ENVISIONING URBAN TOURISM SUSTAINABILITY IN CULTURAL HERITAGE DESTINATIONS: A BOTTOM-UP APPROACH

Cultural heritage treasures are vital aspects for sustainable urban development, where it increases considerably in historical destinations, attracting urban tourism. However, while increasing urban tourism seems to be economic backbone for certain cities, it is also responsible for a continuous increase in environment degradation due to tourists’ rising expectation for services. The structure of this research is first to present the general overview of sustainable urban tourism, second it studies the most related literature on the topics of resident’s involvement and their attitude. Subsequently, it highlights challenges facing urban tourism both community related and managerial, and finally proposing a road map to achieve sustainability. Generally, this paper is a step towards a deeper understanding of sustainable urban tourism in heritage destination through bottom-up approach, especially in developing countries. It also gives relevant insights to both researchers and practitioners to effectively involve and collaborate with all stakeholders.