Preservation vs. use: understanding tourism stakeholders’ value perceptions toward Petra Archaeological Park

ABSTRACT

Heritage sites are shared by several stakeholders with different values that leading multiple interpretations and uses. Tourism stakeholders play critical roles in developing and planning sustainable heritage tourism. However, little research has been conducted to investigate simultaneously their value perceptions toward heritage sites. Using Petra Archaeological Park as an example, this paper addresses the issue of the perception attached by tourism stakeholders towards archaeological park values. The results indicate that all stakeholders appreciate Petra to be preserved and kept for future generations. However, results show that residents and local business owners support the preservation of Petra not only for its heritage value but also for economic benefits, while tourists and government officials are more preservation oriented than use-oriented. This study generates useful and practical information for both heritage management professionals and academics on national and international level.

KEYWORDS:

• Heritage values
• stakeholders
• local community
• visitors
• preservation values
• use values

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Mohammad M. Alazaizeh is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Tourism Management, The University of Jordan at Aqaba, Jordan. His research interests focus on heritage tourism, heritage experience, visitor management frameworks, carrying capacity, tourist behaviour, sustainable heritage sites planning and management, heritage values, and community and tourism impacts.

Abdelkader Ababneh is currently an associate professor teaching at the Department of Tourism and Travel at Yarmouk University in Jordan and had also taught at the Department of Conservation and Cultural Resources Management at the same university. Ababneh holds a PhD in heritage interpretation, management and protection from the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis, France. His research focuses primarily on cultural heritage management, protection and interpretation and cultural heritage tourism issues.

Malek M. Jamaliah is an assistant professor in the Department of Tourism Management at the University of Jordan at Aqaba, Jordan. He received his PhD in parks, recreation and tourism management from Clemson University, USA. His research interests focus on ecotourism, sustainable tourism, climate change adaptation, and protected area management.

ORCID

Mohammad M. Alazaizeh http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3023-1427