport provider perspective, to discuss conflicts in terms of service improvement and resource allocation, and present the factors that limit the development of tourism bus services. Taking into consideration tourism and transport literature, a qualitative case study was undertaken involving representatives of tourism and transport providers in Piedmont, Italy. The findings identify the causes that explain the current unbalanced relationship between bus transport policies and tourism development planning strategies while also determining the factors that might render transport mobility more sustainable in the destination