The context

Today one trend that has more impact on Alpine tourism is the explosion of the e-bike phenomenon: locations strongly oriented towards tourism have to manage the challenges and opportunities associated with it promptly and proactively.

Of considerable importance is also the problem of traffic congestion with the relative noise and environmental pollution. An issue that Alpine border areas have had to face in recent years.

Encouraging sustainable mobility has a positive effect on several factors:

• guest satisfaction, means people can experience the area in a broader way;
• environmental and social sustainability, providing new tourism models that can alleviate problems linked to traffic and at the same time increase the competitiveness of business in the area.

From 2019 to 2022, the MOBSTER project promoted e-mobility with the aim of creating a system of innovative and excellent environmentally aware tourism regions that are able to attract responsible tourists and educate traditional ones.

During the MOBSTER IV project, results were capitalised on by extending the feasibility study, concerning the transition of public transport to zero emissions, to the Verbano-Cusio-Ossola Province. In addition, the possibility of electrifying the Lake Orta ferries was analysed.