**1. Introduction**

The archaeological remains of ed-Dur and Sir Bani Yas represent two major inactive religious sites. Their precise location, historical meaning, current preservation, and tourism integration are dissimilar to all but two intertwined extents, namely an international scientific relevance that spills over to a cultural tourism purpose. Institutional and private stakeholder involvement differs as well, which reflects on specific branding and entrepreneurial dimensions. The conservation of heritage, within a rationale of public interest, is also a widely shared objective and, as such, becomes comparable in the light of socioeconomic development and, more specifically, in that of the cultural tourism industry.
