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Sustainable Heritage, Tourism and Communication: Theory and Practice

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A special issue of Heritage (ISSN 2571-9408).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2023) | Viewed by 33613

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Alba-María Martínez-Sala

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Guest Editor

Department of Communication and Social Psychology, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Alicante, Alicante, Spain
Interests: tourism digital marketing strategy; tourism communication strategy; relational marketing; experiential marketing; web 2.0; ICT in tourism; sustainable tourism

Dr. Almudena Barrientos-Báez

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Theories and Analysis of Communication, Faculty of Information Science, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Interests: tourism marketing; public relations; ICT; neuromarketing; neurocommunication; gender; use of social networks; communication
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. David Caldevilla Domínguez

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Guest Editor

Department of Theories and Analysis of Communication, Faculty of Information Science, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Interests: neurocommunication; neuromarketing; cinema; public relations; persuasive communication
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We invite you to participate in a Special Issue on sustainable heritage, taking into account the principles of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015.

Given the advantages of the tourism sector as an engine of economic and social development, the manifest need arises for countries to market quality products and services that do not negatively affect the degradation of their heritage. The preservation of these assets, material and immaterial, is a challenge constantly faced by destination marketing organizations (DMOs) in which sustainability plays a key role, as a controversial issue due to its triple dimension: social, environmental, but also economic. The lack of consensus is concentrated, to a great extent, with respect to the latter, since, in many cases, tourism has proven to be an effective way of maintaining heritage, providing the necessary financial means for it, but at the same time, it can lead to its degradation, and even disappearance when overexploited.

We are pleased to invite you to submit your contributions to this research field. It is of great importance to monitor the effects of tourism on remaining heritage, but also to formulate sustainable development plans for tourist destinations whose heritage has or could have tourist value. For this, the DMOs and managers, etc., require studies and research to provide them with guidelines and premises on how to convert their heritage into a tourist attraction, and how to exploit it for the benefit of society without undermining their identity and their preservation, thereby complying with the 17 SDGs.

This Special Issue aims to publish original research focused on these various topics related to sustainable heritage and tourism, review articles that discuss and present the current state of the field, as well as case studies and new perspectives.

Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

The effects of tourism on heritage
Sustainable development models for heritage sites
Management methods and tools dedicated to sustainable tourism and heritage
Implementation of sustainability criteria for tourism
Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for tourism
The role of ICT in the sustainability of heritage
The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on sustainable tourism and heritage
The preservation of heritage through the implementation of the tourist function
Communication and heritage

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Alba-María Martínez-Sala
Dr. Almudena Barrientos-Báez
Dr. David Caldevilla Domínguez
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

tourist communication
cultural site
heritage conservation
heritage demand
heritage management
heritage tourism
ICT
impacts of heritage
natural site
sightseeing
sustainable development goals
sustainability
tourist communication
tourism marketing and neuromarketing
world heritage sites

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 8463 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainable Stewardship of Egypt’s Iconic Heritage Sites: Balancing Heritage Preservation, Visitors’ Well-Being, and Environmental Responsibility

by Thowayeb H. Hassan, Muhanna Yousef Almakhayitah and Mahmoud I. Saleh

Heritage 2024, 7(2), 737-757; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage7020036 - 5 Feb 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3566

