This study investigates the dynamics of multi-stakeholder collaboration in the revitalisation of the Peneleh heritage tourism area in Surabaya, Indonesia, addressing a notable research gap concerning the empirical application of collaborative governance models—particularly the pentahelix framework—within the context of urban heritage tourism. Adopting a qualitative case study design suited for exploring complex stakeholder interactions, the research draws upon in-depth interviews, document analysis, and field observations to construct a comprehensive understanding of the collaborative process. Thematic analysis reveals six interrelated dimensions of collaboration: idea co-creation, participatory decision-making, capacity building, joint implementation, sustainability efforts, and tangible revitalisation outcomes. The findings suggest that collaborative engagement not only facilitated the physical restoration of heritage assets but also reinforced socio-cultural identity and stimulated local economic vitality through community-driven microenterprises. Theoretically, this study contributes to refining the pentahelix model by elucidating the evolving and strategic roles of the business sector, media, and community actors in fostering public engagement, mobilising resources, and enhancing market access—dimensions often underemphasised in existing frameworks. Practically, it underscores the necessity of inclusive governance structures, continuous multi-channel communication, and shared resource mechanisms to ensure the sustainability of urban heritage regeneration. The insights generated offer actionable guidance to policymakers and practitioners developing participatory models to revitalise culturally significant urban areas.

This study aims to analyze the effect of Memorable Tourist Experience (MTE) on Revisit Intention with Tourist Satisfaction as a mediating variable in the heritage tourism destination of Kota Lama Surabaya. This study uses a quantitative approach with an associative causal research type. Data collection was conducted through an online questionnaire distributed to tourists who had visited Kota Lama Surabaya. The sampling technique used non-probability sampling with the snowball sampling method, resulting in 200 respondents. The data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results show that Memorable Tourist Experience has a positive and significant effect on Tourist Satisfaction, Tourist Satisfaction has a positive and significant effect on Revisit Intention, and Memorable Tourist Experience has a positive and significant effect on Revisit Intention through Tourist Satisfaction. These findings confirm that memorable tourist experiences can increase satisfaction, which ultimately strengthens tourist loyalty to make repeat visits. This study has implications for urban heritage destination development strategies, particularly in creating authentic and meaningful experiences for tourists to enhance the competitiveness and sustainability of Kota Lama Surabaya.

This study examines how the values of authenticity and integrity can be integrated into territorial and landscape planning, moving beyond a restoration-based view of heritage. It focuses on the defensive architecture system of Castellón province (Spain), which features around 150 fortifications forming a continuous landscape between coastal and inland areas. In a context of urban pressure, rural depopulation, and heritage tourism, this research explores how the management of these assets can be aligned with coherent territorial strategies. The aim is to assess the material, visual, and symbolic coherence of the system and to understand the tensions between physical conservation, cultural authenticity, and landscape transformation. The methodology combines documentary review, spatial analysis using GIS, and fieldwork, applying qualitative indicators of material authenticity, territorial integrity, and scenic value adapted from ICOMOS guidance and established scientific literature. The results reveal a clear contrast: 62% of urban castles are restored or consolidated, while 71% of rural ones remain in ruins, and 82% preserve high visual integrity. This paradox shows that heritage sustainability is less dependent on formal reconstruction (only 14% are fully restored) than on maintaining relationships between architecture, environment, and community. This study proposes an integrated territorial management approach that links conservation, use, and landscape as interdependent components of a single cultural system.

Iraqi historic cities possess a wealth of architectural and cultural heritage, yet this legacy is increasingly threatened by rapid urbanization, weak institutional coordination, and outdated preservation approaches. This study examines expert perspectives on the effectiveness of existing conservation frameworks for safeguarding urban heritage amid modernization in Iraq. Employing a mixed-method design, the research included a survey of 90 professionals in architecture, urban planning, and cultural preservation, complemented by a review of policy documents and scholarly literature. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative responses were thematically coded to identify key challenges and solutions. Results reveal that most experts view current heritage policies as ineffective, citing unclear legal regulations, inadequate funding, and limited inter-agency collaboration. Recommended reforms include updating heritage laws, promoting digital preservation, providing economic incentives for adaptive reuse, and fostering community participation. Experts also emphasized the importance of international collaboration to strengthen technical expertise and institutional capacity. The study proposes a comprehensive reform strategy integrating legal, economic, technological, and participatory measures to enhance governance and sustainability in heritage conservation. Its findings aim to guide policymakers, planners, and conservation agencies in Iraq and comparable contexts toward preserving cultural assets in rapidly modernizing urban environments.

