Cultural tourism transcends conventional travel, inviting individuals on a transformative journey that goes beyond mere sightseeing. It's an intricate exploration where travelers actively engage with the living narratives, traditions, and arts of visited places. This dynamic interplay between cultural curiosity and cross-cultural understanding offers a lens to appreciate global diversity. More than a transaction, cultural tourism is a symbiotic relationship, enriching both visitors and destinations. As travelers seek authentic encounters, they contribute to cultural heritage preservation, celebrating shared humanity and fostering connections that transcend geographical boundaries.

In an era of globalization and increased tourism, preserving cultural heritage is crucial. This discourse navigates the challenges of safeguarding both tangible and intangible elements that define a community's identity. Striking a balance between facilitating visitor access and ensuring protection is essential. Innovative approaches, including mindful and sustainable cultural tourism, are vital for responsible engagement. Stakeholders must adopt strategies to mitigate tourism's impact, fostering shared responsibility and ensuring economic benefits directly contribute to cultural asset preservation.

In the broader context of global concerns, the implications of climate change on cultural tourism cannot be understated. As our planet faces unprecedented environmental challenges, the travel industry is compelled to reevaluate its practices. Cultural tourism, with its unique intersection of human interaction and environmental impact, becomes both a reflection of and a contributor to the broader climate discourse. Green tourism initiatives, encompassing sustainable transportation, mobility, and accommodations, emerge as crucial components in redefining the relationship between travel and the environment.

The integration of sustainable practices into cultural tourism experiences signifies a paradigm shift, where responsible travel becomes the norm rather than the exception. Our discussions aim to unravel the strategies for minimizing the environmental footprint of travel, emphasizing the need for conscientious choices in both individual behavior and industry practices. This confluence of cultural tourism, heritage preservation, and environmental sustainability forms the backdrop for a broader conversation on responsible tourism practices.

We are thrilled to announce the seventh edition of the Cultural Sustainable Tourism (CST) conference. The ultimate goal of this edition is to envision a future where cultural exploration aligns seamlessly with the principles of responsibility, sustainability, and mindfulness. The stories, traditions, and landscapes encountered are not just fragments of a distant experience—they are the building blocks of a shared global heritage. Embracing the complexities of cultural tourism, we embark on a collective journey toward a more enriching, sustainable, and cohesive coexistence on our planet.

Scope:

This conference aims to explore the vital intersection of cultural tourism and sustainability, emphasizing enduring benefits for cities, residents, and tourists across generations. Focused on key aspects, including heritage preservation, environmental practices, economic impacts, and digital integration in tourism, the event seeks to illuminate pathways toward a harmonious and sustainable coexistence. Through refined discussions, the conference aims to generate insights into shaping the future of responsible cultural tourism.

Statement of purpose:

The seventh edition of the CST conference is committed to responsible tourism, IEREK aims to address key issues such as heritage preservation, environmental practices, economic impacts, and digital integration. This platform facilitates in-depth discussions, fostering a comprehensive understanding of the mutually beneficial relationship between cultural tourism and sustainability. Through collaborative exchanges, we seek to unearth innovative solutions that will shape a more sustainable and enriching cultural tourism landscape for generations to come.

• 1. Cultural Tourism: Interests, Challenges, and Benefits

  1.1 Tourist Motivations and Preferences

  1.2 Identification of Cultural attractions and events

  1.3 Navigating between commercialization and authenticity

  1.4 Integrating eco-friendly and sustainable practices

  1.5 Adopting green certification programs for cultural tourism businesses

  1.6 Over-tourism: Causes, Consequences, and Solutions

  1.7 Exploration of Cultural Diversity

• 2. Sustainable Mobility and Transportation in Tourism

  2.1 Infrastructure Development for Sustainable Mobility

  2.2 Pedestrian-Friendly Tourism Destinations

  2.3 Public Transportation for Better Tourism Accessibility

  2.4 Low-Impact Transportation Solutions in Remote Tourist Areas

  2.5 Ecotourism and Eco-Friendly Transportation

• 3. Cultural Tourism Economic Influence and Evaluation

  3.1 Measurement of cultural tourism's economic impact

  3.2 Developing indicators for sustainable cultural tourism

  3.3 Economic impact on local communities

  3.4 Balancing economic benefits and cultural preservation

  3.5 Impact of cultural tourism on urban and rural development

  3.6 Economic Resilience Through Cultural Tourism

• 4. Climate Change and Environmental Considerations

  4.1 Impact of climate change on cultural heritage sites

  4.2 Climate-resilient destination management

  4.3 Renewable energy in tourism infrastructure

  4.4 Climate change adaptation policies for tourism

  4.5 Sustainable practices in the tourism sector

• 5. Cultural Heritage Preservation

  5.1 Engaging communities in heritage tourism

  5.2 Navigating between commercialization and authenticity

  5.3 Community Involvement in Heritage Conservation

  5.4 Innovations in Museum and Exhibition Design

  5.5 Sustainable development models for heritage sites

• 6. Technological Innovations in Tourism and Heritage Preservation

  6.1 Geospatial Technologies in Tourism Management

  6.2 Digital Documentation and Preservation Techniques

  6.3 Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Personalized Tourism Experiences