Abstract

While sustainability is widely recognized as necessary for managing heritage sites, balancing preservation demands with tourism development pressures presents significant challenges. A critical gap in the existing research relates to understanding the recurring issues that undermine the long-term sustainability of prominent archaeological destinations in Egypt and visitor well-being. Specifically, more research is needed to identify the specific sustainability and visitor experience problems that persist across Egypt’s major archaeological sites despite ongoing management efforts. Addressing this knowledge gap could help inform strategies for these destinations to balance conservation priorities with tourism in a more sustainable manner that enhances visitors’ cultural exploration. This study contributes a novel multisite content analysis of over 4423 online reviews from TripAdvisor pertaining to three of Egypt’s premier archaeological destinations—Giza Pyramids, Al Mu’izz Street, and Saqqara. Using established text mining methodologies and algorithms within Voyant Tools, critical challenges were identified through word frequency, concept network, and trend analyses. Recurring issues documented included uncontrolled commercialization undermining the ambiance of historic locales, environmental degradation from inadequate waste management and tourism overflows, and overcrowding compromising visitor comfort, health and safety. Deficiencies in signage, transportation, and other tourist services were also prominent themes. The holistic evaluation of cross-cutting concerns faced at the diverse yet interrelated sites advanced the theoretical knowledge on cooperative governance models and competencies necessary for integrative heritage management. The recommendations center on collaborative stakeholder partnerships to reform commercial practices through licensing and enforcement, upgrading aging infrastructure to support sustainable tourism volumes, and implementing zoning and carrying capacity policies tailored to local community contexts. The proposed solutions aim to safeguard Egypt’s irreplaceable cultural treasures by addressing recurrent problems that undermine environmental, economic and socio-cultural sustainability if left unresolved, positioning its archaeological wonders for appreciation and study by present and future generations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Heritage, Tourism and Communication: Theory and Practice)

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23 pages, 10752 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Clarifying Key Concerns about the Dating of Holy Relics: The Holy Chalice of the Last Supper at the Cathedral of Valencia

by Manuel Zarzo

Heritage 2024, 7(1), 139-161; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage7010007 - 30 Dec 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3331

Abstract

The Cathedral of Valencia, Spain, has preserved the so-called Holy Chalice of the Last Supper since 1437. It consists of a foot, a gold stem, and an upper cup carved in agate stone. Based on a pious tradition, this cup is supposed to be the one used by Jesus of Nazareth to institute the Eucharist. According to an archeological study published in 1960, this agate bowl was crafted around the 2nd–1st centuries BC, but people visiting this famous relic often wonder about its authenticity and about the evidence supporting it as a Hellenistic–Roman cup. Attempting to clarify this concern, a photographical characterization of the agate cup is presented and discussed. The main conclusions are the following: (i) The typology of the bowl is common to classical tableware, but the wall thickness, shape of the rim, and foot are typical of gemstone cups from the Hellenistic–Roman period. (ii) This cup would have been extremely valuable, which agrees with the location of the Cenacle in the aristocratic neighborhood of Jerusalem. This case study highlights the importance of further investigating the dating of historical objects as a key issue to support their authenticity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Heritage, Tourism and Communication: Theory and Practice)

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21 pages, 6922 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploring Vulnerability Indicators: Tourist Impact on Cultural Heritage Sites in High Arctic Svalbard

by Anne Cathrine Flyen, Cecilie Flyen and Atle Wehn Hegnes

Heritage 2023, 6(12), 7706-7726; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage6120405 - 15 Dec 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2196

Abstract

This article reports findings from two research projects that aimed to understand the vulnerabilities of cultural heritage sites in Svalbard and investigated factors that influence tourism-induced pressures and site degradation. It draws upon fieldwork conducted at ten selected historic locations, including interviews with tourists and guides, consultations with regional and central cultural heritage management authorities, on-site observations, and condition assessments. The primary goal was to explore indicators rendering cultural heritage sites susceptible to the impacts of tourism and human visitors. These indicators were common denominators and encompassed the sites’ physical state/degree of decay, legibility, accessibility, and quantity and quality of objects at the sites. This article seeks to enhance the understanding of these sites’ vulnerabilities and provide insights for effective heritage site management and sustainable tourism development. The principal findings highlight key factors contributing to cultural heritage sites’ vulnerability. These factors encompass intensity and frequency of visitor traffic, suboptimal visitor management strategies, tourists’ limited awareness of proper site behaviour and conservation practices, and restricted resources for site maintenance and protection. These findings can guide policymakers, site managers, and tourism stakeholders in formulating strategies to balance tourism promotion with site conservation, ensuring the long-term preservation of cultural heritage in this unique and vulnerable environment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Heritage, Tourism and Communication: Theory and Practice)

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16 pages, 1448 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Can Overtourism at Heritage Attractions Really Be Sustainably Managed? Lights and Shadows of the Experience at the Site of the Alhambra and Generalife (Spain)

by María García-Hernández, Manuel de la Calle-Vaquero and Victoria Chamorro-Martínez