ABSTRACT The article examines the spatial, political, and theoretical margins of urban transformation through the in/visible cemeteries and ghosts of Kolkata. Drawing on participatory walking ethnography and archival research, it shows how the city remains haunted by unresolved legacies of colonialism, partition, ethnic division, and capitalist accumulation. We argue that sacred peripheral geographies function as contested terrains where forgotten cosmopolitan pasts resurface to challenge contemporary regimes of regeneration and ethno-religious segregation. By centering burial sites and their associated rituals, narratives, and spectral presences, the article contributes to scholarship on spatial memory and urban theory. It contends that peripheral sites offer critical insights into alternative modes of belonging, land use, and memory-making. With broader relevance for cities globally, the article calls for a rethinking of urban heritage politics – critiquing the flattening force of nationalist and nativist narratives, and advocating for more plural, critical, and cosmopolitan memory cultures.

Based on the Regional Spatial Planning of Medan City for the years 2011-2031, several Cultural Heritage Areas have been established that include various historical buildings, one of which is located in the Old City area of Kesawan. The presence of historical buildings such as the Lonsum Building, Tjong A Fie, and Pos Bloc coexists with the rapid business and culinary activities on Ahmad Yani Street and Balai Kota Street. There are indications that a shift in visitation orientation has occurred where the meaning of tourism is stronger compared to a comprehensive exploration of history. The aim of this research is to analyze the meaning of place at three historical buildings and its implications for regional development. This research is qualitative with a geographical approach. In-depth interviews were conducted with 36 informants selected through purposive sampling. The research results show that the meaning of place in the three historical buildings is more dominated functionally, socially, and emotionally than by regional romanticism. The shift in the meaning of historical buildings is a consequence of the massive development of alternative tourism in urban areas. Therefore, it is necessary to reorganize the cultural heritage area involving elements of the community, government, and private sector, with the hope that the authentic value of historical buildings is not entirely eroded by the modernity of urban development.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have revolutionized the field of cultural heritage documentation by providing high-resolution, flexible, and cost-effective alternatives to traditional surveying methods. UAVs enable rapid acquisition of aerial imagery and three-dimensional (3D) data, supporting photogrammetric reconstruction, laser scanning, and continuous temporal monitoring of historical structures, archaeological sites, and urban heritage landscapes. This study comprehensively reviews contemporary UAV applications in cultural heritage, emphasizing case studies from Turkey that illustrate the effectiveness of UAV-based surveys in documenting architectural details, assessing material degradation, and informing conservation strategies. The research further examines the integration of UAV workflows with complementary techniques such as terrestrial laser scanning (TLS), close-range photogrammetry (CRP), and Heritage Building Information Modeling (HBIM), highlighting the advantages of hybrid data fusion for producing accurate, visually rich, and analytically robust 3D models. Key benefits, including operational efficiency, non-invasive data collection, and the ability to perform temporal monitoring, are discussed alongside inherent limitations such as environmental constraints, sensor capabilities, and data processing requirements. Finally, the study explores future prospects of UAV-based heritage documentation, including the use of multispectral and hyperspectral sensors, AI-assisted feature extraction, and cloud-based collaborative platforms, emphasizing their potential to enhance preventive conservation, structural assessment, and public engagement. Through this comprehensive review, UAV technology is demonstrated as a transformative tool that not only advances the scientific understanding and preservation of cultural heritage but also facilitates innovative visualization, virtual reconstruction, and broad societal access to historically significant sites.

In the context of urban cultural heritage tourism, this study examines how visitors’ expectations and perceptions contribute to satisfaction and loyalty. We develop and validate an integrative model using structural equation modeling (SEM) on data collected from a large-scale visitor survey of Lingnan classical gardens in China, supplemented by quantitative simulation analysis. The results reveal that Cultural Expectation (CE) and Spatial Expectation (SE) serve as key antecedents to Perceived Cultural Immersion (PCI) and Perceived Spatial Aesthetics (PSA), respectively. PCI and PSA both positively influence visitors’ Perceived Value (PV), which in turn drives overall Satisfaction (SAT) and ultimately enhances Loyalty (LOY). Notably, PCI and PSA act as mediators in the model, channeling the influence of initial expectations into value perception and satisfaction. By highlighting the roles of cultural immersion and spatial aesthetics, this research extends the perceived value–satisfaction–loyalty paradigm in cultural heritage tourism. Theoretically, it bridges urban cultural heritage and environmental psychology with place-attachment theories. Practically, the findings offer guidance for cultural landscape management and visitor experience enhancement, suggesting that narrative storytelling, interactive cultural engagement, and authentic spatial design can elevate perceived value, satisfaction, and loyalty. This article will provide valuable reference material for urban planners.

