Developing the Archaeological Heritage Site in Tuna El-Gebel to Integrate into the World Heritage Tentative List

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Minia university - faculty of tourism and hotels- tourism studies department

2 Faculty of tourism and hotels, Minia University

Abstract

Egypt, in particular, features a number of natural, historical, and socio-cultural heritage sites from various times. Egypt has six UNESCO cultural World Heritage sites and one natural World Heritage site until 2023. Despite this, a number of cultural heritage sites are still awaiting a World Heritage designation. Unfortunately, urban and historical protection rules do not always safeguard heritage assets and do not ensure sustainable solutions. The aim of this study is to offer an approach for including an archaeological heritage site in Tuna El-Gebel, Minia Governorate, on the World Heritage Tentative List. To do this, data was gathered from a sample of tourism and heritage management professionals, Egyptologists, and the Department of International Relations and Agreements, Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, several tests were used, including reliability tests, descriptive analytical approaches, Pearson correlation tests, and regression analysis.
The research identified a variety of results. The most significant one is that the archaeological heritage site in Tuna El-Gebel needs to be considered for inclusion on the World Heritage Tentative List. Hence, those in authority must prioritize addressing the issue through sustainable development and conservation approaches, consequently having a significant impact on the economy, society, and tourism. The research recommended that there is a need to ensure that more of Egypt’s unique and diverse historical and heritage sites are registered on the World Heritage List, in addition to providing the opportunity for international cooperation financially and technically in preserving and maintaining these sites, which is what Egypt needs.

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