Heritage Destination Research Articles

EXPLORATORY RESEARCH FOR THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE ROLE PLAYED BY CULTURAL DESTINATION BRANDING IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF TRIBAL INDIA – CASE STUDY OF JAUNSAR BAWAR TRIBAL REGION OF THE HIMALAYAS.

Purpose: Cultural Destination Branding plays an important role to attract tourists. Jaunsar Bawar is endowed with historical and archaeological sites. The main purpose of this study is to identify the constituent elements of the overall image of the brand of Jaunsar Bawar’s main heritage destinations by utilizing heritage, general, and unique images, and it proposes a model for branding Jaunsar Bawar’s cultural & heritage destinations. The region has all the potential to be an important cultural destination in the world. Well-planned branding strategies of these cultural destinations are a primary requirement to attract both foreign and domestic tourists. There are some barriers, which can impede successful cultural tourism marketing in Jaunsar Bawar. Lack of coordination among stakeholders, insufficient funding and providing less importance to the needs of the tourists can obstruct successful cultural destination branding. Developing creative promotional program, coordination among relevant stakeholders, conservation and protection of heritage sites and active participation of both private and public sector are necessary to implement cultural destination branding in Jaunsar Bawar. Design/methodology/approach – This research is exploratory in nature and it uses the qualitative approach of primary research methodology by adopting a non-random stratified sampling method. To collect the data, approach of face-to-face semi-structured & openended interviews of 19 local people as well as some from outside region but having specific knowledge about Jaunsar Bawar due to their detailed work done here was conducted. Outcomes – The study shows that the people believe Destination Branding as an effective tool for the enhancement of the tourism in field related to Cultural & Historical perspective of a tribal region like Jaunsar Bawar. The study also establishes that the various initiatives in field of creating a destination brand enhances the reputation and build a very strong, unique & competitive brand in the minds of locals as well as in the minds of tourists/ visitors who are planning or who have visited Jaunsar Bawar and this could result in the economic development of this Himalayan tribal region. Research implications – The findings of the study represent a significant contribution to the field of destination branding and will help practitioners to develop destination brand of their area of research and achieve competitive advantage in long-run which will create several business opportunities in the local area and thus gives competitive advantage in the long-run. Research limitations – The study is confined only to the region of Jaunsar Bawar thus having a limited geographic scope of one region of one state of India. Therefore, studying other tribal regions of Himalayas may carry out further research. Keywords: Jaunsar Bawar, Tourism, Cultural Destination Branding,, Economic Development, Cultural Tourism, Destination Brand.

Exploring Tourists’ Intention to Visit a Heritage Destination

Bukit Melawati is one of the few notable cultural and natural heritage assets in Selangor that significantly contribute to the tourism industry growth. As a historical site in Selangor, Bukit Melawati has several remains from the past as tourist attractions. However, the historical part has been neglected and overlooked rather than the other attractions. Thus, this study was conducted to identify the influence of destination authenticity, destination awareness, and destination image as predictors toward tourist revisit intention to Bukit Melawati. A cross-sectional survey was carried out on local and international tourists at Bukit Melawati. A total of 290 respondents were selected based on the convenience sampling technique. A technique analysis Multiple Linear Regression using SPSS version 22 was employed to test the hypothesised model. The analysis showed that destination authenticity, awareness, and image explained 49.6% of the variance on tourist revisit intention. The result found that destination image was the strongest predictor of tourist revisit intention to Bukit Melawati, followed by destination authenticity. Destination awareness was an insignificant predictor of tourist revisit intention to Bukit Melawati. It was concluded that tourists intention to revisit Bukit Melawati derived from its image and authenticity as a heritage tourism destination. As suggested, it is important to create tourist awareness to increase their interest in visiting Bukit Melawati and other heritage destinations in Malaysia

The Internal Demand of Cultural Tourism: Understanding Satisfaction and Fidelity to Destination in Spain through a Non-Linear Structural Model

The new habits of tourist consumption favor the rise of cultural tourism, either as the primary or complementary offer of a destination. Therefore, it is necessary to deepen the study of the behavior of cultural tourism demand. This research aims to develop a structural model that allows measuring the main variables that affect the satisfaction and loyalty of the internal demand of the cultural tourist to a heritage destination. The results are helpful for the design of tourism management. The hypotheses posited have been tested using non-linear structural equations (SEM), estimated with data from the National Statistics Institute on internal demand for cultural tourism in Spain (n = 18,024). The results confirm the importance of socio-cultural variables and the tourist’s experience on fidelity to the visited destination. Furthermore, the negative relationship between the repetition of the visit and satisfaction is striking.

