Heritage Tourism and Sustainable City Dynamics

Dear Colleagues,

Heritage visits represent one of the main drivers of the dynamics of historic centres and the development of conservation, safeguarding, and sustainability of the heritage in these places. We have witnessed a profound regeneration of the landscape of historic cities and a greater concern for the conservation of the historical heritage, resulting from successive dynamics that promote heritage visits and tourism development. These dynamics are not only centred on heritage, but also increase the economic benefits for the communities of residents who find other forms of income and more job opportunities, constituting an important means of developing social equity, reducing inequalities, and increasing sustainability.

At the same time, the dynamics surrounding historical heritage can also constitute risks if there is no concern for the balance between visits and the protection and safeguarding of the heritage. In this sense, the dynamics of historic centres must count on a broad dialogue and great cooperation between the various actors involved in order to manage the historic centre and visits in a sustainable manner, acting in the protection of the values intrinsic to cultural heritage.

It is therefore necessary to identify the main risks inherent in heritage tourism and to identify cases, methodologies, and strategies that promote the sustainable use of cultural heritage and its constant surveillance.

There is still a scarcity of scientific literature on these and other related topics. With this Special Issue, we aim to fill these gaps by encouraging researchers from different areas to explore the possibilities of research on these themes in a multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, diachronic and/or synchronised, and transversal way.

Possible themes:

1. Landscape character and heritage safeguarding
2. Regenerative tourism and resilient cities
3. Heritage capacity-building strategies
4. Armed conflict, heritage safeguarding, and city tourism dynamics
5. City's sustainable policies and methodologies in heritage tourism
6. Universal accessibility in historic centres
7. Heritage tourism and sustainable development
8. Challenges and sustainability of heritage tourism
9. Innovation and sustainability of heritage tourism
10. Historical centres and adaptive reuse
11. Interpretation, valorization, and communication of heritage tourism
12. Urban and sustainable dynamics of heritage tourism
13. Risks and challenges of heritage tourism

Prof. Dr. Fátima Matos Silva
Prof. Dr. Isabel Vaz de Freitas
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.

• heritage tourism
• cultural tourism
• heritage safeguard
• city tourism dynamics

Title: Tourists’ perceptions of sustainable heritage management for tourism in the city of Porto
Authors: Makhabbat Ramazanova; Fátima Matos Silva; Isabel Freitas
Affiliation: Portucalense University, Porto
Abstract: This research explores the perceptions of tourists regarding the state and sustainable management of tangible cultural heritage in the city of Porto, a destination recognized for its historical and cultural heritage. Porto attracts a growing number of tourists due to its rich heritage, encompassing cultural, architectural, and scenic elements. This rising demand necessitates sustainable management practices to protect the city's heritage and ensure its long-term sustainability. With the increase in tourism and the need to preserve cultural and environmental resources, sustainable management becomes essential to balance economic development and heritage conservation. The main objective of the study is to analyze the perceptions of tourists about the sustainable management of the cultural heritage of the city of Porto. It focuses on analysing current tourism management practices and proposing new strategies to promote sustainability. Structured questionnaires were distributed to a random sample of tourists in strategic locations and online between January and April 2023, obtaining quantitative data. The sample consists of 320 respondents. The results revealed that most respondents show a high level of awareness and appreciation of sustainability and its relevance for heritage conservation. Regarding tourism, the majority agree that it contributes positively to the conservation and restoration of the city's heritage.

Title: Culture as a dimension of territorial development: PCI safeguarding plan for the knotted carpet weaving technique of Guano, Chimborazo, Ecuador
Authors: Claudia Patricia Maldonado Erazo; Susana Monserrat Zurita Polo; María de la Cruz del Río-Rama; José Álvarez-García
Affiliation: Escuela Superior Politécnica de Chimborazo, Riobamba, Ecuador; Escuela Superior Politécnica de Chimborazo, Riobamba, Ecuador; María de la Cruz del Río-Rama, Universidad de Vigo, Ourense, España; José Álvarez-García, Universidad de Extremadura, Cáceres, España
Abstract: The Plan for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (PCI) of the handcrafted textile technique of knotted carpet weaving in Guano, was born out of a local need where concern is expressed about the erosion and lack of appreciation of the ancestral manifestations and knowledge linked to the textile technique, due to the accelerated globalisation of society, a fact that has caused intergenerational transmission to be minimal, resulting in a gradual cultural erosion and loss of the collective memory of the Guaneños. The study process has been constituted in a participatory action-research work with the bearers of knowledge and practices related to this textile art, with the purpose of giving value to this intangible heritage and thus revitalise it through its social use by means of cultural, creative and tourist industries, since around the production of carpets, knowledge, techniques and processes related to spinning, dyeing and use of looms, as well as pre-Columbian and modern design, are accumulated and transmitted. The information collected on the traditional craft technique was built from the development of cultural revitalisation processes that correspond to in-depth interviews and participatory workshops with the bearers of the knowledge. During the process, an increase in the exchange of knowledge was observed, as well as the constant cultural insurgence in which it is maintained, all of this to sustain over time the skills, abilities and creativity of the artisans who are dedicated to this activity, a context that has been linked to the practice of tourism, by generating various tourist products derived from this safeguarding process. Keywords: intangible cultural heritage, social use, safeguarding, tourist use, carpets, Guano, Ecuador.

Title: ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTION, CHARACTERIZATION, AND MOTIVATIONS OF TOURISTS: THE RAYMI LLAQTA IN PERU
Authors: FRANKLIN OMAR ZAVALETA CHÁVEZ ARROYO; ALEX JAVIER SÁNCHEZ - PANTALEÓN; MILENA LETICIA WEEPIU; JHUNNIORS PUSCAN; ROSSE MARIE ESPARZA – HUAMANCHUMO
Affiliation: Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza de Amazonas; Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola
Abstract: This study assesses the economic contribution and motivations of tourists attending Raymi Llaqta festival in Chachapoyas, Peru. The research used an econometric analysis based on the application of two types of regression models: non-zero truncated Poisson regression and zero-truncated negative binomial regression. Data were collected through face-to-face structured interviews among domestic and foreign tourists who visited Chachapoyas during the festival. Results indicate significant spending on accommodation, food, transportation, and activities, with foreign tourists averaging USD 780 and domestic tourists USD 692. Tourist satisfaction averaged 3.7, with notable appreciation for the festival's variety, authenticity, local hospitality, and safety. While both foreign and domestic tourists expressed positive views on the cultural representation and organization of the event, they suggested improvements in hygiene and promotional efforts. Despite using a structured questionnaire, response bias could affect the accuracy of self-reported experiences. This research provides valuable insights into the festival's direct economic impact on the local economy and highlights the importance of high tourist satisfaction for effective marketing strategies. Keywords: Cultural tourism, Economic contribution, Raymi Llaqta, Tourist profile, Visitor satisfaction Date of submission: The manuscript is ready for submission if you indicate to me that it is suitable.