Italy has one of the richest and most well-known cultures and history. Interspersed between mountains and challenging terrain, even towns close to each other can develop exceptionally differently. Only those who make the trip to these small towns gain an understanding of their intricacies. This project will examine the history of several Italian towns, primarily focusing on their economy adapting to tourism becoming a larger part of it. I will conduct in-person interviews with the mayors, and any other officials who oversee the economic regulation of these towns to gain their perspectives on tourism and will look at the primary sources available. I will additionally be delving deeper into the specific mechanics behind how tourism integrates into the economy. The timeline of the project will be split between independent research in the US, and onsite work and research while in Italy. My project will culminate in a paper, featuring histories of the towns and accounts of economic conditions. I will also attempt to map the markers of successfully growing tourism economies in Italy using examples from established tourism economies there to help government officials in growing tourism economies. I will ask them to use the information as they see fit and to share it with any other town they think can use the data gathered in order to give context on what has worked in growing economies. As someone with Italian heritage, I hope to better understand the culture I come from, as well as give deserved attention to under-represented towns, like Onofrio, the town my family came from.