ABSTRACT This paper provides a critical reflection on urban heritage activism in post‐socialist Romania, starting from a recent case of contentious industrial heritage treatment. We unveil the logic of decision‐making processes for urban redevelopment and the related ongoing civic activism for preserving industrial heritage. For this, we look at the restructuring of the former socialist industrial platform of Carbochim in Cluj‐Napoca. This study aims to better understand activism during a struggle to preserve the socialist industrial legacy, as the link between activism and heritage is undertheorised. From an urban activist perspective, we present a failed heritagisation process because of commercially oriented real estate development. This enables us to critically examine the contention about socialist industrial heritage. Besides fieldwork during 2023 and 2024, and participatory observation, the research material includes an autoethnographic account by a civic activist and official documents from the public arena placed by private investors, the local administration, academia and civil society, about the situation of Carbochim. We point out a shift towards emancipatory activism for socialist industrial heritage, triggered by neoliberal planning policies. This contribution to the international research literature on heritage identifies the promises and pitfalls of activism for socialist industrial heritage, emphasising several needs: to make an independent inventory of the socialist industrial heritage prior to any redevelopment plans; to safeguard industrial legacy by reconceptualising socialist heritage; to democratise decision‐making in defining and managing heritage and to strengthen heritage activism that ensures the right to the city.

Purpose This article critically examines how Liverpool's UNESCO World Heritage status was used to support urban regeneration agendas, highlighting the tensions between heritage conservation and neoliberal planning that ultimately led to the city's delisting. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a qualitative research approach combining document analysis, interview data and archival research. It examines planning documents, heritage reports and policy texts related to Liverpool's urban development and World Heritage Site status. Twenty-two semi-structured interviews were conducted with planners, heritage professionals, private developers and community members. The analysis is guided by discourse theory, political economy and heritage governance frameworks. The study investigates how institutional actors constructed competing visions of heritage and regeneration, identifying key discursive strategies and structural dynamics that contributed to policy conflict, governance fragmentation and the eventual removal of World Heritage Site status. Findings The study finds that heritage in Liverpool was reframed as a tool for economic regeneration rather than protected cultural value. Planning documents and decisions prioritised visual branding and investment attraction, sidelining conservation responsibilities. Conflicting interpretations of heritage value led to institutional misalignment, limited coordination and weak enforcement. Developers and city officials dominated decision-making, while heritage agencies and communities were marginalised. The result was a pattern of symbolic recognition without substantive protection. These tensions contributed directly to the eventual loss of World Heritage status, revealing deep structural contradictions within the city's governance of heritage and urban development. Research limitations/implications The study focuses on a single case, which limits its broader applicability but allows in-depth exploration of complex governance dynamics. It relies on retrospective interviews and existing planning documents, which may reflect institutional justifications following the delisting. However, the triangulation of multiple data sources strengthens its reliability. The findings suggest a need for future comparative studies to examine similar urban contexts where heritage and development collide. They also underline the importance of stronger alignment between international conservation guidelines and local planning frameworks to avoid symbolic compliance and ensure meaningful preservation of heritage in regeneration processes. Practical implications The findings highlight the need for clear legal mechanisms to embed heritage conservation within urban planning systems. Planning authorities should be required to integrate international conservation standards into statutory frameworks rather than treat them as optional. Heritage bodies must be engaged at the early stages of development proposals with meaningful decision-making power. Community participation should move beyond consultation towards shared authority. The Liverpool case demonstrates that without binding coordination and transparency, heritage frameworks may fail in the face of economic pressure, resulting in irreversible damage to cultural assets and reputational costs at both local and international levels. Social implications The research reveals how urban regeneration in Liverpool reinforced social exclusion by marginalising community voices in heritage planning. While public benefit was repeatedly claimed, local residents had little influence on decisions that reshaped their environment. Heritage narratives focused on visual appeal and investment value, erasing working-class and culturally embedded histories. The exclusion of communities weakened trust in planning processes and deepened perceptions of inequality. The study shows the need for participatory heritage governance that values diverse identities and local memory, ensuring that regeneration processes are socially inclusive and culturally responsive rather than driven solely by market logic. Originality/value This study offers an original contribution by linking critical discourse analysis with governance theory to examine heritage as a contested space shaped by economic and political interests. It reveals how symbolic heritage designations can be co-opted for development agendas and disconnected from conservation practice. The research moves beyond technical planning analysis by foregrounding power, inequality and institutional disjunction. It demonstrates that heritage governance must be understood not as neutral management but as a site of negotiation, conflict and meaning-making. The study provides valuable insights for cities facing similar tensions between international heritage frameworks and urban growth pressures.

