Author(s)

KABILA HMOOD, HANAN JUMAILY, VLADA MELNIK

Abstract

Tourism is an ancient phenomenon that has developed throughout time; it has changed from a source of entertainment to a source of national income. It reawakens societies culturally, intellectually, and artistically. As a result, developing tourism is a major issue in many countries. Tourist locations are divided into many types, including the archaeological locations that result in heritage tourism, which is considered to be one of the most important components of sustainable tourism. This research tackles an important issue: the absence of clear strategic policies that work on balancing the richness of the architectural and historical heritage in many countries, and the lack of efforts in achieving the optimum utilization of archaeological and heritage sites for developing heritage tourism. This research starts by emphasizing the importance of preserving urban and architectural heritage. Then, it moves to studying the policies used in preserving tourist locations. By applying the descriptive analysis method, it discusses the successful experiences of heritage tourism. Finally, it analyzes these experiences, reaching the conclusions and recommendations. The descriptive analysis method relies on an important research hypothesis; the ideal and efficient use of our cultural heritage is achieved by constructing sustainable restoration of archaeological and heritage sites to achieve sustainable heritage tourism. Everyone involved in investing in it, to enhance its tourist role, should do this. This research benefited from experiments in countries which possess a heritage, in deriving lessons, values and concepts that contribute in achieving an efficient program for the sustainable tourism development, which is based on preserving heritage in the old cities. It must balance between the society’s needs, the available resources, the efforts of the executives and the city planning, all while protecting the environment.

Keywords

sustainable tourism, preserving historical sites, architectural heritage, heritage tourism, identity