Adopting Digital Tools & Technology to Evolve Sustainable Tourism at World Heritage Sites: Case Studies from India and Greece

Abstract

There is a strong interconnection between tourism and World Heritage Sites. This interconnection, on the one hand, can have a positive impact by presenting these sites to the public and helping generate conservation funds, but, on the other hand, if done unsustainably, can lead to their degradation. The adoption of digital technologies in tourism has made travel and visitations, even in remote areas, relatively easy. The adoption of new technologies at World Heritage Sites can also prove to be beneficial and help evolve a more sustainable tourism model at these venues. Furthermore, the new conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, while having a detrimental impact on global tourism, provide an opportunity to remotely promote and generate revenue to preserve a regions’ tangible and intangible heritage. A technology-based intervention, if adopted correctly, can help to develop sustainable visitation capacity and management at World Heritage Sites while also enhancing and enticing visitation at lesser-known sites. Case studies from Greece and India are presented to demonstrate how to increase visitation to lesser-known sites and enhance the overall tourism experience at these sites. A variety of digital tools are presented, from simplistic to technologically advanced ones. These digital tools could be adopted and used globally for other World Heritage Sites to enhance visibility and sustainability.

Enhancing Cultural Sustainability: Making Rescue Excavations Accessible through Educational Applications and Virtual Reality

“…The emergence of new technological tools, such as photogrammetry, 3D modeling, and advanced data management systems plays a vital role in the preservation, accessibility, education, and participation of the public in various aspects related to cultural heritage [38]. As shown in the current study, these tools provide reliable, multifaceted, and high-spatialresolution results, making inaccessible or geographically challenging areas accessible to both scientists and the general public [9].…”

“…The platform and subsystem developed in the context of our research, namely PDRE and SDRE, not only succeed in presenting and providing valuable archaeological information in a virtual way but also contribute to sustainability, a vital aspect of life today, which fundamentally goes hand in hand with education. The outcome of this combination is the formation of a new model, based on the notions of preservation, accessibility, and participation [38].…”