Conceptualizing a sustainable development model for cultural heritage tourism in Asia

Abstract

In the process of tourism development at cultural heritage sites, social pressure and environmental problems seem to be unavoidable, such as the danger of losing inherent local characteristics, tremendous pressure from a huge influx of tourists and the reluctant migration of native residents. It becomes increasingly urgent to find a better way to enable cultural heritage to achieve sustainable development. In a multicultural context, especially in Malaysia and China, people have been paying more attention to these impacts from tourism on the society, culture, tourist destinations and local residents. This research applied a comparative method to study the protection and development of cultural heritage tourism (CHT). First, a basic comparative framework was established based on a summary of the related literature on cultural heritage tourism and sustainable tourism development (STD). Secondly, Lijiang in China and Penang in Malaysia were chosen as cases to be compared according to the comparative framework. Thirdly, a complete model of sustainable development of CHT was established based on the results of the comparison. Besides illustrating more specific details and showing the sub-compositions in a more lucid and clear manner, the model eventually offers a more practical and systematic STD direction and planning following the structure of: four Dimensions, four Goals, four Patterns and four Mechanisms. As two of the famous World Cultural Heritage sites, to a certain degree, Lijiang and Penang have increasingly become the most typical representatives in balancing protection and development of cultural heritage especially in Asia. Therefore, this lends the research a wider applicable value as well as an important practical significance, especially within Asia.

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