Users' needs and business models for a sustainable mobility information network in the Alpine Space

The paper investigates what are the possible business models allowing to maintain a Sustainable Mobility Information Network for the Alpine Space. The starting point was the lack of an integrative door-to-door information system in the Alpine regions and the project aimed at providing travellers with comprehensive information about sustainable transport modes beyond regional and national borders. To this end a survey has been designed using a quali-quantitative method (web-questionnaire and focus groups) to investigate the needs of the tourist and transport operators. The sample included all the main actors in the transport and tourism field active in the territory of the five pilot regions: Piemonte (Italy), Rhone Alpes-Paca (France), Lake Constance and Lake Chiemsee (Germany), Gorizia (Italy) and Nova Gorica (Slovenia). The research has showed that there is not a single solution to define a unique business model for the tools developed by AlpInfoNet and has, likewise, developed specific actions and approaches according to the target users. (C) 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.