Stolen history: Community concern towards looting of cultural heritage and its tourism implications

Abstract

It has become increasingly commonplace to exhibit antiques and historical artefacts in cultural museums, prompted by the flourishing global art market. However, behind the phenomenon of blockbuster exhibitions in leading tourism cities throughout the world, lies the problem of looted cultural heritage. This study proposes a research framework combining conceptual and empirical approaches. The authors explore the previously neglected concerns of local communities towards the smuggling of cultural heritage property with particular reference to Yemen. Structural model development and assessment were performed using a dual analysis process that involved covariance-based structural equation modelling (CB-SEM) and partial least squares (PLS-SEM). The researchers propose six constructs that contribute significantly to sustainable tourism: direct protection management, trust in government, community participation and support for sustainable tourism. The study proposes critical insights about mitigating this global dilemma for implementation by international authorities, governments, nongovernmental organisations and scholars.