Landscape and economy

Many researches in the last decades highlighted that landscape quality affects people’s wellbeing. It has been seen that the quality of the landscape interacts with numerous physiological parameters of an individual and that more pleasant landscapes tend to improve overall personal health. Following these researches it can be argued that man prefers landscapes where he feels better, and, in general, he tries to pass as much time as possible in such landscapes, so it is possible to state that a demand exists for landscape quality. The people’s need for landscape quality determined an increasing flow of tourists and recreationists towards natural or semi-natural areas. In this respect some studies highlighted that landscape is one of the most important factors that influence the choice of recreational and tourism destinations. On the other hand the landscape quality can have a positive effect on real estate value since people are willing to pay a premium price for the dwellings located close to green areas or open spaces. Considering that landscape perception has both emotional and cognitive bases, its influence on human behaviour goes beyond recreational activity. Some studies recently put on evidence that the landscape characteristics can influence the consumers’ perception of food quality or their buying habits.