Sustainable Cultural Tourism: Phenomena, Forms, Relationships and Best Practices

Dear Colleagues,

The aim of this Special Issue is to show progress in current research and literature on cultural tourism, considering the context of meeting the criteria for sustainable tourism. In particular, this Special Issue of the peer-reviewed international journal Sustainability aims to expand the discussion and scholarly debate on different perspectives, trends, approaches, cases, impacts, challenges, models, and/or frameworks related to culture and sustainable tourism.

According to UN Tourism, cultural tourism is a modern phenomenon, currently representing approximately 40% of global tourism. Cultural tourism can be sustainable if properly managed, emphasizing heritage protection and supporting local communities. However, in its mass form, it often threatens heritage sites and culture. To be sustainable, it must minimize negative impacts and provide long-term benefits for the environment and culture. Sustainable cultural tourism integrates heritage, environmental, and community management to create lasting social, economic, and environmental benefits. It balances visitors’ needs, taking into account people with special needs, with the preservation of local traditions and ecosystems, providing authentic experiences that support, rather than exploit, host communities.

Key challenges include managing the conflict between economic growth and nature conservation and addressing the environmental problems caused by tourism.

This Special Issue aims to further explore sustainable tourism practices in cultural tourism. Please send articles on topics such as:

1. Links between cultural tourism and accessible, responsible, and sustainable tourism;
2. The multifaceted nature of cultural tourism in the context of the diversity of its forms and types;
3. Shaping, planning, development, and adaptation of sustainable space for the needs of cultural tourism;
4. Regenerative cultural tourism;
5. Protecting monuments, traditions, and intangible heritage from excessive tourism;
6. Using technology to enrich, rather than replace, visitor experiences at heritage sites;
7. Engaging local communities and promoting their culture without commercial degradation;
8. Managing tourist traffic to avoid the destruction of monuments and infrastructure;
9. Educating and training staff for sustainable cultural tourism;
10. The role of local governments and tourism organizations in ensuring the accessibility of destinations;
11. Economic aspects of the development of sustainable cultural tourism;
12. Promoting local, small, and medium-sized enterprises and diversifying economies to reduce seasonal dependency;
13. Shaping tourists' awareness of respect for the places they visit;
14. Creating experiences in cultural tourism;
15. Cultural tourism services for all, both visitors and residents, including authenticity and sustainable cultural tourism for the younger generation;
16. Scenarios for the development of sustainable cultural tourism;
17. Digitalization in smart tourism, cultural heritage, and creativity aspects, enhancing visitor experiences;
18. The use of artificial intelligence and modern technologies in sustainable cultural tourism.

Prof. Dr. Zygmunt Kruczek
Dr. Katarzyna Gmyrek
Dr. Karolina Korbiel
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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.

• cultural tourism
• sustainable tourism
• inclusive tourism
• heritage
• regenerative tourism
• smart destination
• visitor experiences
• development and planning
• overtourism
• managing
• resilience
• accessible tourism
• responsible tourism
• social tourism
• integrative tourism
• sustainable construction
• motives and preferences
• smart destinations
• overtourism
• artificial intelligence
• tourism organizations
• local governments