Literature as cultural resource for outlining new touristic products

Abstract

The German poet writer, born in Prague, Rainer Maria Rilke, was an authentic homo viator throughout his life, always in search of propitious creative spaces. His long stays in Paris, his many journeys to Italy since his childhood, and his occasional residence in Spain to see in person the landscapes painted by El Greco, have left in his poetic and narrative work an imprint and a patina that, as readers and travelers, we can continue both through the pages and the urban and landscape environments written by Rilke. These literary routes constitute, at the same time, a relevant cultural resource for the creation of new tourist products supported in his poetic tracks. Consequently, in our article we defend the idea that the tourist manager, with a deep humanistic education, will be more imaginative and creative when launching new tourist products based on the resources offered by the perception of literary authors in their travels. We have focused our attention especially on the impressions and literary inspirations of the countries of southern Europe by a Central European author whose literary success is still alive ninety years after his death.