The global tourism sector is navigating a critical transition, moving beyond traditional models toward a paradigm that prioritizes environmental stewardship, social equity, and the authentic preservation of cultural identity. As travel patterns evolve in an increasingly digitalized and hyper-connected world, the cultural tourism industry faces the dual challenge of accommodating growing visitor numbers while ensuring the long-term resilience of fragile heritage sites and local ecosystems.

The current era of tourism is defined by a shift toward "regenerative" practices, where the objective is to leave destinations better than they were found. This movement requires a sophisticated integration of digital intelligence, community-led heritage management, and climate-resilient infrastructure to manage the complexities of modern travel.

In response to these systemic shifts, the 9th edition of the Cultural Sustainable Tourism (CST) conference serves as a global forum for redefining the future of heritage travel. By integrating technological innovation with regenerative and community-centric strategies, CST 2027 provides a definitive platform where academic research, policy expertise, and industry leadership converge. This edition emphasizes actionable, future-proof solutions, including policy roundtables and specialized publication opportunities, to foster a sustainable and inclusive global tourism ecosystem.

Conference Scope
CST 2027 functions as a premier international hub for the convergence of diverse academic, corporate, and entrepreneurial expertise, bringing together researchers, destination managers, heritage conservationists, and policymakers to foster multidisciplinary research that addresses the urgent need to redesign tourism frameworks in a rapidly evolving global context.

Statement of Purpose
CST 2027 aims to provide a comprehensive, interdisciplinary forum that bridges the gap between heritage preservation and modern economic evolution. Our mission is to facilitate the exchange of knowledge, methodologies, and best practices among scholars and tourism practitioners. By examining the synergy between digital storytelling and regenerative tourism, we aim to offer actionable insights that empower tourism leaders, strategists, and policymakers to lead the transition toward a prosperous, equitable, and environmentally resilient global tourism market.

• 1. Technological Innovation and Digital Transformation in Cultural Tourism

  1.1. Generative AI for Personalized Visitor Experiences.
  1.2. Agentic AI and Autonomous Visitor Services.
  1.3. VR, AR, and Mixed Reality for Digital Site Interpretation.
  1.4. Big Data Analytics and Predictive Visitor Intelligence.
  1.5. Digital Twins for Heritage Conservation and Management.
  1.6. Spatial Computing and Immersive Cultural Experiences.
  1.7. Human-AI Collaboration in Tourism.
  1.8. AI Decision Support Systems for Cultural Tourism Management.

• 2. Community Empowerment, Inclusion, and Social Equity

  2.1. Inclusive Tourism Development and Universal Accessibility.
  2.2. Empowering Local Artisans and Creative Communities.
  2.3. Participatory Planning and Community-Based Site Management.
  2.4. Bridging Digital Divides in Rural Communities.
  2.5. Equitable Tourism Benefits and Anti-Gentrification Strategies.
  2.6. Community-Owned Tourism Enterprises.
  2.7. Community Well-Being and Social Resilience.
  2.8. Youth Engagement and Intergenerational Heritage Transmission.

• 3. Authenticity, Living Heritage, and Cultural Storytelling

  3.1. Co-Creation of Cultural Tourism Experiences.
  3.2. Community Storytelling and Destination Identity.
  3.3. Balancing Commercialization with Heritage Integrity.
  3.4. Blockchain for Cultural Heritage Authentication.
  3.5. User-Generated Content and Digital Destination Branding.
  3.6. UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.
  3.7. Ethics of Heritage Interpretation.
  3.8. Living Heritage and Traditional Knowledge Systems.

• 4. Governance, Policy Innovation, and Digital Ethics

  4.1. Global Tourism Governance Frameworks.
  4.2. Cross-Border Cultural Corridor Governance.
  4.3. Policy Responses to the Platform Economy.
  4.4. UNESCO World Heritage Management Frameworks.
  4.5. Collaborative Governance Models.
  4.6. Ethical Management of Sensitive Heritage Sites.
  4.7. Innovative Partnerships and Sustainable Funding Models.
  4.8. Responsible AI, Digital Ethics, and Data Governance.

• 5. Regenerative Tourism and Nature-Positive Heritage

  5.1. Nature-Positive Tourism Strategies.
  5.2. Regenerative Tourism Models.
  5.3. Biodiversity Conservation in Heritage Landscapes.
  5.4. Circular Resource Management.
  5.5. Community-Led Ecological Restoration.
  5.6. Traditional Landscapes and Regenerative Agriculture.
  5.7. Ecological Footprint Assessment.
  5.8. Nature-Based Solutions for Heritage Resilience.

