Heritage Stewardship: Sustainable Community-Based Tourism

Heritage Stewardship: Sustainable Community-Based Tourism

Location

MST 1036

Duration

Online / In-class

5 Days

Contact with our Team

Sector:

Customer Needs & Service Design

Technical Focus Area:

Customer & Visitor Experience, Insights & Journey Mapping

About the Course

Cultural and heritage tourism goes beyond sightseeing; it gives travelers a window into the stories, traditions, and identities that define communities. This course introduces the core concepts and language of cultural and heritage tourism, clarifying the distinctions and synergies between living culture (art, music, rituals, cuisine) and heritage assets (historic sites, museums, monuments, archaeological sites). Participants will examine how these elements can be curated into rich visitor experiences that honor local values and history.

The program emphasizes preservation and community benefit. Through global and local case studies, participants will explore how to protect fragile cultural resources while enabling carefully managed access. They will learn the principles of heritage conservation, review international conventions and standards, and discuss the challenges of balancing tourism revenues with cultural integrity. Special attention is given to the role of local communities—how to involve them meaningfully in product development, governance, and storytelling to ensure that tourism empowers rather than exploits.

Finally, the course focuses on practical tools for developing and marketing cultural tourism products. Participants will practice designing tours and experiences, refining interpretive narratives, and crafting marketing strategies that are respectful, accurate, and engaging. Sustainability and ethics run throughout the program, helping participants build tourism programs that are viable, responsible, and resilient in the face of changing trends and visitor expectations.

Learning Milestones

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Introduce and explain the fundamental concepts and terminology of cultural and heritage tourism.
- Explore the significance of preserving cultural and historical sites for communities and visitors.
- Develop skills for creating engaging cultural tourism experiences and products.
- Examine global examples of successful cultural and heritage tourism initiatives.
- Understand the role of community involvement and co-creation in heritage tourism.
- Analyze the impacts—both positive and negative—of tourism on cultural and heritage sites.
- Apply ethical and sustainable practices in planning and managing cultural tourism.
- Enhance marketing strategies for cultural and heritage attractions and experiences.
- Assess trends and challenges in the cultural and heritage tourism industry.
- Evaluate and improve existing cultural tourism programs using structured criteria.

Professional Audience

- History enthusiasts and cultural scholars interested in applied tourism
- Travel planners, tour operators, and guides designing cultural itineraries
- Heritage site managers and museum professionals
- Local artisans, craftspeople, and cultural practitioners involved in tourism
- Community leaders and representatives of cultural and heritage organizations
- Staff from government tourism departments and destination management organizations
- Educators, researchers, and students focusing on cultural heritage and tourism

Modular Syllabus

Introduction to Cultural and Heritage Tourism

- Defining cultural tourism and heritage tourism: similarities and differences
- Historical evolution of cultural and heritage tourism as a niche and mainstream segment
- Key terms and concepts: tangible vs. intangible heritage, living culture, sense of place
- Importance of cultural and heritage tourism for communities and destinations
- Links between tourism, identity, and local pride
- Global and local examples of cultural and heritage tourism initiatives
- The relationship between cultural heritage and sustainable tourism
- Activity/workshop: Map cultural and heritage assets in your own destination or community

Preservation and Conservation of Cultural Heritage

- Principles of heritage conservation: authenticity, integrity, and significance
- Methods for protecting cultural sites (legal frameworks, management plans, visitor controls)
- Case studies of successful conservation and adaptive reuse projects
- Challenges in preserving heritage sites (funding, overtourism, neglect, climate impacts)
- Overview of international conventions and standards for heritage protection (e.g., UNESCO, ICOMOS)
- Balancing access and protection: carrying capacity and visitor management strategies
- Role of interpretation and visitor education in conservation
- Exercise: Analyze a heritage site and identify risks, conservation needs, and visitor management options

Developing Cultural Tourism Products and Experiences

- Types of cultural tourism products: tours, festivals, workshops, routes, homestays, creative experiences
- Techniques for creating engaging, story-rich tourism experiences
- Cultural interpretation and storytelling: from facts to meaningful narratives
- Role of local communities in product development and ownership
- Co-creating experiences with artisans, performers, and cultural bearers
- Designing cultural tours and itineraries that respect local rhythms and capacities
- Examples of successful cultural and heritage tourism products
- Group activity: Design a new cultural tourism product or enhance an existing one for your destination

Community Involvement, Ethics, and Sustainable Practices

- Understanding the central role of communities in cultural and heritage tourism
- Methods for effective community engagement and participatory planning
- Ethical considerations in cultural tourism: representation, consent, and benefit sharing
- Balancing tourism development with cultural preservation and community wellbeing
- Community-led tourism initiatives: case studies and lessons learned
- Applying sustainable tourism practices to cultural and heritage contexts
- Managing visitor behavior and codes of conduct at cultural sites and events
- Workshop: Develop a simple community engagement and ethics framework for a cultural tourism project

Marketing and Managing Cultural and Heritage Tourism

- Strategies for marketing cultural and heritage tourism experiences
- Identifying and reaching appropriate target markets (domestic and international)
- Tools for promoting cultural attractions: storytelling, branding, digital platforms, partnerships
- Techniques for managing cultural tourism projects and programs (governance, operations, staffing)
- Trends in cultural tourism marketing (experiential, digital campaigns, influencer collaborations)
- Evaluating the effectiveness of marketing campaigns and visitor programs
- Using feedback and data to refine cultural tourism offerings
- Capstone: Create a simple marketing and management plan for a cultural or heritage tourism initiative

Course Dates & Prices

Location	Starting Date	Price
Dubai (UAE)	29/12/2025	2999 $
Online	05/01/2026	2299 $
Online	05/01/2026	2299 $
Dubai (UAE)	12/01/2026	2749 $
Dubai (UAE)	12/01/2026	2999$
Cairo (Egypt)	19/01/2026	2749 $
Online	19/01/2026	2299 $
Online	26/01/2026	2299 $
Muscat (Oman)	29/01/2026	2999 $
Dubai (UAE)	02/02/2026	2999 $
Muscat (Oman)	16/02/2026	2999 $
Online	16/02/2026	2299 $
Online	23/02/2026	2299 $
Dubai (UAE)	23/02/2026	2999 $
Online	02/03/2026	2299 $
Online	09/03/2026	2299 $
London (UK)	09/03/2026	3499 $
Dubai (UAE)	09/03/2026	2999$
Online	16/03/2026	2299 $
Istanbul (Turkey)	16/03/2026	2999 $
Dubai (UAE)	16/03/2026	2999 $
Online	23/03/2026	2299 $
Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)	23/03/2026	4099$
Doha (Qatar)	23/03/2026	2999 $
Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)	30/03/2026	4199$
Online	30/03/2026	2299 $
Dubai (UAE)	06/04/2026	2999$
Istanbul	06/04/2026	2749 $
Online	06/04/2026	2299 $
Dubai (UAE)	13/04/2026	2999$
Cairo (Egypt)	13/04/2026	2749 $
Online	20/04/2026	2299 $
Dubai (UAE)	27/04/2026	2999$
Online	27/04/2026	2299 $
London (UK)	27/04/2026	3499 $
Istanbul (Turkey)	04/05/2026	2749 $
Dubai (UAE)	04/05/2026	2999$
Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)	11/05/2026	4099$
Online	11/05/2026	2299 $
Doha (Qatar)	11/05/2026	2999 $

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