Cultural Routes Research Articles

Value-based optimization model for cultural route design: Ancient Water Supply Heritage of Istanbul (Türkiye)

Cultural tourism has become an increasingly growing human activity in today's world. Therefore, various cultural/natural heritage areas or buildings face large tourist crowds, causing physical, social, or cultural deterioration. Cultural routes, which provide a systematic approach and planned tourists move, can reduce the negative effects of overtourism. This study aims to develop an optimization model as a supportive tool for the cultural route design process. The proposed optimization model aims to maximize cultural experience while satisfying constraints on heritage values, building types, historical eras, and general routing rules. Moreover, this model, creating optimized cultural routes, is expected to contribute to regulating economic income and tourist density. As a case study, the ancient water supply systems of Istanbul, inherited from the Roman and the Ottoman empires and currently overlooked, are investigated. Heritage values, mentioned in the extensive literature, are reviewed and the values/attributes for this study are appointed according to the characteristics of the case heritage assets, and their environment. The values of the case structures are evaluated with value analysis after field study. An optimum cultural route for Istanbul's historical water supply heritage, according to the objective and the constraints of the model, is obtained by solving the model with the case data. The resulting route can make this overlooked heritage of Istanbul recognized and spread the tourist density in the city center. The model is flexible, allowing for easy modification of the objective function, constraints, and values when designing routes across various heritage sites. This model can be used not only in the design of new cultural routes but also in optimizing existing routes.

Main routes and attractions of Crimea in the sphere of art tourism

This article examines the key routes and attractions of Crimea, which play a significant role in the development of art tourism on the peninsula. Crimea, with its rich historical and cultural heritage, attracts artists, writers and art lovers from all over the world. In the article, we analyze the most interesting points, such as: Bakhchisarai, Yalta, Sevastopol and Simferopol, where art galleries, museums, plein airs and cultural events are concentrated. Particular attention is paid to places of nature that inspired famous artists, as well as modern art spaces that contribute to the development of creative initiatives. During the study, we note the impact of art tourism on the economy of the region and its potential for the sustainable development of the cultural environment of Crimea. The article also includes recommendations for organizing cultural routes for tourists, taking into account the artistic context, which contributes to immersion in the unique atmosphere of Crimean art.

A Cultural Route Recommendation Based on Optimization Techniques in Urban Spaces

A Cultural Route Recommendation Based on Optimization Techniques in Urban Spaces

Evaluation of local people's perceptions, satisfaction, and support for tourism regarding the Şanlıurfa culture route festival

This study aims to determine the participants' perceptions, satisfaction, and support for tourism regarding the Şanlıurfa Culture Route Festival. The participants' perceptions of the festival's social, individual, economic, and touristic benefits significantly influence their satisfaction levels. Among these, perceived economic and personal benefits impact festival satisfaction the most. Furthermore, participants' satisfaction with the festival substantially affects their support for tourism development. Accordingly, the positive perception of the benefits associated with the festival influences satisfaction levels, and high satisfaction levels directly impact tourism development support in the destination. Analysing the averages of the responses given by participants to the scales, it is found that the festival helps alleviate daily stress, contributes to the promotion of the region, provides social interaction opportunities for local people, increases the business volume of local enterprises and that the events organised during the festival are sufficient. Additionally, it has been observed that participants intend to attend the Culture Route Festival again and strongly support tourism development.

Cultural Routes Through the Perspective of Sustainable Mobility: A Critical Literature Review

ABSTRACTSustainable mobility strategies in the locale could facilitate cultural routes' social, economic, cultural, and environmental mandates. The purpose of this article is to explore the beneficial practices of sustainable mobility on cultural routes through a systematic literature review. The ultimate objective is to summon the sustainable mobility strategies implemented on cultural routes that could positively affect the economic, social, environmental, and cultural environments of a destination. A systematic literature review was initiated through the protocol of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses methodology. The meta‐synthesis approach resulted in identifying five sustainable mobility policy recommendations suitable for cultural route development. Slow mobility practices, drive tourism, mobility infrastructures along cultural routes, accessibility into cultural routes, and urban mobility are fundamental for the creation of an efficient sustainable mobility plan to support cultural routes and achieve a sustainable tourism future for regions.

