La gestione di Venezia come sito UNESCO

This article analyzes tourism in relation to the complex processes that characterize UNESCO sites, using «Venice and its Lagoon» as a case study. Venice, a World Heritage site, is at the center of international debates regarding the risks associated with preserving its cultural value, which have been intensified by the 2016 UNESCO review process for its potential inclusion on the List of World Heritage in Danger. The research, adopting a management studies approach and qualitative analysis, explores UNESCO’s decision-making dynamics and the management of the site between 1966 and 2023. Overtourism emerges as a structural threat, generating overcrowding, heritage degradation, pressure on infrastructure, and a loss of authenticity. The contradiction between heritage enhancement and exploitation, fueled by public and private interests, creates a disconnect between conservation objectives and governance practices. Venice thus appears as an emblematic case of the fragility of the UNESCO system, where international recognition can shift from a guarantee of protection to a factor of vulnerability.