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The lesser-known tourist destinations thanks to new technologies are experiencing a period of growth and development. Sharing economy has given new opportunities to smaller places, in particular the villages that are living a difficult period due to depopulation. The revival of small villages has been supported by the spread of good practices which, with the help of the Internet and the sharing economy, has led to a greater social, economic and tourist growth. The opportunities to emerge on the international market have increased thanks to the introduction of web and social networks. Information and communications technologies (ICTs) help overcome accessibility and isolation problems in some places. Sharing resources and increasingly democratic communication channels have been the basis for the creation of a new economy based on authenticity, unique experiences and consequently a slow tourism linked to rural villages. The aim of this research is to show how the sharing economy is important for the development of little villages; technologies in particular help the less-known destinations to grow up economically and socially. This research analyzes the concept of authenticity, very important for the experiential tourism and the sustainability considered the key for a good development of places. Then it considered the idea of technologies related to the development of little villages, with some example of good practice from Italy.

This chapter will deal with the issue of how to communicate about tourist destinations in times of crisis, with particular reference to the current coronavirus pandemic. Having affected the whole planet, the COVID-19 pandemic has determined and will also cause serious consequences in many different industries in the next future. It will have a heavy negative impact also in the tourism sector, especially regarding the visitors' perceptions of danger and the current suspension of travels. Today many nations and geographic areas are still in lockdown, but efforts are already being made, in some cases, to adopt recovery marketing strategies in order to reassure consumers and to prepare them for the future reopening of the destinations. In particular, some forms of communication adopted through Instagram by various destinations will be examined and the different strategies will be compared to assess their strengths and weaknesses.