The Effectiveness of Social Media Platforms in preserving and promoting Egyptian Intangible Culture Heritage Destinations: The Case of Siwa Oasis.

The Effectiveness of Social Media Platforms in preserving and promoting Egyptian Intangible Culture Heritage Destinations: The Case of Siwa Oasis.

A Composite Index to Measure Smartness and Competitiveness of Heritage Tourism Destination and Historic Building

The key issue of this current study is related to shaping the attractiveness of heritage destinations, highlighting the significance of reuse and upgrading their historical buildings to achieve a high level of competitiveness and distinctiveness through a smart approach. Some of these cultural assets and events tend to be monotonous, and not so attractive for various categories of tourists, which negatively affects investment opportunities, tourism development, and social and economic resources. Furthermore, previous works have criticized the lack of evidence to support that the structure contains critical attributes and measurement items linked to the competitiveness of smart heritage destinations. As a result, this study aims to design and develop a composite index for evaluating these destinations and their buildings, which includes nine dimensions (attributes) and a set of key performance indicators (KPIs) of intelligent performance and competitiveness, reflecting the combination and noticing the distinct perspective between them. A mixed-methods approach was used between qualitative and quantitative methods to perform content validation on the proposed index. Furthermore, a pilot study was implemented for tourism heritage destinations to improve the quality and efficiency of the proposed index. Then, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to analyze the data to develop the proposed index and measure its validity and reliability. Finally, the proposed composite index was finalized with 139 KPIs and applied to a case study (Salah El-Din Citadel). After that, we validated its utility in providing a quantitative evaluation of this heritage destination, identifying critical intervention priorities, and determining dimensions that need to be restructured. Additionally, it highlighted recommendations for future improvements to strengthen these heritage destinations to become smart heritage destinations capable of competition in the tourism sector.

Economics of Experiential Consumption In a Rural Heritage Destination

As markets evolve in the era of the experience economy, experiences have become more meaningful and are an essential part of tourism. Several studies have found that higher expenditures are a positive outcome of a successful and satisfying tourism experience. The purpose of this study is to examine the economic potential of staged experiential offerings in a rural community: Wickenburg, Arizona, a typical western mining and ranching heritage community with a thriving tourism economy. A content analysis of the community's official tourism website and attraction websites, and an onsite survey of visitors are the primary data sources. The results indicate that somewhat moderate demand exists for experiential consumption. They also reiterate the crossover significance of emotional and cognitive attributes and support the cognitive theory of emotions. This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge and suggests that emotional and cognitive aspects of experiential consumption should be considered simultaneously for their economic value.

In the Eyes of the Beholder: The Effect of the Perceived Authenticity of Sanfang Qixiang in Fuzhou, China, among Locals and Domestic Tourists

Many historic and cultural heritage destinations have faced queries about authentic travel experiences and crises of commoditization related to tourism products. This study is based on the dyadic function of heritage destinations for both locals and domestic tourists: heritage as a spatial-temporal object for tourists, using authenticity as a theoretical framework. It examined the (1) effects of cultural motivations and prior knowledge on both object-based and existential authenticities, (2) effects of authenticity on destination experiences, and (3) moderating role of residential status on the relationship between authenticity and destination experience. The data were collected from 173 locals and 159 domestic tourists on site in the Sanfang Qixiang tourist district and analyzed using the SEM technique. The results indicated that cultural motivation and prior knowledge had significant effects on authenticity; however, only existential authenticity enhanced the destination experience, whereas object-based authenticity did not have an effect on the destination experience. In addition, residential status had a key moderating function in the relationship between the perception of authenticity and the destination experience. This study contributes to the literature by integrating the mutual gaze into heritage tourism literature and emphasizing the importance of a balance between authenticity and commoditization in heritage destination development in Asia. The findings hold some practical implications for the development of balanced management strategies to minimize potential conflicts and maximize user satisfaction with heritage tourism.

