Heritage conservation and reuses to promote sustainable growth

Abstract

The rapid urban growth in the Middle East Regions due to the colossal oil exportation has completely changed the traditional image of Arab cities. Many questions have been raised about the future growth directions in the post-oil era. The discussion has raised a profound debate between the recent growth of the new Arab cities and heritage preservation with the need to reuse national heritage in search of local identity and social values. Saudi Arabia has recently launched many campaigns targeting an excellent healthy urban growth model. The Saudi National Vision 2030 promotes sustainable and prosperous country growth by enhancing the values of local traditions and raising the awareness of heritage values for the inhabitants. The ancient Saudi societies have built extraordinary examples of local heritage that nowadays risk collapse and loss due to neglect. By preserving the local heritage and natural environment, the country aims to strengthen its national identity values and enhance local investments in tourism offers. In the last decades, visitors have reached 8 million people tripling the numbers, especially for visiting religious heritage sites. The government has financed many heritage restorations under the supervision of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH). The paper presents some recently completed restorative interventions for heritage reuse to achieve the Saudi Vision 2030, including religious buildings, old abandoned urban settlements, and archeological sites. Additionally, there are many plans to enhance the heritage tourist offer through urban planning processes and strategies. The aim is to reach a sustainable approach to target the healthy growth of the country and Saudi Arabian cities.