  6.4 Internet of Things (IoT) Applications in Tourism Infrastructure

  6.5 Data Analytics for Tourism Market Insights

• 7. Local Communities Integration and Empowerment

  7.1 Local participation in tourism governance

  7.2 Inclusive Community Development Through Tourism

  7.3 Balancing economic benefits and cultural preservation

  7.4 Sustainable Livelihoods through Tourism for Local Communities

  7.5 Partnerships for Community Development and Tourism Management

  7.6 Inclusive Tourism Planning and Infrastructure Development

All accepted submissions to the conference, after a rigorous double-blinded peer-review process by the respective and a highly-extinguished Editorial Board, will be published in one of the following:

• Advances in Science, Technology and Innovation (ASTI), an IEREK Interdisciplinary book series published by Springer Nature. (Scopus indexed)  

About ASTI

Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation (ASTI) is a series of peer-reviewed books based on important emerging research that redefines the current disciplinary boundaries in science, technology and innovation (STI) in order to develop integrated concepts for sustainable development. It not only discusses the progress made towards securing more resources, allocating smarter solutions, and rebalancing the relationship between nature and people, but also provides in-depth insights from comprehensive research that addresses the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) as set out by the UN for 2030.

The series draws on the best research papers from various IEREK and other international conferences to promote the creation and development of viable solutions for a sustainable future and a positive societal transformation with the help of integrated and innovative science-based approaches. Including interdisciplinary contributions, it presents innovative approaches and highlights how they can best support both economic and sustainable development, through better use of data, more effective institutions, and global, local and individual action, for the welfare of all societies. The series particularly features conceptual and empirical contributions from various interrelated fields of science, technology and innovation, with an emphasis on digital transformation, that focus on providing practical solutions to ensure food, water and energy security to achieve the SDGs. It also presents new case studies offering concrete examples of how to resolve sustainable urbanization and environmental issues in different regions of the world. Read More.

The ASTI series is fully indexed in Scopus and any chapter/ paper published as part of this series will be seen on the Scopus database. Some titles have been successfully indexed or submitted for indexation in Web of Science (ISI).

• IEREK Press Journals, a multidisciplinary publisher that aims to cultivate and disseminate research.

Environmental Science & Sustainable Development (ESSD)

ESSD is a peer-reviewed, scholarly journal that aims to systematically develop the research-driven curiosity and evidence-based discourse of aspiring scholars that seek to contribute to the academic community. As the world is currently living in an age of information where sources are widely available on the Internet, we at ESSD seek to efficiently utilize the available information to help create robust and evidence-based knowledge. In the process, we offer researchers, in general, and young and aspiring ones in particular a quicker way to get their work published and gain exposure through online open access. We pride ourselves on getting submitted work to be published quickly, through the use of our worldwide pool of subject specialist peer reviewers. Find out more about ESSD International Journal here.

The Academic Research Community Publication (ARChive)

ARChive is an open-access journal that publishes conference proceedings on a wide range of topics relating to social sciences. Consequently, it accepts original research papers on a wide spectrum of subjects. ARChive is a journal published on behalf of researchers that perpetually make an effort to contribute to their fields and provide them with high visibility of research submitted. The series publishes, both, theoretical and experimental high-quality papers of current and perpetual interest. It serves to cultivate, propagate, and essentially archive academic research that has been authored and submitted for academic conferences.

Find out more about ARChive International Journal here.

Proceedings of Science and Technology (Resourceedings)

Resourceedings is an open access journal that publishes conference proceedings. Conference proceedings compromise of different disciplines, ranging from Engineering including built environments, architecture, and sustainability. Disciplines also include Technology and Energy. Resourceedings is a journal that publishes research articles that shed light on different crucial issues in order to provide them with solutions and suggestions. The journal publishes articles submitted by researchers of interest in different fields.

Find out more about Resourceedings International Journal here.

BAHETH International Journal - Arabian Researchers Database (Arabic Papers only)

“BAHETH” in Architecture, Engineering, and Technology, is a peer-reviewed journal that publishes original academic research in the fields of Architecture, Engineering, and Technology. The journal welcomes research in the Arabic Language with an English Abstract. Papers submitted to this journal in Arabic must be presented in the English Language in the conference.

