Introduction
Curiosity is a human trait that we all share no matter the background. It is an instinct that has guided us to greener pastures throughout history. It is the step that always precedes the scientific method; we are curious as to how things work, and have an innate desire to discover the underlying mechanisms of nature.
It should then come to no one’s surprise that cultural tourism is one of the biggest reasons people choose to travel abroad. Some scholars argue that the emergence of cultural tourism as a social phenomenon can be traced back to the post-World War 2 era. Europeans wished to know and visit their neighbors, gaining a better understanding of their culture in both a tangible and non-tangible sense.
This has proven to help the European continent, creating a sense of unity within Europe, while maintaining an individual culture for every single country. Cultural tourism has also helped boost shattered economies after the war, and ever since, cultural tourism has undoubtedly aided their respective economies.
Although Europe might’ve gotten a head start, cultural tourism is now a well-established phenomenon all over the world and is one of the major contributing factors to some countries’ economies. Taking note of this, the sustainability of cultural tourism has been at the locus of discussion.
Maintaining and preserving one’s cultural tourism sites ensures a long-term income stream and international appreciation. Several factors should be taken into account when aiming for sustainable cultural tourism that will last throughout the years, such as the integration of new digital technology, and maintaining a high standard of health and safety while preserving cultural heritage and identity.
IEREK is proudly organizing the 7th edition of the “Cultural Sustainable Tourism (CST)” conference, in collaboration with Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (A.U.th), Thessaloniki, Greece, gathering researchers and experts the world over to further discuss modern methods of sustainability of cultural tourism, and determine the leading methods for countries to spread and maintain their cultures and heritage.
Attendants gain the opportunity to represent their unique and valuable cultural backgrounds while experiencing the various cultural natures represented within the conference.
