Enhancing sustainable heritage tourism in Egypt: challenges and framework of action

Abstract

Prior research on heritage tourism has suggested a set of general guidelines to develop sustainability in heritage sites, but these lack details on implementation and prospective challenges, especially in developing countries. This research studies the practical application of sustainable heritage tourism (SHT) in Egypt. In particular, it investigates the challenges facing the tourism development of the Esna heritage site, and proposes a framework of action. The emergent challenges are related to two main aspects: community (e.g. close urbanization and theft of antiquities) and management (e.g. lack of top management support and commitment, conflict of authorities, lack of awareness and appropriate skills and lack of adequate funding). The study found that the central and most influential factors are those related to management. The suggested framework of actions outlines objectives, related actions and implementation responsibilities. The implementation of the entire suite of actions would enhance the ability of Esna to conserve heritage, develop local community and assist in facing the challenges to SHT development. Generally, this study is a step toward a better understanding of how SHT could be achieved in developing countries. It also gives relevant insights to both researchers and practitioners.

Keywords:

• sustainability
• heritage tourism
• community development
• developing countries
• Esna
• Egypt

Notes on contributors

Marwa Magdy Ghanem is a lecturer in the Tourism Studies Department, Suez Canal University, Egypt. Marwa completed her Ph.D. at the University of Hull in Tourism and Information Systems in 2011. She is a co-editor of the Journal of the Association of Arab Universities for Tourism and Hospitality. Her research interests include development and implementation of sustainable tourism, heritage tourism, destination management and information technology in tourism. Marwa teaches a wide range of tourism, management and information technology modules at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels in Faculties of Tourism and Business (English section) in Egypt and supervises Bachelors, Masters and Ph.D. students.

Samar Kamel Saad is a lecturer of management at the Suez Canal University in the Faculty of Tourism, Egypt. She received a Ph.D. in human resource management from Helwan University. Her current research interests include sustainable tourism management, human resource planning, organizational politics, justice, and attitudes and behaviors in the workplace. She has published her work in journals such as the Journal of Human Resources in Hospitality & Tourism and International Journal of Social Science.

Notes

1. Group of For You My City (Esna) on Facebook: Group of Esna Today on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/201906795037/; and Friends of the Egyptian heritage Conservation Society: https://www.facebook.com/groups/egy.hs/