• 6. Sustainable Hospitality and Adaptive Heritage Reuse

  6.1. Adaptive Reuse for Heritage Accommodation.
  6.2. Net-Zero and Low-Carbon Heritage Hospitality.
  6.3. Water and Waste Efficiency in Historic Buildings.
  6.4. Biophilic Design in Traditional Architecture.
  6.5. Sustainability Certification in Heritage Hospitality.
  6.6. Sustainable Local Supply Chains.
  6.7. Traditional Knowledge in Hospitality Practices.
  6.8. Balancing Modern Comfort with Historic Character.

• 7. Sustainable Mobility and Accessible Cultural Destinations

  7.1. Low-Carbon Mobility for Cultural Tourism.
  7.2. Walkability and Cycling Heritage Networks.
  7.3. Smart Mobility and Visitor Transportation Systems.
  7.4. Public Transport Integration for Heritage Destinations.
  7.5. Universal Design for Accessible Tourism.
  7.6. Sustainable Last-Mile Connectivity.
  7.7. Mobility Planning for Historic Cities.
  7.8. Visitor Mobility and Carbon Reduction Strategies.

• 8. Cultural Landscapes and Integrated Heritage Management

  8.1. Integrated Cultural and Natural Heritage Management.
  8.2. Holistic Landscape Planning.
  8.3. Community Participation in Landscape Conservation.
  8.4. Environmental Impact Assessment.
  8.5. Traditional Land-Use Systems.
  8.6. Cultural Identity and Landscape Preservation.
  8.7. International Best Practices.
  8.8. Landscape Governance and Policy.

• 9. Smart Visitor Management and Destination Intelligence

  9.1. Visitor Flow Optimization.
  9.2. Overtourism Mitigation Strategies.
  9.3. Predictive Analytics for Destination Management.
  9.4. Real-Time Visitor Monitoring Systems.
  9.5. Gamification for Sustainable Visitor Behavior.
  9.6. Carrying Capacity Assessment.
  9.7. Equitable Visitor Distribution.
  9.8. Smart Capacity Planning.

• 10. Transnational Cultural Routes and Regional Development

  10.1. Cross-Border Heritage Collaboration.
  10.2. Heritage Interpretation Along Cultural Routes.
  10.3. Economic Impact of Cultural Corridors.
  10.4. Digital Navigation Platforms.
  10.5. Stakeholder Collaboration.
  10.6. Destination Branding.
  10.7. Cultural Exchange Programs.
  10.8. Long-Term Route Sustainability.

• 11. Creative Economy and Cultural Innovation

  11.1. Creative Tourism and Experience Design.
  11.2. Cultural Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystems.
  11.3. Creative Placemaking.
  11.4. Digital Art in Heritage Spaces.
  11.5. Festivals and Event-Based Tourism.
  11.6. Heritage Education Through Creative Practice.
  11.7. Creative Industry Clusters.
  11.8. Arts for Cultural Engagement.

• 12. Heritage Conservation and Digital Preservation

  12.1. Ethical Heritage Conservation.
  12.2. Adaptive Conservation Approaches.
  12.3. Visitor Access and Conservation Balance.
  12.4. Digital Documentation and Archiving.
  12.5. Heritage Management in Urban Contexts.
  12.6. Community Stewardship.
  12.7. Non-Invasive Conservation Technologies.
  12.8. AI-Assisted Heritage Documentation and Monitoring.

• 13. Impact Assessment, ESG, and Sustainable Performance

  13.1. ESG Frameworks for Cultural Tourism.
  13.2. Social and Cultural Return on Investment.
  13.3. Carbon Accounting and Environmental Performance.
  13.4. International Geoparks and Conservation Standards.
  13.5. Comparative Benchmarking Frameworks.
  13.6. Regenerative Tourism Indicators and KPIs.
  13.7. Impact Communication and Reporting.
  13.8. Decision Support Systems for Sustainable Development.

• 14. Climate Resilience and Heritage Futures

  14.1. Climate Risk Modeling.
  14.2. Adaptive Heritage Conservation.
  14.3. Disaster Risk Management.
  14.4. Climate-Resilient Retrofitting.
  14.5. Climate Justice and Cultural Heritage.
  14.6. Coastal Heritage Protection.
  14.7. Community Capacity Building.
  14.8. Climate Emergency Planning for Heritage Sites.

• 15. Religious, Spiritual, and Specialized Cultural Tourism

  15.1. Pilgrimage Management.
  15.2. Authentic Spiritual Experiences.
  15.3. Interfaith Cultural Dialogue.
  15.4. Pilgrimage Infrastructure.
  15.5. Intangible Religious Heritage.
  15.6. Sacred Site Conservation.
  15.7. Community Development Through Spiritual Tourism.
  15.8. Digital Interpretation of Sacred Heritage.