Heritage 2023, 6(10), 6494-6509; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage6100339 - 23 Sep 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3473

Abstract

For a number of years, heritage resources have suffered the negative effects of tourist pressure. Overtourism has been generating a wide-ranging debate on this issue. This work focuses on the strategies and measures adopted to address overtourism during the last 30 years at heritage attractions, which are much less studied than urban heritage centres. Specifically, it analyses measures relating to the management of site capacities based on the concept of tourist carrying capacity, using content analysis as a methodology. We have used the Alhambra in Granada as a case study as one of the most visited Spanish World Heritage Sites. The results obtained reflect a strong consensus on the need to introduce measures to restrict tourist activity, although these measures imply a great effort in terms of management and tend to be taken advantage of by some stakeholders for their own benefit. The extensive time frame of the measures adopted allows us to reflect on the possibilities and limitations of dealing with overtourism by using capacity management strategies and to extract useful conclusions for other heritage sites with similar problems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Heritage, Tourism and Communication: Theory and Practice)

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19 pages, 2288 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Tourism Competitiveness in Eastern Africa: RCA and TTCI

by Zsuzsanna Bacsi, Abdi Shukri Yasin and Gabriella Bánhegyi

Heritage 2023, 6(9), 5997-6015; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage6090316 - 23 Aug 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 6382

Abstract

Eastern Africa is home to strikingly beautiful landscapes, unique wildlife and exotic cultural heritage that create outstanding tourism appeal. Unfortunately, these attractive features do not always translate to high tourism revenues. This paper focuses on analyzing the relationships between tourism performance indicators—arrivals, revenues and the revenue-based revealed comparative advantage (RCA)—and compare them to the components of destination facilities and endowments measured by the Tourism and Travel Competitiveness Index (TTCI). The analysis concentrates on Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, using secondary data from 2005 to 2017. The methodology applies correlation analysis and panel regression. As the results show, the TTCI and RCA are negatively correlated, but the components of the TTCI have different relationships to the RCA. Natural heritage positively influences the RCA, while cultural resources do not. The higher RCA values are also enhanced by better tourism services and better ground travel infrastructure. Similar analyses have been performed for Europe and some Asian countries, but not for Eastern Africa. The novelty of the present research is the fact that natural heritage resources can contribute considerably to tourism revenues, while cultural resources are not utilized to their full potential in terms of tourism success. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Heritage, Tourism and Communication: Theory and Practice)

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64 pages, 67129 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Modernism in the Mediterranean: Omiš, Croatia, Urban and Architectural Development of the Dalmatian City in the Second Half of the 20th Century

by Zrinka Barišić Marenić and Vesna Perković Jović

Heritage 2023, 6(5), 3921-3984; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage6050208 - 25 Apr 2023

Viewed by 2380

Abstract

Omiš is characterised by an exceptional layering of its natural environment and historical architecture, which is why its modern achievements have not been fully researched so far. The aim of this scientific paper is a more comprehensive study of the modern architecture of Omiš of the second half of the 20th century. Its architectural corpus has remained in the shadow of modern architectural realisations of the nearby city of Split, which belongs to the same prominent protagonists of modernity. Work methods in this paper have included the analysis of primary and secondary sources and research of the current situation in the field. This work, for the first time, gives a systematic presentation of the modern architecture of this picturesque town while the elements of the author’s expression integrate features of modern architecture and reinterpret the tradition of life in the Mediterranean. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Heritage, Tourism and Communication: Theory and Practice)

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16 pages, 1441 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Sustainability of Gastronomic Heritage and Its Significance for Regional Tourism Development

by Bojana Kalenjuk Pivarski, Biljana Grubor, Maja Banjac, Bojan Đerčan, Dragan Tešanović, Stefan Šmugović, Goran Radivojević, Velibor Ivanović, Vesna Vujasinović and Tamara Stošić

Heritage 2023, 6(4), 3402-3417; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage6040180 - 24 Mar 2023