New Challenges to Managing Cultural Routes: The Visitor Perspective

In recent decades, cultural routes have become increasingly important in the tourism offerings of rural destinations. It is vital to identify the factors that visitors consider important to their satisfaction with a cultural route and its overall impact on a tourist destination. This paper employs Principal Components Analysis (PCA) to investigate the dimensions of visitor satisfaction on cultural routes. A survey assessed satisfaction with 37 specific aspects of a cultural route in a tourist destination, revealing three key dimensions: satisfaction with destination characteristics, tourism infrastructure, and the cultural roots offerings. The findings highlight the need to move beyond traditional models of tourist satisfaction that focus on specific experiences and instead explore overall factors contributing to tourist satisfaction with a destination. The study examines cultural routes in rural regions of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County in Croatia and neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina. The scientific findings have significant implications for cultural route managers, aiding in the innovation and creation of offerings that will enhance tourist and visitor satisfaction.

Heritage as a Driver of Sustainable Tourism Development: The Case Study of the Darb Zubaydah Hajj Pilgrimage Route

Heritage plays a pivotal role in sustainable tourism development along pilgrimage and historical routes, shaping the identity and character of these places. This study aims to investigate the relationship between heritage and tourism along the Darb Zubaydah pilgrimage route in Saudi Arabia, exploring strategies for developing sustainable tourism that preserves cultural and natural heritage while promoting local economies and community engagement. This research employs a mixed-method approach, integrating data collection and observational research along the Darb Zubaydah route, the main historic Hajj pilgrimage route connecting Kufa in Iraq to Makkah in Saudi Arabia. The chosen case study is analyzed through four heritage sustainable criteria: cultural, environmental, spatial, and economic development, through a cross-sectional analysis of the aspects related to safety measures and risk management. The results demonstrate that including the four criteria in the development of the pilgrimage route leads to defining strategic solutions to enhance this tourist trail for pilgrims, promoting the cultural landscape and heritage by strengthening the sense of identity via a sustainable approach. This study wants to contribute to Vision 2030 to enhance the development of tourism by revitalizing the Islamic, Arab, and national cultural heritage, offering insights into sustainable tourism practices that can be applied to other cultural routes globally.

A Literature Review on Cultural Routes: Bibliometric Analysis with Vosviewer

Understanding the evolution of interconnected cultures and individuals, resembling a complex network, cultural routes serve as bridges between the past and the future, offering the key to cultural richness, diversity, and change. Defined as paths gathered around a specific theme, expressing a common value, cultural routes aim to preserve cultural heritage and support sustainable development and local economic growth. The concept of cultural routes, increasingly present in the literature, is addressed by various researchers through publications in different categories. This study aims to conduct a bibliometric analysis by examining publications related to cultural routes to reveal the dimensions of interaction between researchers and the impacts of their work. Utilizing the Web of Science database with data obtained in September 2023 using the keywords “cultural routes” and “cultural route”, a bibliometric analysis was conducted using the VosViewer program, examining a total of 236 publications. The study is considered significant in determining the direction of the trend in the literature regarding cultural routes.

Research on Traditional Village Spatial Differentiation from the Perspective of Cultural Routes: A Case Study of 338 Villages in the Miao Frontier Corridor

