The tourism sector is undergoing a profound transformation. Destinations are increasingly being challenged to balance visitor growth and economic development with environmental responsibility, social equity, cultural integrity, and the long-term protection of heritage. At the same time, rapid advances in artificial intelligence, immersive technologies, data analytics, and digital platforms are reshaping how visitors experience destinations and how tourism is planned and managed.
Cultural and heritage tourism is therefore moving beyond conventional approaches toward more inclusive, regenerative, resilient, and digitally informed models. This transition raises important questions: How can technology improve visitor experiences without compromising authenticity? How can communities participate meaningfully in heritage management and benefit equitably from tourism? How can destinations respond to climate risks, overtourism, resource scarcity, and changing patterns of mobility? And how can contested histories, living heritage, and cultural identities be represented responsibly?
The 9th International Conference on Cultural Sustainable Tourism (CST 2027) brings together researchers, academics, heritage professionals, destination managers, policymakers, practitioners, and industry stakeholders to explore these questions and examine emerging approaches to sustainable cultural tourism.
The conference provides a multidisciplinary space for discussing the intersection of technology, heritage, communities, environment, governance, and tourism development. Its scope extends from AI, digital heritage, and smart visitor management to regenerative tourism, climate resilience, cultural justice, adaptive reuse, sustainable mobility, creative tourism, cultural routes, and emerging tourism models.
Through research, professional practice, policy perspectives, and knowledge exchange, CST 2027 seeks to encourage meaningful dialogue on how cultural tourism can evolve while respecting the places, people, communities, and heritage that make destinations distinctive.
Conference Scope
CST 2027 welcomes interdisciplinary contributions addressing the changing relationship between tourism, culture, heritage, communities, technology, and the environment. The conference brings together diverse perspectives to examine both established and emerging approaches to cultural sustainable tourism.
Key areas include digital transformation and AI, smart visitor management, community empowerment, regenerative and nature-positive tourism, cultural storytelling and authenticity, governance and digital ethics, climate resilience, sustainability assessment, contested heritage, sustainable hospitality, heritage conservation, accessible mobility, cultural landscapes, creative tourism, transnational cultural routes, emerging tourism models, and spiritual and specialized cultural tourism.
Statement of Purpose
CST 2027 aims to facilitate the exchange of research, knowledge, and practical experiences that can contribute to more sustainable and responsible approaches to cultural tourism. The conference encourages dialogue between academic research and professional practice, while recognizing the different cultural, environmental, social, and economic contexts in which tourism develops.
Particular attention is given to approaches that strengthen community participation, protect cultural and natural heritage, respond to climate and environmental challenges, use technology responsibly, improve visitor management, and support inclusive and resilient destinations.
By bringing together multiple disciplines and perspectives, CST 2027 provides an opportunity to examine not only how tourism is changing, but also how cultural destinations can adapt while maintaining their identity, heritage, and connection with local communities.