PENTA HELIX COMMUNICATION MODEL THROUGH COMMUNITY BASED TOURISM (CBT) FOR TOURISM VILLAGE DEVELOPMENT IN KOTO SENTAJO, RIAU, INDONESIA

This study aims to explain the higher education institution's role in developing Koto Sentajo as tourism village and to understand the tourism communication model that synergizes with other stakeholders. This study uses a qualitative approach that emphasizes more on depth. The method describing is done by the reality that occurs by interacting directly with the research subject. The results showed that higher education institutions have an essential role in developing a tourism village development model. This communication model is useful for attracting local governments and other stakeholders to establish the Koto Sentajo tourism village. The penta helix communication model involves five main actors, namely the campus, corporate CSR, the community, the mass media, and the Kuantan Singingi regency's local government, to develop the tourism village. The communication and collaboration between stakeholders in empowering the community can accelerate the Koto Sentajo tourism village's realization as a leading cultural heritage destination.

The influence of historical nostalgia on a heritage destination's brand authenticity, brand attachment, and brand equity

AbstractThis article aims to examine an integrative model of historical nostalgia, brand authenticity, brand attachment, and brand equity based on the case of the Shaolin Temple, a heritage destination in China. The discussion is based on 470 responses collected from visitors to the historical place. The results demonstrate the positive mediating effect of brand authenticity and brand attachment on historical nostalgia and destination brand equity. This study contributes to the literature constructing the brand equity of heritage tourism destination by investigating the positive role of historical nostalgia. It helps heritage tourism stakeholders implement policies on brand authenticity and brand attachment.

Authenticity and Walkability of Iconic Heritage Destination in Bandung Indonesia

This study aims to examine the effect of authenticity and walkability on revisit intention mediated by tourist satisfaction. These four variables are measured using a number of statements on a Likert scale which are confirmed to have completed the validity and reliability tests. Data were collected using a questionnaire which was distributed to 271 respondents based on convenience sampling. Furthermore, the data were obtained and analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) and the Sobel test as a basis for hypothesis testing. The results of the hypothesis test explain the rejection of the null hypothesis, which means that there is support for empirical data on the proposed research hypothesis. This illustrates that authenticity and walkability directly affect tourist satisfaction positively and significantly. Meanwhile, revisit intention is influenced positively and significantly both directly by authenticity and walkability and indirectly through tourist satisfaction. Thus, all attributes of authenticity and walkability have a very important role in fulfilling tourists' expectations when appreciating historical buildings in a heritage tourism area. The authenticity attributes of historical buildings that need the attention of relevant stakeholders are historical value, authenticity, originality, and maintenance. Some of the critical elements of walkability that also need to be maintained such as security, comfort, accessibility, connections with other destinations, and pedestrian friendliness for pedestrians.

Project approach and development of the mechanism of management of tourist destinations

The article makes an overview of approaches to heritage management, explains the concept of a tourist destination, as well as the importance of using a project management approach and its tools in managing a tourist heritage destination. The paper considers a group of integrated projects that invest in heritage as a factor of attractiveness of a tourist destination, since it is part of a tourism system that cannot be managed separately and is integrated for the production of a tourism product. Taking into account the importance of preserving heritage values, the project approach involves the engagement of various stakeholders in this process and the creation of a mechanism to increase the effectiveness of tourism investments for the benefit of society, business and the state.