Find out more about BAHETH International Journal here.

IEREK has an unyielding policy regarding plagiarism. We believe that copying/taking the ideas and work of other Authors without permission and credit is fraudulent. The Reviewing committee and IEREK employees have the authority to reject a paper during its reviewing process, based on the paper being subjected to either minor or major plagiarism.

Authors must refer to, and abide by, the following instructions in submitting their abstracts/ papers:

Step 1: Abstract Submission Process

• The author should prepare and submit an Abstract of at least 150 – 300 words through the website.
• The abstract should be concise and clearly state the proposed research study's purpose, results, and conclusions.
• The author should select the most relevant topic for the paper from the corresponding conference topics.
• The author can use/download an Abstract Writing Template prior to submission
• To submit your abstract, you first need to (1) click on the “Register” button on the conference page, (2) click on “Submit Now” and:
  • Select the Topic in which you are making the submission
  • Insert the title of your study in the "Paper Title" section
  • Insert the full abstract in the "Abstract" section/upload a file in the .pdf, .doc, .docm, or .docx format
  • Add in writing 3 – 5 keywords that define the field, subfield, topic, and research area covered by the article to help other researchers understand and find your work.
  • Provide the names, affiliations, and E-mails of all authors/ co-authors involved
  • Confirm your submission by ticking having read the instructions and “submit Abstract”

Step 2.1: Abstract Acceptance

• After acceptance of your abstract of at least (150 – 300 words), you will receive a proforma invoice and specific instructions to complete the payment online or by bank transfer (See Conference Fees) to confirm your participation,
• Once your abstract has been accepted, please refer to the important dates tab and carefully review the announced dates to avoid late payment, as late payment comes at an extra charge (early bird/regular/late).
• After successfully completing payment, you will be issued upon request with the following:
  • A signed/ stamped abstract acceptance letter
  • Please note that acceptance of participation, abstract submission, and extended abstract/short paper submissions all have different deadlines. To stay up to date and avoid paying extra fees, or delaying your paper, please carefully review the important dates tab.
  • Receipt of Payment/ Payment Invoice
  • Visa Invitation Letter, if needed
• After abstract acceptance, you may be given the option to extend the abstract to publish your work in the conference proceedings in ASTI published by Springer Nature (indexed in Scopus/SCImago) (optional not obligatory).

  This is not a prerequisite for presenting your work at the conference. Meaning, you can present your submitted abstract without intending to publish your work.

Step 2.2: Abstract Extension / Short Paper (Optional)

• Your short paper / extended abstract should be 4 – 6 pages long and submitted before the paper submission deadline, in English, and fit within one of the conference topics.
• The Extended abstract i.e., the short paper should follow the research paper structure as follows: Abstract (+keywords), Introduction, problem statement, and study aim, Review of the Literature, Methodology, results and conclusion/ discussion, References list using the Paper Writing Template.
• The submission (short paper i.e. extended abstract) should be made following the same procedure followed for the abstract or sent to the conference email.
• Here: Authors may need more pages than the allotted maximum of 6 to insert figures, tables, appendixes, etc. In this case, they can submit regular papers (max. 12 pages) with the same fixed fee. For a detailed outline of the fees, please refer to the payment table in the conference fees tab.
• The conference does welcome Arabic submissions (with abstracts written in the english language), which will only be considered for publication in BAHETH by IEREK Press.

Step 3: Rigorous Peer Review Process (double-blind)

This process can only be initiated after payment completion and confirmation:

• If submitted, the extension (short paper) will be preliminarily checked (iThenticate plagiarism/ similarity screening Software, readability, and scope) and it will be peer-reviewed. If similarity issues are detected, the following will apply:
  • % from all sources: 10-15%
  • % from one source: 3-5%
  • Higher than 30% (all sources): Reject completely
  • Lower than 30% (all sources): Ask for revision to decrease the similarities
• IEREK has an unyielding policy regarding plagiarism. We believe that copying/ taking the ideas and work of other Authors without permission and credit is fraudulent. The Reviewing committee and IEREK employees have the authority to reject a paper during its reviewing process, on the basis of the paper being subjected to either minor or major plagiarism.
• Each paper/ chapter is evaluated by a minimum of two reviewers, after which a final decision by the responsible Editor is made. There is no maximum to the number of times a paper can be reviewed, depending on the quality of the submission.
• If your short paper is accepted by the Editors for publishing with comments/ requested modifications, our Editors (publishing department) will contact you once a decision is made and you will be asked to revise and correct it. After resubmission, it will be re-checked. Note: There may be more than one round of peer review and the decision rests with the editors of the title. Missed deadlines may result in complete exclusion/ rejection from the final publication.
• If your short paper is accepted for publishing without edits/ comments, the corresponding author will be contacted to provide the final version of their chapters/ papers following Springer Guidelines and sign the Springer consent-to-publish (CTP) form to authorize publication in the conference proceedings.
• A back-and-forth process: modifications will be sent back to the responsible Editor/ Series Editor and another round of evaluation conducted where needed. Participants/ Authors should regularly check their emails (Junk/ Spam folders).
• If you are not interested in publishing an extended abstract in the proceedings in ASTI by Springer Nature, please inform the conference support ([email protected]).