The traditional villages in the Miao Frontier Corridor are the products of migrations, social interactions, and transportation, as well as production interchanges between the central plains and the frontiers of China in ancient times. They have made significant contributions to local multicultural inheritance and regional social development. However, with the increasing pressure of heritage conservation and sustainable development, there is growing attention on how traditional villages can tap into their cultural continuity and distinctiveness. This study introduces the concept of cultural routes, with the aim of integrating traditional villages of different ethnicities, regions, and characteristics from the perspective of diversity. It analyzes their spatial differentiation characteristics and the factors influencing them, providing basic support for the overall protection of traditional villages with special characteristics. Following this idea, 338 remaining traditional villages in the Miao Frontier Corridor were selected as the research objects. With the help of 91-satellite maps and a geographic information system (GIS), a cultural and geographic database of the traditional villages in the Miao Frontier Corridor was constructed to objectively explore the roles of the traditional villages’ natural geography, historical, and humanistic elements in the spatial categorization on a large scale. This study shows that the spatial distribution of the traditional villages in the Miao Frontier Corridor is uneven, exhibiting a cluster structure with of a “single primary nucleus with multiple secondary nuclei”. The spatial differentiation of traditional villages exhibits a similar clustering pattern based on individual natural geographic factors, such as elevation, mountain undulation, slope, and water systems. Additionally, there is discernible regularity concerning historical and humanistic factors, such as ethnicity type, age of village establishment, and the presence of guard stations. Further exploring the micro-spatial level, the natural geographical environment serves as the structural foundation of traditional village space, while the historical and humanistic environment fosters multiple differentiations in traditional village space in terms of influencing factors. Together, these factors jointly influence the spatial differentiation of traditional villages. This study enriches the dynamic aspects of linear cultural heritage preservation and also provides new insights into the specialized development within the overall protection of traditional villages.

Cultural route heritage as mobility narrative: the world heritage inscription of China’s Grand Canal

ABSTRACT The Grand Canal is a network which for over one millennium connected the rice growing regions of southern China with the centres of political power in the north. During the 19th and 20th centuries it fell into decline. In the 1980s calls for the Grand Canal’s heritage preservation appeared. China’s heritage system was transitioning from a focus on ‘cultural relics’ to that of ‘cultural heritage’. This transition involved the theorisation, construction, and governance of a ‘cultural market’ in the context of an expanding leisure economy and mobile society. We seek here to outline features of the heritagisation of the Grand Canal that constitute an example of cultural route heritage as mobility narrative. Firstly, we bring attention to the ways in which the ‘Dayunhe’ was rediscovered, valorised and subject to a dramatic transformation in its conceived heritage value. Secondly, we examine how the Grand Canal is indicative of China’s growing interest in ‘mobility narratives’ including that of the Belt and Road Initiative. We argue that this not only reflects the project to develop narratives that bind the population to the story of the nation, but also the expansion in mobility and connectivity domestically and internationally.

Cultural Routes as Cultural Tourism Products for Heritage Conservation and Regional Development: A Systematic Review

Cultural routes are a composite set of heritage sites that refer to historical routes of human communication. As key products of cultural tourism, they provide visitors with rich cultural experiences across regions. We systematically review reports and studies related to the tourism development of 38 cultural route cases worldwide, with a special focus on their distribution, typology, planning patterns, and tools for cultural tourism. We summarized eight tools and found some differences in how often these eight tools are used by the different types of routes and different planning patterns for route tourism. This study also developed an evaluation system based on the conservation principles of cultural routes to determine how different tourism tools affect the conservation and development of historical regions. Although tourism decision-makers have made numerous efforts to protect and develop cultural routes, there are still many problems and challenges in the process of tourism development along cultural routes. We conclude the paper by making recommendations for decision-makers and researchers concerning future route tourism planning and study.

Ottoman heritage in Serbia on a cultural route: students’ attitudes

Cultural heritage is an important part of the cultural identity of any nation. The care of cultural heritage includes the protection and preservation of the material heritage of the majority nation and the heritage of all other ethnic communities that have left their cultural traces in the area under consideration. The protection of cultural heritage reflects the maturity of a society. That’s why the approach to the protection of cultural monuments should not be selective, narrow and strictly national, but comprehensive, preserving the cultural values of earlier eras and peoples as a general civilisational asset. The research aims to reveal how today’s youth perceive the Ottoman heritage in Serbia, their emotional relationship with it, and whether they recognise the Ottoman heritage as a possible resource for tourism in Serbia. The results indicate that the student population perceives the positive aspects of the Ottoman era in this region, as reflected in the legacy of Oriental culture and the multi-ethnic and multicultural order, to a large extent. Architectural heritage, gastronomy and intangible heritage (language and literature, legends, music, dances, traditions) are largely recognised as representative of the Ottoman cultural heritage and foreign influences on national culture. Their potential for tourism has also been recognised. However, the possible obstacles in the development process of the cultural route are foreseen in strong nationalism and negative collective memory, which were identified as key barriers.

