Heritage and Tourism: Balancing Education, Innovation, and Sustainable Development
A special issue of Heritage (ISSN 2571-9408). This special issue belongs to the section "Cultural Heritage".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 10
Special Issue Editors
Interests: palaeolithic; prehistory; prehistoric archaeology; taphonomy; experimental archaeology; archaeology; reffiting bones; cultural heritage; cultural tourism
Interests: cultural tourism; sustainable tourism; loyalty and tourist management of heritage cities
Interests: alternative economy; local agri-food systems; tourism; heritage industrial; heritage cultural; heritage; landscape; territorial development; sustainable tourism; territorial planning
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
This Special Issue invites scholarly contributions that critically examine the complex and evolving relationship between cultural heritage and tourism within the framework of education, innovation, and sustainability. Across the world, heritage sites—both tangible and intangible—are facing increasing pressures arising from growing visitation, commercialization, climate change, and the rising demand for novel, authentic, and immersive experiences. At the same time, heritage education represents a unique opportunity to foster local development among visitors, strengthen community identity, and promote heritage awareness on a global scale. The triad of tourism, education, and sustainability constitutes a key foundation for promoting responsible tourism that safeguards both natural and cultural resources.
This issue seeks studies that contribute theoretical perspectives, methodological innovations, or evidence-based analyses addressing how tourism can coexist harmoniously with the protection of cultural and natural heritage. Submissions may explore topics such as integrated management approaches, participatory governance, technological tools for interpretation, impact assessment, and community-driven strategies that ensure cultural continuity. Multidisciplinary research is particularly encouraged, especially studies that integrate education, archaeology, anthropology, museography, history, geography, architecture, art, conservation science, economics, and policy studies.
As editors, we invite experts, emerging scholars, and practitioners to contribute to a dialogue that embraces education, innovation, and responsibility in tourism, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda. The aim of this Special Issue is to provide a rigorous scientific platform to rethink and debate the future of heritage tourism and to promote solutions that safeguard cultural and natural values while enabling sustainable socio-economic growth that benefits local communities, strengthens cultural identities, and fosters responsible tourism.
Prof. Dr. María Cristina Fernández-Laso
Prof. Dr. María-Dolores Sánchez-Sánchez
Prof. Dr. Obdulia Monteserín-Abella
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Heritage is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- cultural heritage
- sustainable tourism
- heritage management
- conservation strategies
- community participation
- cultural landscapes
- tourism impacts
- innovation in heritage interpretation
- sustainable development
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