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 5084

Abstract

Gastronomy, as a part of cultural heritage, has exceptional potential in tourism, and its key representatives and conservationists/guardians are hospitality facilities that provide food services. Vojvodina (the Republic of Serbia) is a region inhabited by more than 30 ethnic minorities that have nurtured their cultural heritage and have been incorporating it into gastronomy for many years. The subject of this paper is the gastronomy of ethnic groups in Vojvodina and its significance for tourism development from the point of view of hospitality workers as important actors in the sustainability of heritage. One of the motives behind this study is the twelfth UN sustainable development goal (SDGs) defined in 2015, which refers to providing sustainable forms of consumption and production and which emphasizes the development and application of tools for monitoring the impact that sustainable development has on tourism that promotes local culture and products (12b). The aim of this study was to obtain data on the preservation of heritage, that is, on authenticity within the region/area and ethnic groups, and then to perform a valorization of dishes and define steps on how to make gastronomic heritage a more visible tourist attraction, from the perspective of sustainability. Our survey included a sample of 508 respondents, all employees in the hospitality industry. The obtained results were statistically processed. The research showed that the Južnabačka district has the greatest importance in tourism from the aspect of the implementation, preservation, and sustainability of gastronomic heritage in tourism. Among the ethnic groups, the Vojvodina Hungarians place the greatest importance on the preservation of gastronomy, which includes dishes such as goulash and uses ingredients such as river fish. The research led to the conclusion that those in the hospitality industry are of the opinion that gastronomic heritage should be promoted through activities such as tourist exposure, marketing activities, and promoting the diversity of authentic food offers in catering facilities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Heritage, Tourism and Communication: Theory and Practice)

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15 pages, 759 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Wine Hotels—Intangible Heritage, Storytelling and Co-Creation in Specific Tourism Offer

by Tamara Floričić and Ketrin Jurica

Heritage 2023, 6(3), 2990-3004; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage6030159 - 12 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2959

Abstract

This paper researches aspects of affirmation of intangible heritage and the valorisation of viniculture through themed wine hotels that offer integral wine experiences as well as satisfy tourists’ needs for individualism. This paper aims to explore the intangible cultural heritage through thematic wine hotels and identify special tourism products and experiences created via storytelling and co-creation that impact its competitiveness. The research design includes the selection process of wine hotels in the international context, a comparative analysis of themed hotel offers online promotions, and original research of themed offers. Data is analysed using qualitative and quantitative methodology, including statistical processing. Developed under the concept of wine tourism, themed accommodation facilities—wine hotels—are the core value in the creation of an integral wine experience. However, the research results indicate that international wine hotels do not affirm all the potential and possibilities of creating specific products and do not realise their full competitiveness. The results form a platform for the proposal of a competitiveness model, which synergically affirms hotel core competencies, expressed through tangible and intangible features, sustainability, experiences, co-creation, special advantages and marketing mix elements. Recommendations for wine hotels’ new competitiveness represent an additional contribution of the paper and point to new considerations directed towards innovations, creativity and affirmation of intangible heritage. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Heritage, Tourism and Communication: Theory and Practice)

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21 pages, 5497 KiB

Open AccessArticle

New Socio-Spatial Reading of a Remarkable Landscape Located in Testour, toward a Heritage Setting of a Moorish Site

by Sahar Karray, Ángel Raúl Ruiz Pulpón and Hichem Rejeb

Heritage 2023, 6(2), 2247-2267; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage6020119 - 20 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2033

Abstract

Traditional conservation efforts have not improved conditions in most historic Tunisian cities. However, the changes adopted at the international level in historical urban conservation, based on urban vitality and regions’ sustainability, open horizons to new approaches of reading. Testour, a Moorish city of northern Tunisia, presents one of the historical centers most anchored in identity and the least studied. Our study aims at initiating a new transdisciplinary reading approach that provides a link between time, spaces, actors, culture and sustainability. To do so, we followed a methodological process with a gradual logic that led to a comprehensive management project. This approach presents a set of analytical methodological procedures, which consider historicity in conjunction with a global diagnostic of the landscape in favor of the evaluation of historic centers. This method enabled us to establish a new map showing the structural and functional evolution of Testour throughout history, identifying the valuation indicators and the attributes of global management. This work presents a new reading grid of Testour, including the structural, functional, values and heritage attributes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Heritage, Tourism and Communication: Theory and Practice)

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