• 16. Emerging Tourism Models and Future Experiences

  16.1. Culinary and Agricultural Tourism.
  16.2. Industrial Heritage Tourism.
  16.3. Maritime and Underwater Heritage Tourism.
  16.4. Archaeological Tourism.
  16.5. Literary and Artistic Tourism.
  16.6. Island and Coastal Heritage Tourism.
  16.7. International Sustainable Tourism Frameworks.
  16.8. Future Tourism Scenarios and Heritage Futures.

General Instructions

1. Payment Note: 
   

   Payments through the website are currently unavailable due to ongoing website enhancements. IEREK offers alternative payment methods, including bank transfer and secure third-party online payment links.

2. Expenses:

   The registration fee does not cover accommodation or travel expenses. A list of accommodation options can be suggested by our team if available. Please contact [email protected] for inquiries.

3. Benefits:

   We recommend that all authors take advantage of the benefits that IEREK offers, including various attendance types, publishing opportunities, and opportunities for discounts and waivers.

4. Membership:

   We are pleased to inform all applicants that they can use their previous publications to register for an IEREK membership, which offers a special discount.

5. Collaborative Discounts:

   IEREK offers a special discount to applicants from collaborative universities that have signed an MoU with IEREK to host or co-host one of its conferences.

6. Income-Based Discounts

   IEREK also provides special discounts to authors from low and medium-income countries.

7. Publication Accessibility:

   The disclosed fees are for the conference participation (Publication is free of charge, but only the conference participants can be considered for publishing in the conference proceedings).

8. Book Series/ Journal(s) Discounts:

   Some of the disclosed conference fees may vary depending on the book series and/or journal(s) presented as a publication outlet, as we encourage submission to newly founded book series and/or journal(s) by presenting a discounted rate for the conference's fees.

Types of Applications, Attendance, and Registration

IEREK offers many types of registrations that are diverse in registration fees; applicants can choose the type they are familiar with as follows:

1. Academic:

   Participants who are PhD holders, post-doctoral researchers, and universities’ affiliated professors and experts in the field.

2. Students:

   Must provide proof of enrollment in a university by providing an enrollment certificate and/or a valid university ID (with issue/expiry date) etc.

3. Professionals:

   Participants who are not affiliated with universities such as practitioners, policymakers, entrepreneurs, etc.

4. Companions/Co-authors:

   Have access to the event to enjoy the discussions, coffee breaks, and lunch as a co-author or audience.

Physical Attendance

IEREK offers various types of participation. Applicants can apply for in-person attendance to benefit fully from conference discussions and knowledge exchange.

IEREK also offers virtual attendance for authors to present their research papers online; however, we strongly encourage all applicants to attend the conference in person.

The physical fee covers:

• The Conference Kit, which includes a softcopy of the abstract book, Conference notebook, IEREK pen, and Conference Flyers/Printouts.
• IEREK Participation/Contribution Certificate
• Consideration for publication in the IEREK-Springer interdisciplinary series (ASTI series by Springer) or IEREK Press, or any special issues available according to the type of registration in the table above.
• A Preliminary Acceptance Letter
• Lunches and Coffee Breaks

* Each research paper should have one main author who should pay the full fee (Author fees) regardless of attendance. Co-authors, each, have their 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 conference kit. Extras can be requested for an additional fee.

Online Attendance

IEREK offers virtual attendance, providing authors with a unique link to join the conference sessions and present their papers as per the announced program.

The online fee covers:

• IEREK Participation/Contribution soft copy Certificate.
• Preliminary Acceptance Letter.
• Consideration for publication in the IEREK-Springer interdisciplinary series (ASTI series by Springer) or IEREK Press, or any special issues available according to the type of registration in the table above.
• Access to conference recordings.

* Each research paper should have one main author who should pay the full fee (Author fees) regardless of attendance.

* Co-authors, each, have their fees to pay to attend the event. This applies to online attendance as well as physical attendance.

Discounts and Waiving Opportunities

1. 15%: Participants who come from co-partner universities who have already signed an MOU with IEREK can receive a 15% discount. Authors should mention the key person who signed the agreement with IEREK. You are welcome to inquire if your university has an agreement with IEREK or not yet.
2. 15%: Participants affiliated with universities in the hosting country on the regular registration fee.
3. 20%: Waiving with 20% from the announced fees for low-income countries according to the World Bank classification mentioned in the document below. (applicable to the regular payment stage)
4. 25%: If multiple abstracts are submitted by the same first author to the conference, a 25% discount is applied to each additional submission according to the deadline for payments.

* If an author is eligible for more than one discount, IEREK will apply only the highest discount. Discounts cannot be combined.

* Authors should contact the conference manager through this email [email protected] to consider the discount and waiving for all the above cases so that the conference manager can provide an exclusive invoice for each case.