Step 4: Extended paper 

• After the conference, the authors of the best papers will be invited to submit an extended version of their research, 8 – 12+ pages in length, (optional) of their short papers for publishing in an edited volume to be published by Springer Nature.
• Publishing your short paper (i.e., extended abstract) in the conference proceedings does not prevent the submission of the full version for publishing consideration after the conference if the similarity percentages (SR%) in Step 3 are taken into account.

A. Online Attendance

• The fee covers:
  • A softcopy of the abstracts book and/ or hard copy (excluding shipping)
  • IEREK Participation/ Contribution Certificate in softcopy
  • Acceptance Letters in softcopy
  • Consideration for publishing in the IEREK ASTI series by Springer or IEREK Press
  • Access to conference recordings

• If multiple abstracts are submitted by the same first author submitted to the conference, a 25% discount is applied to each additional submission.
• Each research paper should have one main author who should pay the full fee (Author fees) regardless of attendance. Co-authors, each, have their own fees to pay to attend the event. This applies to online attendance as well as physical attendance.
• A research paper fee allows only one author, whether main or co-author, to attend the conference and receive only one copy of the conference Abstract book in soft copy. Extras can be requested for an additional fee.
• Professionals are categorized as participants who are not affiliated with universities such as practitioners, policymakers, entrepreneurs etc.
• Students must provide proof of enrollment in a university by providing an enrollment certificate or a valid university ID (with issue/ expiry date) etc.

B. Extra Fees

Payment Methods

 Payment of the registration fee can be made via the following methods (only after online registration):

1. Bank transfer 

Kindly send a request to the conference coordinator/ email and CC [email protected] to receive bank details to complete the payment.

2. Online payment gateway (PayPal)

Participants who would like to complete their payments online must send a request to the conference coordinator/ email and CC [email protected] to receive a customized link to complete their payments.

3. Cash in IEREK branches

Payment in person can be arranged. Please contact the conference coordinator/ Email to receive further information.

Payment Terms and Guidelines:

• Read more on Important Dates. For information on payment dates, kindly send a request to the conference coordinator/email and CC [email protected] to receive payment details to complete the payment.

• Authors who have registered and completed payment for virtual attendance CAN request a change to physical attendance. However, a change from physical to virtual is NOT possible.

• After online registration and payment, the registration fee cannot be reimbursed.

• Final Acceptance/ rejection of your full/ extended paper (if submitted) can only be given after the peer review process.

• Inclusion in the conference program, acceptance letters issuance and consideration for publication must be preceded by registration and payment completion.

• Online Payment (only) should only be completed once a proforma invoice is issued with respective instructions for successful payment.

• Contact our Financial Department for inquiries/ requests.

Registration

To help the organizers plan for inter-disciplinary dialogue, participants are requested to choose from the Conference themes/ Topics upon registration.

They must also refer to, and abide by, the following instructions in registering and/ or submitting their contributions:

NOTE: If you are contributing as an Author of a submitted abstract (for publishing consideration and/or presentation), and regardless of attendance, the fee for the registration is the same. See and Conference Fees for more information.

Types of Participation

1. Attend/ Present Online and Publish in indexed Conference proceedings

The conference offers an Online attendance option for your convenience. That said, participants will have a chance to present their abstract/research, online, and have their work considered for publication in the ASTI Series by Springer as part of the conference proceedings.

See Authors Instructions and Conference Fees for more information.

2. Registration to publish in the proceedings without presenting/ attending

If your full paper is accepted, it may be published in the conference proceedings book in the Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation Book Series by Springer (indexed in Scopus) even if you are not attending the conference. In this case, the accepted work will not be included in the final conference program. See Authors Instructions and Publishing Opportunities for more information.

3. Non-presenting participant

Non-presenting participants may also wish to attend the conference as Audience Members or Co-authors contributing to an already submitted abstract/ paper. See Conference Fees for more information.

Notes to consider:
Send in your questions if you have any to the conference coordinator at the email [email protected]