Impacts of tourism on cultural infiltration at a spiritual destination: a study of Ban Wangka, Thailand

Purpose The challenges of both community-based and heritage tourism result in significant impacts that have occurred in many tourist areas. These negative effects are the main problems that damage indigenous communities and are involved with cultural heritage preservation and economic development. This study aims to apply a qualitative method to scrutinize the problems and their causes in a community. Design/methodology/approach This study applied a qualitative method to scrutinize the actual data. The 50 informants from the relevant stakeholder groups of Ban Wangka village were interviewed with 22 themed questions based on the indicators of sustainable cultural heritage destinations. Findings Results indicate that tourism development at Ban Wangka village faces significant challenges due to the conflict between economic development and cultural heritage preservation. Research limitations/implications The limitations also exist. First, the Mon people use their own language which resulted in the need for an interpreter during interviews. Therefore, sometimes it was impossible for the researcher to access the informants’ actual emotions. Second, this study is based on the concept of sustainable tourism development, which is an abstract idea to the local people, and thus Mon people understand it but are never concerned. Finally, this study focused only on the Mon community, which is not enough to fully achieve sustainability. Therefore, the community from the Thai side of the river must also be involved. Practical implications Such challenges have a direct impact on the sustainability of tourism operations. This indicates that the problems will lead to serious conflicts in the future unless they are resolved gently. The Ban Wangka Mon village is faced with problems that are not very different from other tourist attractions in Thailand, especially the intense growth during this time, which has brought significant changes to the destination. Subsequently, conflicts arose easily and quickly because of the motivational power of income. To overcome these problems, the community needs to be strong in fighting against the influence of tourism income. Social implications The challenges of the destination have a direct impact on the sustainability of tourism operations. This indicates that the problems will lead to serious conflicts in the future if they are not resolved. Ban Wangka Mon village is faced with problems that are not very different from other tourist attractions in Thailand, To overcome these problems, the community needs to be strong in fighting against the influence of tourism income. In addition, good tourism planning that places importance on all stakeholders equally and providing a balanced income management plan and a fair share of income will surely eliminate many of the conflicts. Originality/value This case study of Ban Wangka Mon Village is based on the theory of sustainable tourism development, which contains three dimensions: environmental, economic and social and ethical. All impacts from tourism at Ban Wangka Mon village can be summarized into four challenges consisting of severe tourism growth, economic growth conflict, identity deterioration and behavioral changes. Some of these challenges are similar to other destinations such as the Vlorë Region.

Staycation During COVID-19 Pandemic with Virtual Tourism: Tele-Tourist Attitude Toward Experience in Cultural Heritage Destination

Malang City, Indonesia, is known as the Paris van oost Java and was officially named the City of Heritage because of the high interest of domestic and foreign tourists to trace the history and antique architecture of the city. However, travel restriction policies in various countries also demanded the solidarity of tourists to stay at home, avoiding crowds, and delaying travel plans during the COVID-19 pandemic. It clearly causes the tourism sector to be heavily affected. Therefore, it is necessary to manage cultural heritage tourism destinations that can allow tourists to do a staycation in sophisticated form and considering the carrying capacity more according to the COVID-19 safety protocol. As a solution, this research used the R&D method with mixed methods approach consist of observation, visual analysis, and survey experimental to produce web-based virtual tourism (web-VR) for ancient and astonishing The Great Mosque of Jami' Malang. The content was further confirmed using field experiments analyzed by Generalized Structured Component Analysis (GSCA) involving 30 tele-tourists. The results of this study indicate that the virtual experience of tourists, which consists of immersiveness and telepresence after visiting the virtual destination, has an effect on the attitude of tele-tourist. Therefore, virtual tourism can be considered complementary to actual visits, visitor management, as well as preserve destination sustainability. Keywords: COVID-19, immersion, telepresence, tele-tourist attitude, virtual experience, virtual tourism.

A Study of Cultural and Heritage Products and Activities in Kampung Cherating Baru and Kampung Kubang Ikan, Kuantan, Pahang

This exploratory study was designated to discover the potential cultural and heritage products and activities of the communities in Kampung Cherating Baru and Kampung Kubang Ikan. This research could help to create more employments among the local community and provided economic and social benefits when they participate in the tourism activities. The data for this research was collected through observations, unstructured interviews, with the emphasis on ethnography study about the community. The findings for this research were based on the analysis checklists on the following resources – Natural Resources, Cultural Resources, Community Analysis, Site Analysis and Environment Assessment. The findings indicated that, from the overall analysis of the various resources, Kampung Cherating Baru and Kampung Kubang Ikan had their own unique cultural products and activities that could be developed the two areas into a cultural and heritage destination.