The World Heritage property Classical Gardens of Suzhou (CGS) comprises water-focused cultural landscapes closely integrated with the historic urban water system (HUWS) of the ancient city of Suzhou in China. Historically, the gardens and the water system developed together, influencing and complementing one another in a symbiotic relationship. In response to the combined pressures of climate change and rapid urbanization, the resilience value – that is, the inherent capacity to adapt to and withstand environmental stresses – embedded in this relationship offers critical insights for urban planners, ecologists and cultural heritage agencies working to improve the flood and ecological resilience of gardens and ancient cities. This article surveys relevant scholarship and draws on field visits and interviews. It focuses on the resilience value of the symbiotic relationship that developed between the gardens and the urban water system and reviews key policies and practices since the 1950s. It summarizes efforts that have helped revive the symbiotic relationship and proposes strategies to further promote the recovery of this relationship by drawing on its embedded resilience value to enhance the resilience of both the gardens and the city of Suzhou.

This article analyzes the outcomes of the Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) titled "Sketching and Communication in Architecture. Transforming Industrial Heritage which was held at the University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, for 3 weeks, and finished on June 20, 2025. The BIP explored the tension and potential synergy between designing beautiful urban places for social media (termed “Instagrammable”) and preserving the architectural heritage and local identity of industrial sites. The study aims to quantify what degree student - led interventions can contribute to sustainable urban revitalization by integrating contemporary communication strategies with cultural preservation. The methodology employed a blended learning approach, combining online theoretical modules — where students conducted constructive critiques of industrial heritage sites in their hometowns — with in - person sessions in Covilhã. During the in - person phase, students engaged with the local culture and developed hand - drawn proposals (using pencil or pen) to revitalize a street connected to a former factory, now a museum. Evaluations, based on criteria such as relevance of case study, critical thinking, presentation clarity, visual support, and oral communication, were conducted during the final review. Results indicate that students proposed innovative interventions that successfully balanced aesthetic appeal with the preservation of industrial heritage, enhancing the cultural and social value of the urban space. These findings suggest that blending traditional design techniques with modern media strategies can offer viable solutions for urban planners, heritage conservationists, and policymakers seeking to promote local identity in a digital age. The article provides practical insights and a replicable model for integrating social media - driven aesthetics with sustainable heritage preservation.

Preservation of the urban context and heritage buildings is crucial for conserving the cultural identity of a city and preserving its architectural heritage, which forms its urban character and memory. In Benghazi, numerous buildings of historical, heritage, and architectural value define its identity and require preservation, revitalization, and protection by conserving all their distinguished architectural and urban elements and utilizing these elements to their full potential. Heritage preservation also necessitates maintaining the overall character, which means preserving these buildings within their neighboring urban contexts. Today, historical and heritage buildings form a significant part of Benghazi's memory and urban fabric. However, the current state of this heritage has suffered from neglect and destruction. Among the important landmarks in Benghazi that still hold potential for rehabilitation and utilization and play important roles in the mental image of the city are the Qeshla Building (Al-Baraka Palace), Al-Manar Palace, and Benghazi Municipality Building. The Qeshla Building is a prominent historical landmark in the city and is known for its grandeur. Al-Manar Palace, with its architectural significance dating back to the Italian period, also holds high sentimental value among the city's residents. The Benghazi Municipality Building from the Ottoman period is a historical landmark in the main square of the old city. This study focuses on the challenges faced by heritage buildings in historical cities by documenting the components of these architectural and urban landmarks. Furthermore, a general framework was developed for the systematic rehabilitation of these buildings by studying their current situation, conducting field surveys, identifying their potential, and establishing strategies that govern their revitalization. This study concludes that protecting Benghazi's architectural heritage is essential, as these landmarks shape the urban identity of the city and constitute a significant part of its cultural and social heritage. This emphasizes the importance of developing plans that help preserve and rehabilitate these buildings and reuse them with adaptive functions to achieve cultural, economic, and social benefits for the community.

