Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Urban Tourism

Dear Colleagues,

The relationship between cultural heritage and sustainable tourism has become a critical area of research in recent years as heritage destinations around the world grapple with increasing pressures from over-tourism, environmental degradation, and shifting social dynamics. Historic cities and cultural destinations, often significant for their historical and cultural values, are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of mass tourism, which can lead to the degradation of both tangible and intangible heritage assets. The urgency of addressing these challenges is further amplified by the growing global awareness of sustainability and its role in shaping future tourism practices.

In this context, the academic community is increasingly focusing on innovative solutions that balance the need for tourism development with the imperative of preserving cultural heritage. Research in this area has begun to explore novel economic models, community-led tourism initiatives, and sustainable tourism frameworks that not only protect heritage sites but also enhance visitor experiences and contribute to the well-being of local communities. This Special Issue contributes to this ongoing discourse by examining new approaches that promote sustainability within the heritage tourism sector, encouraging responsible tourism behavior, and fostering long-term preservation efforts.

An important dimension of this research involves the use of economic valuation methods, including multicriteria and non-market valuation techniques, which support decision-making by evaluating the impacts of tourism on cultural heritage, communities, and ecosystems, providing evidence-based support for more balanced and sustainable tourism practices. These methods offer valuable insights for urban regeneration and heritage conservation by helping stakeholders make informed decisions that align with sustainable development goals.

This Special Issue explores the intersection of sustainability and heritage tourism, focusing on contemporary challenges such as over-tourism, climate change, and shifting social dynamics. It aims to offer innovative methods and solutions for preserving cultural heritage while promoting sustainable tourism practices. By examining how heritage tourism can adapt to global pressures, the issue will contribute fresh insights into the application of sustainability principles in cultural heritage management, tourism experiences, and community engagement.

Aligned with the journal Sustainability’s mission, this issue seeks to investigate sustainable practices that mitigate over-tourism and unsustainable tourism models. It promotes discussions on new economic models, evaluation methods in support of decision-making, cultural identities, responsible tourism frameworks, and innovative heritage interpretation methods that foster more sustainable tourism behaviors.

We encourage contributions on the following topics:

• Over-tourism in Historic Cities and Destinations: Examining the impact of excessive tourism in cultural heritage sites and proposing sustainable solutions.
• New Circular Economy Models in Heritage Tourism: Exploring innovative business models that promote reuse, reduce waste, and enhance the long-term sustainability of heritage destinations.
• Evaluation Methods for Sustainable Heritage Tourism: Investigating decision-making frameworks and tools that incorporate multiple criteria (e.g., environmental, economic, social, and cultural factors) to assess the sustainability of heritage tourism projects.
• Cultural Identity and Motivation to Travel to Cultural Destinations: Investigating the motivations that drive visitors to heritage sites and how cultural identity influences sustainable tourism behaviors.
• Novel Approaches for Heritage Interpretation Promoting Sustainable Tourism Behavior: Introducing creative methods for engaging tourists in heritage interpretation that encourage responsible and sustainable tourism practices.
• Community-led Models in Tourism for Heritage Regeneration: Highlighting the role of local communities in leading heritage tourism projects that focus on regeneration and long-term sustainability.
• Responsible Tourism Frameworks and Changes in the Sustainability Paradigm: Discussing shifts in the sustainability paradigm and how responsible tourism frameworks can be implemented in heritage tourism.
• Innovative Tourism Experiences Building on Creative Networks and Community Engagement: Showcasing tourism experiences that leverage creative networks and foster meaningful community involvement in heritage tourism.

By addressing these themes, the Special Issue aims to contribute to both academic discourse and practical applications in the field of sustainable heritage tourism, with an emphasis on the importance of community engagement and innovative approaches for preserving cultural heritage in a sustainable manner.

Dr. Patrizia Riganti
Dr. Antonia Gravagnuolo
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• sustainable tourism
• cultural heritage preservation
• over-tourism
• circular economy in tourism
• heritage regeneration
• community-led tourism
• responsible tourism
• heritage interpretation
• tourism sustainability
• cultural identity in tourism