Evaluation Approach to the Integrated Valorization of Territorial Resources: The Case Study of the Tyrrhenian Area of the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria

The paper deals with the topic of integrated territorial valorization strategies, presenting the first step of a research project on the case study of the Tyrrhenian area of the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria. In a theoretical view that leads to rethinking European development models in areas characterized by considerable marginality, the paper copes with the weakness/opportunities of lagging areas and the vision of the territory as a system of social, cultural, economic, and natural features. The methodology is based on the definition of evaluative tools enabling the identification of effective and coherent concepts for understanding, and planning to enhance, territorial attractiveness. This preliminary stage of the project aims to verify the preconditions for the establishment of a local, attractive system, combining socioeconomic analysis, identification of thematic attractors, and the study of financial territorial allocation. The paper’s results contribute to the scientific debate on the role of the “knowledge phase” in the dynamics of sustainable development, highlighting critical elements and opportunities for implementing an integrated valorization strategy of the case-study area.