In Kampung Pengkalan Rama Pantai, Melaka, this study examines the effects of the GLOW 2025 (Growth, Learning, and Opportunities for World-Class Tourism) initiative as a game-changing model for sustainable urban tourism. The research uses a quantitative method using survey responses from 65 participants, including local community, university affiliates, and government stakeholders, and is based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the Community-Based Tourism (CBT) paradigm. The results show a significant rise in social cohesion (72.7%), environmental awareness (97.1%), and entrepreneurial interest, especially in hospitality, craft, and culinary endeavors. These findings highlight the value of focused training, institutional support, and community involvement in creating sustainable tourist ecosystems. Despite being restricted to a single urban heritage site, the study provides insightful information that can be used to replicate CBT models in comparable settings. This study is unique since it focuses on an urban Malaysian context and offers a framework that is inclusive and scalable for community-driven tourism development that is in line with national sustainability objectives.

The conservation and transmission of cultural heritage are enduring drivers of sustainable development. As a significant form of cultural heritage, temples play a vital role in maintaining urban historical continuity and embodying local culture. This study investigated the landscape roles of temples within the ancient city of Chongqing. Drawing primarily on sources such as the “Chongqing Fuzhi Quantu” (Complete Map of Chongqing Prefecture) from the Qing Dynasty, it identifies 79 temples in historical Chongqing. Employing Historical Geographic Information Systems (HGIS), the study reveals the multi-scale distribution characteristics of these temples and their interaction mechanisms with the urban spatial structure. The findings indicate that: (1) The development of Chongqing’s temples is closely linked to the stratification process of urban historical landscapes, serving as historical markers reflecting urban culture; (2) The distribution of temples in Qing-dynasty Chongqing exhibited significant correlations with the mountain-river environment and topography, forming clusters at key urban nodes while demonstrating spatial differentiation based on their attributes; (3) the landscape roles of temples in the ancient Chongqing city by guiding the urban landscape order, shaping city landmarks, and anchoring collective memories. Through the interrelated interactions across multiscale spaces, they collectively shaped the urban imagery. The study aims to provide practical recommendations for urban heritage conservation, cultural tourism, and sustainable development.

ABSTRACT Urban villages characterised the urban landscape of China’s Pearl River Delta. Particularly in Shenzhen, they represented a unique urban phenomenon shaped by the city’s unprecedented urbanisation. This study seeks to answer three key questions: how the urban fabric of Shenzhen’s urban villages has evolved under rapid urbanisation; how different renewal approaches have disrupted or preserved this fabric; and what lessons can be drawn for future heritage conservation and policy. Urban fabric here refers to the spatial configuration of streets, plots and buildings that constitute the morphological structure of urban settlements. This study evaluates contrasting renewal strategies by analysing three representative cases: Dachong Village (demolition and redevelopment), Hubei Village (partial demolition) and Nantou Ancient City (fabric enhancement). Findings reveal that while redevelopment improved infrastructure, it erased community memory; partial conservation preserved historic centres but created fabric discontinuities; and fabric-sensitive enhancement fostered vitality but risked gentrification. These insights highlight the need to integrate fabric retention with affordable housing policies, such as unified renting, to balance conservation and social equity. By reframing urban villages as evolving cultural landscapes, the study contributes to broader debates on urban heritage and offers practical insights for policymakers and planners seeking to balance conservation with sustainable urban development.