Modeling the paths of ethno-political traditions and building cultural routes by means of ethnodesign and GIS

The growing value of distinctive culture in the context of modern global civilisation makes it important to study the possibilities of ethnodesign to identify identity attributes and, at the same time, to search for integration meanings. In this sense, it is of great unifying cultural significance and relevance to identify by means of ethnodesign the sustainable visual features of ethno-political traditions of the past on the paths of their ancient movements, which were often migratory and as of the beginning of the 21st century can be modelled within several modern states with the subsequent construction of relevant international cultural routes by means of geographic information systems. The purpose of this work was to develop a methodology for modeling the paths of movement of ethnopolitical traditions – geospiritual modeling with the approbation of scientific and research possibilities of ethnodesign for the construction of cultural routes with the use of geographical information systems on the example of the location field of the ancient ruthenians, or rus/rug/ros – of the annalistic “rus family” and the ancestors. The author’s methodology of inheritance of culture is applied – a complex of methods for the developing processing of a unique cultural space based on the methods of complex source studies, comparative stylistic analysis and interdisciplinary semantic synthesis according to the general theory of systems. The results of the research were the confirmation of the continental polycentricity of the rus’ ethnopolitical tradition thanks to the clarification of its essential content and the main visual and graphic representation based on archaeological and heraldic artifacts, sacred ethnonymy and onomastics with the identification of the main locations, proposals for the construction of relevant international cultural routes. On this example, the methodological foundations of geospiritual modelling and terminological definitions on ethnocultural dynamics were formulated, which have scientific novelty, ideological content and practical value for the formation of databases and algorithms in relevant geographic information systems, and in general for international cultural cooperation in this area

Construction of the Chinese Route of Industrial Heritage Based on Spatial and Temporal Distribution Analysis

In the context of cultural routes, in order to achieve overall protection of industrial heritage, the European Route of Industrial Heritage (ERIH) was established to organize and promote the entire European industrial heritage. The conservation and utilization of Chinese industrial heritage are currently dominated by individual cases, which limits their potential to contribute to regional sustainable development. There is an urgent need of a conservation system at the regional or national level, to ensure that Chinese industrial heritage conservation effectively contributes to regional sustainable development. This study considers the industrial heritage of China built between 1840 and 1978 to establish the Chinese Industrial Heritage GIS Database (CIHGD). The analysis shows that the distribution of China’s industrial heritage is mainly concentrated in the eastern and southern coastal areas, and the industrial heritage has formed three key regions, 14 key cities, and important railway and water systems located in eastern China. The CRIH facilitates the holistic conservation of China’s industrial heritage and provides basic data for future research on China’s industrial heritage. The objective of this study is to promote the establishment of an information-based management system for industrial heritage in China, and to explore the value evaluation, protection system, and regional tourism of industrial heritage from a national perspective in China.

Highlighting The Cultural Richness of a Historical City With Cultural Routes: The Case of Erzurum City

The study aims to classify various tourist attractions in the culturally rich city of Erzurum, creating cultural tourism routes with both tangible and intangible values. Within this scope, areas with high cultural value were identified, and 7 tourism classifications were made (Sports Tourism, Gastronomy Tourism, Art Tourism, Festival Tourism, Scientific Tourism, Fair Tourism, Religious and Holiday Tourism), and a cultural route was created for each class. Cultural routes based on tourism classifications were examined, taking into account their locations, route lengths, and usage durations. Seven different cultural route proposals were mapped and presented. Based on the obtained data, the longest routes were 24.7 km for Religious and Holiday Tourism route (including tombs, madrasahs, mosques, etc.), 23 km for Sports Tourism Route (including winter tourism areas, etc.) and Art Tourism Route (including cultural centers, museums, squares, etc.). The study aims to contribute to a better understanding of the city's history and culture by tourists through different routes. These routes will support cultural sustainability and contribute to sustainable development goals. Considering visitor satisfaction and public participation, the cultural routes established in this study can serve as a guide for future projects.