Proof of capability to get the discount:

• A copy of a student enrollment card for 2026 is essential.
• Proof of affiliation to the partnering university is to be provided.
• Proof of previous publication through IEREK conferences. 
• A copy of passport for authors from low-income countries. Added below is the list of low and middle-income countries according to the World Bank classification.

Publication Period

IEREK puts a lot of effort into expediting the peer review process to publish articles as quickly as possible. This requires prompt responses from all authors to the editors' comments, if any. Your swift response is highly appreciated to advance the production process and get your articles online. We prioritize the first author to respond as per our formula. The conference proceedings will be divided into multiple books, with the first one scheduled for publication within 6 months after the conference date. We encourage all authors to aim for publication in the first release.

Possibilities for Extra Fees

1. Authors may request that their kits be delivered, for an additional fee decided by the courier, and upon request. Alternatively, authors located in Egypt can pick them up from IEREK headquarters in Alexandria.
2. Additional Conference Kit (Excluding Delivery). *Contact us for a quotation on shipping fees.
3. Gala Dinner, social programs, and other activities.

💳 Payment & Administration

Registration and financial transactions for this conference are managed through our strategic partners, working in close academic partnership with IEREK to ensure seamless delivery of conference services and publication standards.

iDirect

Publishing Direct Conferences CO. LLC

COEUS

Strategic Financial Partner

Both entities work in close academic partnership with IEREK to ensure the highest standards of financial transparency, conference administration, and publication quality.

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: Full Paper Submission

• Your submitted paper should be a minimum of 6 pages and contain 4,000 words, excluding references and submitted before the paper submission deadline, in English, and fit within one of the conference topics.
• Papers 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 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 full 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 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 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 a full paper 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 paper 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.

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 submitting their abstracts/ papers:

Types of Participation

1. Attend/ Present Virtually and Publish in Conference proceedings

Organized from the comfort of your own home, the conference offers a virtual 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 proceedings.

Virtual presenters are required to submit an abstract and extend this abstract following the “author instructions” below and before the deadline (see Important Dates). At least one author must pay the registration fee (see Conference Fees).

For any reason, authors may wish to submit pre-recorded video presentations no later than 15 days prior to the conference. Alternatively, they may wish to record a voice-over PowerPoint presentation for submission to the conference organizers.

2. Attend/ Present in-person and Publish in indexed Conference proceedings 

Organized at the University of Portsmouth, UK, offering a Physical attendance option for your convenience. That said, participants will have a chance to present their abstract/research, on campus, and have their work considered for publication in the ASTI Series by Springer as part of the conference proceedings.

See Author Instructions and Conference Fees 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.

Attending a conference dramatically enhances both your professional and personal development. They help you sharpen the saw, meet and converse with industry experts, expand your resources and grow your professional network. IEREK Conference will help you:

1. Open Discussions: We bring together leading academic scientists, from different universities and countries, to exchange and share their experiences and research results.

2. Internationally Accredited Certificate: The participants are granted internationally recognized certificates acknowledged by IEREK, the University, and Partnering Organizations.

3. Publication: Selected high-quality manuscripts will be published, after peer review, in the Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation (ASTI) book series by Springer or by IEREK Press Journals, both of which are indexed in world-renowned databases.

4. Research Technologies: Conferences can expand your resources by providing a great opportunity to promote gathered information on new technologies related to your research.

5. Networking: You can engage with industry experts to discuss with them the very latest research projects they could be working on and increase your chances of collaboration in future projects.

6. Academic Reputation: Attending many conferences will make you a known figure in academic circles and an active member of the academic community.

For IEREK's Provious Publications, Please Click here

- Cultural Sustainable Tourism (CST) - 1st Edition

Springer

Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation (ASTI) Series.

Cultural Sustainable Tourism

Publication Link: https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783030108038

- Cultural Sustainable Tourism (CST) - 2nd Edition

Springer

Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation (ASTI) Series.

Cultural Sustainable Tourism - 2nd Edition

Publication link: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-07819-4

- Cultural Sustainable Tourism (CST) - 3rd Edition

Springer

Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation (ASTI) Series.

Cultural Sustainable Tourism - 3rd Edition

Publication link: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-10800-6 

- Cultural Sustainable Tourism (CST) - 4th Edition

Springer

Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation (ASTI) Series.

Cultural Sustainable Tourism - 4th Edition

Publication link: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-49536-6 

- Cultural Sustainable Tourism (CST) - 5th Edition 

Springer

Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation (ASTI) Series.

Cultural Sustainable Tourism - 5th Edition

Publication link: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-59325-3

- Cultural Sustainable Tourism (CST) - 6th Edition 

Springer

Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation (ASTI) Series.

Cultural Sustainable Tourism - 6th Edition

Publication link: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-86745-3