Identifying the Effective Factors in the Development of Creative Tourism at Heritage Sites
AbstractCreative tourism has emerged to provide a unique experience by actively engaging tourists within their surroundings and transforming traditional tourism offerings. Due to a scarcity of related research, this article sought to explore the application of this innovative approach to tourism at...
Saved in:
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | fas |
| Published: |
University of Isfahan
2025-03-01
|
| Series: | برنامه ریزی فضایی |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://sppl.ui.ac.ir/article_29273_4c1ac4c9cda60ecba75b657dc22b7d3f.pdf |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Summary: | AbstractCreative tourism has emerged to provide a unique experience by actively engaging tourists within their surroundings and transforming traditional tourism offerings. Due to a scarcity of related research, this article sought to explore the application of this innovative approach to tourism at heritage sites and identify the key factors contributing to its development. To achieve this objective, the fuzzy Delphi method was employed, relying on the qualitative consensus of expert opinions. Ultimately, 29 indicators were identified and organized into 10 criteria: heritage diversity, environmental education, co-creation, spatial creativity, safety and security, inviting environment, permeability and access, inclusiveness, participation and partnership, and recovery and promotion. Additionally, 3 components—creative experience, tourism infrastructure, and capacities—were highlighted. By considering these components and their subsets, a co-creative relationship could be fostered among tourists, local communities, tourism service providers, and the rich heritage tourism landscape, resulting in a distinctive and enriching experience. Keywords: Tourism, Fuzzy Delphi Method, Heritage Site, Experience, Creative, Criteria. IntroductionManagement and development of tourism can pose significant threats to the physical integrity and unique characteristics of heritage sites. However, it is essential to acknowledge the crucial role of tourism today. International conservation organizations have increasingly emphasized tourism through the publication of charters and guidelines aimed at its promotion and sustainable development. Recent advancements in conservation discourse, particularly the emergence of creative tourism, have fostered a closer relationship between heritage and tourism. This shift reflects a change in attitudes toward tourist destinations, highlighting the roles and contributions of tourists while alleviating previous concerns. UNESCO (2006) defines this contemporary approach to tourism as "a journey towards an original and integrated experience that involves collaborative learning in the context of art, heritage, or the unique features of a place", which also facilitates communication with local residents. Creative tourism encourages sharing of experiences and skills between tourists and locals, shifting the focus from mere tourism to everyday life, thereby enriching travelers’ experiences (Richards, 2021).Identifying the factors that influence the development of this relatively under-researched form of tourism is crucial for the effective management and promotion of historical sites. These sites where remnants of past eras are either visible or buried (Zargham Borujeni & Azizi, 2017), as well as house artifacts of human activity—historical, prehistoric, and contemporary—may have been excavated and documented by archaeologists (Khademzadeh et al., 2022) or may yet remain unexplored. Research backgroundThe review of the research background led to the initial identification of the key factors influencing the development of creative tourism in heritage sites. These factors included: Creative Experience: This serves as a means to differentiate destinations and gains competitive advantages in tourism (Richards & Raymond, 2000). Tourism Infrastructure: This is essential for facilitating tourists’ presence, extending their stay, and meeting the demands for tourism services (Yousfi-Shahir et al., 2014). Tourism Development Capacities: These capacities not only emphasize the value of the site, but also promote attractions for both visitors and the local community. They encourage local participation in area management and ensure that the community benefits from tourism, contributing to the protection of the site and supporting planned tourism development (Chakravarty, 2008; Budruk et al., 2008).These components are summarized in Table 1. Among these, creative experience was a particularly significant aspect of the research, encompassing the criteria for creative tourism, as well as the infrastructural and capacity components. The presence of these general components was crucial for the successful implementation of tourism in heritage sites. Criteria and Components Place CreativityCocreationLearning EnvironmentInclusivityHeritage DiversityCreative Experience Place ResponsibilitySafety and SecurityAccessibilityInfrastructure Economic VitalityMarketing and PromotionSense of PlaceHolistic DevelopmentCapacities Materials & MethodsThis study employed a mixed-methods approach, integrating both qualitative and quantitative research through the fuzzy Delphi method. The Delphi panel consisted of 9 faculty members with relevant expertise in the research topic. The fuzzy Delphi process was conducted over 3 rounds to achieve consensus among the experts (see Figure 1). Research FindingsUsing the fuzzy Delphi method, the responses were converted from linguistic values to fuzzy values and subsequently into triangular fuzzy numbers after collecting the questionnaires. By calculating the triangular fuzzy average of the lower, middle, and upper bounds, the definitive fuzzy numbers for each limit were derived from the experts' opinions. The de-fuzzification process was then applied to enable the conversion of fuzzy numbers into quantifiable values. This process was carried out in 3 stages. Ultimately, 29 indicators for the development of creative tourism in heritage sites were identified based on expert consensus and categorized into 10 criteria as illustrated in Figure 2. Discussion of Results & ConclusionTourism presents both positive and negative consequences, making it essential to neither overemphasize nor overlook its impact. It is crucial to manage and mitigate the detrimental effects of tourism through careful planning and conservation, while also harnessing its opportunities. In this context, the involvement of tourism stakeholders—particularly service providers and the local community—facilitates co-creative activities for tourists, a fundamental principle of creative tourism. Visitors to heritage sites should be encouraged to develop their untapped creative potential through participation and immersive learning experiences. Criteria, such as place creativity, heritage diversity, and a conducive learning environment, are vital for realizing this objective. However, it is important to remember that without addressing the basic needs of tourists through adequate infrastructure and consideration of contextual capacities, a truly creative experience cannot be achieved. Thus, the three components of creative experience, infrastructure, and capacities were found to be essential for the successful implementation of creative tourism in historical sites, ensuring that the principles and priorities of site conservation remained a central focus. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 2228-7485 2476-3357 |