Muddling Through Destination Marketing: Experiences from the North West Province, South Africa

Globalization propagates the dominance of internationalization and the shortage of resources to strengthen competitive edges is apparent. The 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) in developing countries is still a wish rather than a reality, putting more strains on destinations located in developing countries and hampers destination marketing strategies. This paper examines the rationale for destinations’ confusion over their positioning status, using the North West Province as a reference point. The paper adopts a qualitative design which was sourced through reviews of destination marketing strategies, white paper tourism policy and provinces’ tourism websites. The reviews were further analyzed using content analysis. The results indicate that the province positions itself as a cultural and heritage destination and that cultural and heritage activities account for less than 5%. Also, the results indicate a mismatch of the province’s strong attributes and marketing positioning strategy. The paper concludes that the province would become the hub of destination marketing and huge patronage if it focuses on its strengths and main competitive edge, namely the social activities, shopping, eating out, nightlife, and natural attractions such as the sun, dunes, and platinum mines.

Re-scripting Riyadh’s historical downtown as a global destination: a sustainable model?

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the planned urban renewal and re-scripting of Riyadh’s downtown as part of the capital’s aim to become a globally recognized city. Specifically, this paper examines in how far internationally established values and narratives are leveraged in the creation of an urban mega-destination that seeks to attract a transnational class of knowledge workers and tourists. The question is explored, in how far and to what extent urban heritage sites and iconic architectural projects are used as strategic tools to promote a process of cultural and economic transformation and in how far the resulting symbolic capital is leveraged to create a status of singularization that appeals to a national and international audience. This study investigates several neighborhoods in the area, analyzing how these will be transformed by Riyadh’s plan to turn the downtown into a commercially viable mixed-use destination by means of designated heritage destinations and iconic architecture.Design/methodology/approachThis paper examines the views and experiences of governmental agencies, architects, developers and residents who are directly or indirectly involved with the planned restructuring of Riyadh’s historical downtown. In total, 40 semi-structured interviews were drawn from this stakeholder group to investigate their current understanding of the downtown associated with the effort to convert Riyadh’s historical downtown into a profitable urban destination. Five of these interviews were conducted with involved planning offices, and 35 with current residents in the area. In addition, a detailed site survey was conducted through a series of maps to reveal existing land uses, building typologies, states of disrepair, activity levels, pedestrian and car circulation patterns, as well as landmarks, and public spaces in each of the areas.FindingsThe subsequent data show that despite many positive outcomes in terms of commercial redevelopment, the adaptive reuse of the existing urban fabric is not considered, nor the preservation of underutilized or abandoned buildings along with its resident diverse communities, activities and milieus, many of which carry on evolving traditions.Research limitations/implicationsThis is significant because this paper presents a massive case study that ties into a larger debate on cultural globalization where similar practices around the world entail a spatial reorientation of urban districts to attract a transnational cosmopolitan middle class along with a simultaneous displacement of diverse and migrant communities, albeit on a much larger scale. While highlighting the rationale and effectiveness of this approach to create a well-packaged commodity, this paper also underscores the ambiguous consequences of this strategy, which entails the loss of a layered urban fabric that documents the city’s evolution through different economic periods, along with the dispersal of migrant communities and their vernacular practices.Social implicationsWithin this context, the current cultural value of the downtown as a heterogeneous, dynamic and multilayered fabric is debated, which documents the socio-economic conditions of the times in which these layers were formed. Departing from the UNESCO’s 2011 Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape and globally accepted sustainability standards, this study contrasts the proposed top-down tabula rasa approach proposed by the local authorities with an inclusive bottom-up approach, which would focus on the adaptive reuse of existing structures by taking into consideration the social meanings of belonging that heritage has for contemporary communities while fostering a more inclusive understanding of heritage as an ongoing cultural process.Originality/valueThe implications of the planned conversion of Riyadh’s historical downtown into an urban destination have not been previously explored and as a result, there is a conflict of interest between the creation of a marketable image, the preservation of heritage values, sustainable urban practices, social inclusion and Riyadh’s aim to become a globally recognized city.Plain abstractThis paper explores the employment of urban renewal and city branding within the context of Riyadh’s aim to become a world city. Within this framework, the paper examines the capital’s plan to convert the historic downtown into a mega-destination for the country’s middle class and national and international tourists.

