Strategies, policies and tools for an integrated World Heritage management approach

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to outline the strategies, policies and tools used in the World Heritage city “Old town of Regensburg/Germany with Stadtamhof” to face specific challenges. Even in a short period of time the city set up a management system which is working with an integrated approach to deal with all World Heritage issues.Design/methodology/approachTheoretical and practical UNESCO guidelines are the framework for each World Heritage property. On the local, regional and national level there are a multitude of parameters and stakeholders that must be integrated into the management of urban World Heritage properties to ensure that they are safeguarded.FindingsThis paper makes proposals on how to implement sustainable integrated World Heritage management, giving practical examples on how to include various stakeholders.Practical limitations/implicationsThis paper is not a comparative case study using a variety of other World Heritage sites for comparison. The individual structures and different heritage values need specific and adapted solutions in each UNESCO World Heritage site. Nevertheless some of the tools, strategies and policies described can be transferred to other historic cities. Depending on size, number of inhabitants, intensity of tourism, as well as ownership, economical environment, governance, etc., the model has to be adapted to the specific local situation.Originality/valueThis paper presents a novel integrated World Heritage management approach for urban World Heritage sites, describing new tools and strategies to sustainably integrate cultural heritage in the urban development.