Festivals and Youth: An Educational Cultural Route to Festivals

Festivals have emerged as a compelling subject of study within the realm of the social sciences, with disciplines like popular musicology showcasing festivals as a prominent area of investigation. These cultural events have demonstrated a profound and enduring impact on various generations, solidifying their significance in contemporary history. In the ever-evolving landscape of rapid social change, festivals have evolved into both traditions and heritage. Our research centered on the musical landscape in the city of Cáceres has culminated in the creation of a Festival Route rooted in the pertinent facets of its history and unique sociocultural context. The methodology employed in this study revolves around the development of comprehensive databases that encompass various parameters, principles, and elements. These databases are instrumental in crafting adaptable musical itineraries tailored to the individual participant’s characteristics, including age, educational background, place of origin, and explicit or intrinsic interests. Moreover, they factor into the duration of the route. These databases draw upon the findings of historiographic and ethnographic research, shedding light on the music performed and cherished within the city of Cáceres throughout its rich history. This paper primarily delves into the educational aspects derived from the socio-cultural phenomenon of festivals, specifically in the realms of music pedagogy and value-based education. Our Festival Route is designed with a particular focus on youth engagement, weaving together key locales within the city to create an enriching and educational experience.

Improving tourism resilience through Cultural Routes. An exploratory analysis of the Italian case “Via Francigena”

Cultural routes have been recognized as effective social innovation projects to promote tourism development in marginal areas. However, the resilience of these routes, particularly in the face of external shocks and disruptions, remains a critical area of investigation. This study examines the role of cultural routes (as social innovation projects) in improving the resilience of these marginal areas after pandemic crisis. The research draws upon a combination of secondary data provided by ISTAT for assessing the marginality of the study areas and primary data on the impact of the "Via Francigena" project obtained through 32 interviews with managers of accommodation facilities (B&Bs, hostels, farm stays, hotels) located along the route itself. The findings of this study reveal that cultural routes offer significant opportunities for tourism development in marginal areas. Firstly, they serve as unique selling points, showcasing the cultural heritage and authenticity of these regions. Cultural routes provide a compelling narrative that attracts tourists seeking immersive experiences, promoting sustainable tourism practices and economic growth in these areas. Secondly, cultural routes act as catalysts for local community engagement and empowerment. By involving residents in tourism-related activities and initiatives, cultural routes foster a sense of pride, ownership, and entrepreneurship among the local population. The socio-economic benefits of the project determine a diversification of income sources and increase the resilience of communities located in the most marginal areas of the Apennines. However, a successful implementation of cultural routes to develop tourism and community resilience in marginal areas requires overcoming various challenges. These include limited resources, the need for a cultural change and the need for collaborative efforts among multiple stakeholders, including government bodies, local communities, tourism operators, and cultural organizations. This research contributes to the understanding of cultural routes as a powerful tool for tourism development in marginalized areas. The findings provide valuable insights for policymakers, tourism planners, and destination managers in leveraging the potential of cultural routes as social innovation projects. By capitalizing on the cultural heritage of these areas, cultural routes can drive economic growth, improve community well-being, preserve environmental heritage and thereby increase the economic resilience of communities. In conclusion, this research enhances our understanding of tourism resilience through the case of Via Francigena, demonstrating its relevance as a model for other cultural routes. By identifying key strategies and factors that contribute to resilience, this study informs effective planning and management approaches for the long-term sustainability of cultural tourism destinations and the preservation of cultural heritage. Future research should focus on evaluating the long-term impacts of cultural routes on tourism development, assessing visitor satisfaction, and investigating the potential replication of these projects in different marginal areas.

