An Empirical Investigation of Architectural Heritage Management Implications for Tourism: The Case of Portugal

Shahrbanoo Gholitabar, Habib Alipour, Carlos Costa
2018 Sustainability  
The aims of this study are manifold. First, to investigate the potentials of architectural heritage in the context of tourism destination development, as well as examine public sector policies and make plans toward the preservation of these resources. Secondly, to appraise the outcome of preservation and its implications for tourism. The study is an effort to explore and understand the interrelationships between tourism and architectural heritage sites through tourist image and perception. For
more » ... he purposes of this research, numerous heritage sites were sampled in Portugal. A mixed research method was utilized to gauge tourists' image/perception of heritage resources, and impact (quantitative approach). A qualitative approach was utilized to assess the priority of tourists in their visits and public-sector policies toward heritage resource management and planning. The fuzzy logic method was used to assess the architectural value and the tourist and preservation potential of historical buildings in Porto/Aveiro. The contribution and implications of the study are also explained. The results revealed that architectural heritage resources have the most appeal to tourists. The study to date demonstrates the architectural value and tourist and preservation potential of the buildings observed via evaluation by fuzzy logic methods. Sustainability 2018, 10, 93 2 of 32 conservation or preservation and protects culture and traditions with the aim of promoting the local economy [6] . Long-term conservation is expected to enhance cultural and natural resources. To carry out the social, economic and environmental targets in heritage conservation, certain pre-conditions are essential. First, to manage human responses to the environment. Second, to have the ability to analyse sustainability and its effect on life cycle of a building. Third, to consider the connection between human and environment that is characterised by human-integrated design. Conservation could come through adaptive reuse, which promotes sustainability in tourism. There is an emphasis on cultural heritage and local community traditions to conserve sustainable tourism [6] (Powter). This study focused on the concept of building heritage, which should be considered within the sustainable planning range. As stated by [7] , cultural heritage is the portrayal of historical and architectural assets that belong to the past. Thus, efforts to safeguard them are indispensable for generations to come. That is the motivation behind why historical assets should be examined through the concept of sustainability. This study focuses on the extent to which sustainability and tourism are influencing aesthetics in heritage building zones, highlighting the role of policies and plans. Specifically, this research concentrates on preservation as a result of different cultural activities and reactions at a particular time. The cultural aspects can be depicted by the architecture of historical buildings, which influences the experience of international tourists. Moreover, we will focus on the rising awareness of preservation and how it is expected to promote the economy.
doi:10.3390/su10010093 fatcat:alfq3gsggrc43evnmztludtdau