Tunisia’s northwestern region offers a rich and diverse civilization heritage and cultural potential. However, it has been socially and economically marginalised since the 70s. This study explores the link between urban cultural heritage and the construction of collective identity, emphasising the potential of built heritage to foster sustainable community-based development. In addition to physical attributes, the literature highlights the importance of social interactions in shaping territorial identity. Identity, in this context, is not static but a dynamic territorial construction that integrates architectural, urban, and social dimensions. The cities of El Kef and Tabarka serve as case studies of spatially and culturally marginalised areas, facing significant challenges to both tangible and intangible heritage. With a negative population growth rate (−0.36% between 2004 and 2014) and the lowest economic development indicator nationally (0.3% in 2012), these cities reflect the urgent need for an alternative approach. Through spatial diagnosis, interviews, and stakeholder engagement, the research demonstrates that a renewed territorial model—grounded in heritage valorization and local identity—can support inclusive and adaptive development. Key findings reveal a generational gap in the perception and representation of heritage between younger and older residents. This indicates that cultural identity is not a static inheritance but a dynamic process requiring active community investment. Ultimately, the study concludes that urban identity assets critically influence the capacity of a community to build a shared vision for the enhancement of its territorial identity. This reconnection between territory, memory, and planning enables a collective reappropriation of space, proposing a long-term vision for heritage-integrated urban regeneration.

ABSTRACT The rapid urbanization of North African cities has placed historic neighborhoods under pressure, often replacing vernacular construction methods with concrete-based systems of higher environmental impact. Although Moroccan courtyard houses (Riads) form a vital part of urban heritage, their environmental performance remains understudied. This paper applies a cradle-to-grave Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to evaluate three representative Riad typologies located in coastal, semi-arid, and arid climatic zones. Two reconstruction scenarios were assessed: one using traditional materials and techniques, and the other using conventional concrete post-and-beam construction. Results show that traditional reconstruction reduces life cycle emissions by up to 565 kg CO₂e/m2 compared to concrete alternatives, with the largest differences occurring in production and end-of-life phases. Sensitivity analysis further highlights lifespan and electricity emission factor as the most influential parameters shaping global warming potential. The study contributes to the broader LCA literature by providing the first comparative assessment of vernacular and modern reconstruction practices in the Moroccan context. The findings demonstrate that traditional methods can support low-carbon heritage conservation and inform sustainable urban regeneration policies in rapidly growing regions.

Starting from analyzing the new mobility paradigm (Sheller & Urry, 2006), the proposed work explores the use of spatial Big Data related to urban mobility and their connection with cultural and landscape heritage at the local scale. The focus is investigating the nexus between slow mobility and heritage in Pisa. In this sense, the work employs GeoAI and Big Data analysis techniques to examine and forecast spatial patterns of slow mobility at the (intra) urban scale. First, through the analysis of 151,000 GPS tracks of walking and running trips recorded by Strava platform users over a period of one year (province of Pisa), the work highlights the popular locations for slow mobility and predicts the areas where people tend to linger. Secondly, we deeply study the case study of the municipality of Pisa where 16,000 walking trips have been recorded in 2022. This case study enables us to critically discuss a) the influence of heritage on such spatial trends, b) the role of data as an input in GeoAI models. Furthermore, the analysis of these patterns is helpful in terms of policies: the identification of the most used corridors and the possibility of proposing alternative solutions for wider access to the urban heritage, which also includes "minor" sites; the development of GeoAI models to know and plan walking and running routes in real-time and encourage slow mobility practices and the fruition of cultural and landscape heritage.

ABSTRACT Malacca, a UNESCO World Heritage city in Malaysia, is characterized by its rich cultural landscape, diverse land uses spanning urban, agricultural, and manufacturing zones, and a steadily growing population, all of which intensify pressure on its historical assets. As a result, the city's urban heritage is increasingly threatened by land degradation, environmental deterioration, and the intensifying impacts of climate change. Preserving cultural assets while promoting sustainable urban development requires a strategic, data‐driven approach that integrates ecological, social, and technological priorities. This study develops a hybrid multi‐criteria decision‐making framework combining Fuzzy Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) and Simple Additive Weighting (SAW) to identify key sustainability drivers and prioritize strategic interventions for Malacca. A total of eighteen criteria were analyzed. Fuzzy DEMATEL was used to examine causal relationships among criteria, revealing that green infrastructure, climate resilience measures, early warning systems, and digital monitoring tools act as critical drivers within the urban sustainability system. Subsequently, seven strategic alternatives were evaluated using the SAW method, with digital twin for heritage and environmental monitoring (Vi = 3.779), smart heritage tourism management systems (Vi = 3.768), and integrated green urban planning (Vi = 3.619) ranking as the top‐priority strategies. These findings provide valuable guidance for policymakers and planners in integrating cultural conservation, environmental planning, and smart technologies to strengthen sustainability in climate‐vulnerable heritage cities.