Digital reactivation of territories through geospatial cultural itineraries: the VIDA-HTL web application

The significant imbalances between human settlements and their surrounding environments, stemming from sector-specific policies and urban regional planning tools, constitute a primary factor in the resilience and responsiveness of territories in crisis scenarios. Within this context, the promotion of territorial heritage values emerges as a crucial means for the reactivation of vulnerable areas. Furthermore, the utilisation of technological resources, such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS), has proven to be highly effective in managing cultural landscape areas. This contribution aims to enhance the valorisation of territorial heritage through the geolocation of a system of architectural and archaeological assets of public interest, and by enabling the flexible design of cultural itineraries within the framework of slow tourism. For this purpose, a replicable methodology for the construction of a WebGIS application has been proposed. This methodology has been put into practice in the territorial area of the lower Guadalquivir River in Spain, which encompasses 73 municipalities and one UNESCO World Heritage Site, all interconnected by rural areas. A four-stage plan has been followed for the construction of the VIDA-HTL web application: (1) conceptualisation; (2) development; (3) technical verification; and (4) social viability. The fundamental approach of the web application is based on the comprehensive integration of subsystems related to cultural heritage on one hand, and to tourist and environmental services on the other. Two main functions for the exploration of cultural assets and designing cultural routes have been designed, which complement other capabilities implemented in the web application. As a result of a detailed standardisation process, 981 cultural assets and 43 supplementary data layers have been georeferenced and included in the web application, with customised itineraries available for planning within the study area. Additionally, 49 thematic cultural itineraries are proposed. Finally, the web application is complemented with the development of a collaborative hub, which encourages its use and enhances its capabilities. It is concluded that digital tools, such as that proposed, foster knowledge and valorisation of territorial cultural heritage, while contributing to greater local development. In this way, they function as a counterbalance to the development of metropolises and the global economy, thereby improving levels of regional resilience.

Perceptions of Contested Ottoman Heritage in Europe: An International Study among Students

ABSTRACT The paper applies a quantitative approach to investigate students’ perceptions of Ottoman heritage in five countries (Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia, and Hungary) along a recently developed cultural route of Ottoman heritage in Europe. It deals with overall perceptions of Ottoman heritage and its subjective recognition as part of the common cultural heritage on a national scale, within the Balkans, and in Europe. The study is conducted online with 627 students in various professional fields and different levels of study. Findings partially support existing literature that highlights the unfavorable situation of Ottoman heritage in the Balkans due to historical reasons, political connotations, and problems of public acceptance. The study reveals generally restrained perceptions of Ottoman heritage but also attitudes becoming more positive when it is closer and clearer related to tourism. Interesting distinctions based on the participants’ nationality and profile are uncovered. Conclusions are drawn about the contested nature of Ottoman heritage and the opportunities for its utilization for cultural tourism development, which is strongly connected not only to the historical past but also to the current policy that should not serve dubious geopolitical agendas but show mutual respect and reciprocity in support of true diversity, pluralism, and tolerance.

Narrative Tourism: A Study of The Potential of Folklore as a Source of Tourism in Perak and Sarawak

Nowadays, the tourism industry is seen to be growing, within which cultural tourism plays its own role in generating a country’s income. The practice of tourists travelling to certain locations to experience and learn about cultural differences is known as cultural tourism. When it comes to cultural tourism, the narrative experience is a vital component for tourists to appreciate the main attraction, therefore, making it narrative tourism. In Malaysia, narrative tourism is still underutilised, and there is limited research in this area. Thus, this article discusses how narrative tourism can be explored in two tourist destinations in Malaysia, namely Pulau Pangkor in Perak and Gunung santubong in sarawak. The first finding shows that there is no constructive effort to recognise narrative as a tourism resource for Pulau Pangkor, particularly with regard to the story of the hero, Din Ketolok, as well as a few other monuments that are believed to embody their own meaning and event. Meanwhile, the finding on Gunung santubong shows that it already has a significant narrative of the battle between the Princesses santubong and sejinjang, who were ultimately cursed by the King to become mountains. However, its jungle trek to the mountain peak is not a cultural route, which perhaps would be disappointing to tourists who are interested in cultural routes. nonetheless, with due work and effort, it could become more exploratory and intriguing as a narrative tourism destination. This study shows how stories can transform both locations into suitable destinations for narrative tourism in order to flourish in cultural tourism. To achieve this, narrative tourism requires special attention from the tourism industry authorities.