Recreating and Protecting Southeast Ireland’s Cultural and Environmental Heritage

The Creadan Head Archaeological Project (CHAP) utilizes four decades of archaeological research on the earliest settlement of Ireland, some 10,000–12,000 years ago, as the basis for a heritage-tourism project in County Waterford, Ireland. Using best practices, CHAP is integrated into County Waterford’s economic development and heritage plans to provide opportunities for local community members to participate in the construction of their own heritage and ultimately making the region a Heritage and Ecotourism destination that includes videography, museum exhibits and heritage trails. The project team partners Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT, Republic of Ireland) with Geoarchaeology Associates (GAI, US) with a wide variety of local, national and international stakeholders including Waterford Treasures Museum, Waterford County Council, Waterford Chamber of Commerce.

Cultural landscape changes in the built environment at World Heritage Sites: Lessons from Bukovina, Romania

World Heritage Sites (WHSs) are among the most visited destinations due to their unique cultural and natural features. Their recognition by UNESCO as having ‘outstanding universal value’, while meant to help preserve their characteristics, also leads to increased visitation that may put them at risk. This study focuses on the changes in the cultural landscape as a result of tourism development at WHSs in the region of Bukovina, Romania. The paper offers a comprehensive picture by employing a mixed-method approach and analysing a wealth of data collected from key stakeholders involved in tourism development. The findings show that there is agreement among stakeholders with regard to the importance of preserving the cultural landscape of heritage destinations, with most believing that stricter measures should be put in place. However, the lack of cooperation between the key stakeholders in policy formulation and implementation could pose a threat for the sustainable development of tourism in the region. The study contributes to expanding our knowledge and understanding of the challenges faced by heritage destinations in developing countries in Eastern Europe, in particular their struggle to keep up with the modern life style while preserving their cultural features and thus the authenticity of the area. • Investigates the challenges faced by heritage destinations in developing countries. • Uses mixed methods to understand the view of the key stakeholders on the topic. • Finds that protecting cultural landscape is an important challenge for World Heritage Sites. • Highlights a lack of cooperation between the key stakeholders in Bukovina.

The link between travel motivation and satisfaction in heritage destination: The role of experiential factors and heritage destination image

Gravari-Barbas (2018) states that the demand for heritage is becoming increasingly urgent in the context of a hypermodern society. The motivation-satisfaction relationship is a popular research topic in tourism. Both can be investigated through direct relationships and indirect relationships. However, the previous literature failed to explain the direct relationship between motivation-satisfaction. This study aims to determine the direct and indirect effects between tourists’ motivation-satisfaction towards the heritage destination through the role of experience-related factors and destination images perceived by tourists during a visit to a heritage destination. The sample is Indonesian citizens who had traveled to Borobudur Temple last year. The research is using Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) for processing data from 442 respondents. The result indicates a significant effect between motivation-satisfaction through destination image and one of the experiential factors. These findings contribute to understanding the determinants of tourist’s behavior and satisfaction towards a heritage destination.

Silk Road Heritage Branding and Polycentric Tourism Development

Cultural heritage, considered as a tool for sustainable tourism development and place branding, makes a destination appealing to visitors; hence, cultural heritage tourism can be a driving force for economic growth in cities and regions. Polycentricity is a useful multi-scalar concept in spatial theory that describes how adjacent urban centers can interact with each other, creating synergies and generating broader spatial networks. Cultural heritage and tourism, perceived as important factors of integration in a polycentric spatial structure, can further promote regional branding strategies. In this paper, a polycentricity index is introduced as a methodological tool for networking cultural heritage destinations, with an application to the Silk Road heritage. Silk Road cultural assets traced on the historical Silk Road routes linking East and West, can serve as tourist attraction poles and as an essential component for branding destinations through networking at various spatial scales. The Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace in Northern Greece, endowed with a plethora of Silk Road cultural assets, most of which are still untapped, is used to highlight the proposed methodology. The ultimate objective is the designation of polycentric destination networks based on Silk Road assets, in order to build regional branding opportunities over the Region.