Protecting Natural and Cultural Heritage: Sustainable Tourism Development
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Tourism, Culture, and Heritage".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 January 2027
Special Issue Editors
Interests: territorial cooperation; cross-border governance; peripheral regions; EU cohesion policy; Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR); place marketing and regional branding; tourism development
Interests: sustainable development; spatial planning; tourism; place marketing; urbanization; green infrastructure
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
In recent decades, the dynamic growth of global tourism has become one of the most significant socio-economic phenomena of the modern world. While tourism contributes to economic growth and the improvement of living standards, it also generates new challenges for the protection of the natural environment and cultural heritage. The phenomenon of overtourism, which leads to the overburdening of popular destinations, results in the degradation of natural resources, the loss of cultural authenticity, and growing social tensions.
In the context of global challenges and the implementation of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), sustainable, responsible, and regenerative tourism has gained increasing importance. Its primary objective is to protect natural and cultural assets while supporting the development and resilience of local communities. The search for effective strategies that integrate economic, social, and environmental dimensions has become a key element of contemporary tourism policy and planning.
The aim of this Special Issue, “Protecting Natural and Cultural Heritage: Sustainable Tourism Development,” is to present the latest theoretical and empirical research on the protection of natural and cultural heritage within the framework of sustainable tourism. We invite contributions that explore innovative research methodologies and empirical analyses with practical and policy implications, offering system-based solutions that support the sustainable development of tourism at local, regional, and global levels.
Dr. Tomasz Studzieniecki
Dr. Beata Meyer
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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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. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2400 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
- sustainable tourism
- cultural heritage protection
- natural heritage conservation
- regenerative tourism
- responsible tourism
- overtourism management
- sustainable development goals (SDGs)
- destination management
- community resilience
- tourism policy and planning
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