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Visitor Satisfaction at UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Case of the Oasis of Bahla and Land of Frankincense in the Sultanate of Oman

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Visitor Satisfaction at UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Case of the Oasis of Bahla and Land of Frankincense in the Sultanate of Oman JFTH, Vol. 16, Issue 1 (2019) ISSN: 2314-7024 2682-2180 E-ISSN: Visitor Satisfaction at UNESCO World Heritage Sites: The Case of the Oasis of Bahla and Land of Frankincense in the Sultanate of Oman Heba Aziz1,2 1Department of Tourism Studies, Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, Alexandria University, Egypt. 2Department of Logistics, Tourism, & Service Management, German University of Technology (GUtech), Halban, Oman Philipp Herzig Faculty of Economics, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia Abstract This study aims at contributing to the body of Heritage Sites, behavioral intentions, Sultanate research on visitor satisfaction at UNESCO of Oman. World Heritage Sites with a case study of the Oasis of Bahla and Land of Frankincense, two 1. Introduction Cultural World Heritage Sitesin the Sultanate of Oman. To analyse the level of satisfaction Being one of the fastest growing segments of of visitors to the Oasis of Bahla and the Land the industry, heritage tourism has become an of Frankincense, a questionnaire was important aspect of many countrys‟ tourism developed which consisted of five main strategy (Huh, Uysal, & McCleary, 2006; sections in accordance with the research model Altunel & Erkut, 2015). It has been recognized and in total, 250 visitors took part in the as a credible source of economic growth and a survey. The results showed that the tourists‟ tool to erode boundaries between culture, overall satisfaction for both sites was above tourism and everyday life (Richards, 1996). average and that visitors would recommend The United Nations Educational, Scientific them to other people. The research and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has recommended that UNESCO needs to made it their core goal to protect and preserve acknowledge the importance of on-site heritage sites of outstanding universal value all interpretation and tourism infrastructure for around the world. These World Heritage Sites heritage tourists. Also, Omani government (WHSs) take a special place in heritage needs to develop thought-out management tourism since a designation usually is plans and an efficient implementation considered as branding (Timothy, 2011) which mechanism in order to enhance the quality of makes it more visible to potential visitors. the World Heritage Sites which are attractive Tourists often associate the World Heritage for many visitors. status with certain attributes which include a good level of management as well as a fair Keywords: Visitor Satisfaction, World amount of on-site interpretation that 17 Journal of the Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, Alexandria University, Vol. 16, Issue 1 (2019) Visitor Satisfaction at UNESCO World Heritage Sites Heba Aziz , Philipp Herzig communicates the universal value of the place whether the outstanding universal value which (Poria, Reichel & Cohen, 2013). is the crucial factor of a WHS designation is communicated to and understood by the Although previous research conducted by visitors as well as how important the factor is various authors (e.g. Williams 2005; Yan & that the site has a UNESCO label. This Morrison 2005; Poria et al., 2013) has dealt research composition can support management with visitation to WHSs in connection to decisions with the goal of increasing visitor experience and satisfaction, only very few satisfaction and comply with the spirit a utilized the approach of comparing the actual UNESCO World Heritage designation testifies experience of the visitor with the overall for. In order to contribute to the rather small satisfaction and resulting behavioural body of research that has been done on this intention. Especially when specific attributes issue and generally on visitors at UNESCO of the destination are taken into consideration WHSs (Bloemer & de Ruyter, 1998; Zeithaml, which is in parts coined to WHS, research is 2000; Adie & Hall, 2016), this study aims at lacking behind. As stated by Chen and Chen investigating the relationship between the (2010), also in tourism context, satisfaction is visitation experience, overall satisfaction and primarily measured as a function of pre-travel behavioural intention as well as general and expectations and post-travel experiences. This more specific factors of satisfaction of visitors method has been introduced by Oliver (1980) at two WHSs in the Sultanate of Oman. and reached broad adoption. However, in many cases WHSs in countries that are not 2. Literature Review considered well-established tourism destinations; visitors do not have certain 2.1 Supply Side: Heritage Tourism expectations and therefore, cannot compare The terms cultural and heritage tourism are them to their post-evaluation of the visit. equipped with a broad variety of definitions. In Churchill and Surprentant (1982), Tse and its convention concerning the protection of the Wilton (1988) and Dabholkar, Shepherd and World Cultural and Natural Heritage, Thorpe (2000) take a similar approach and UNESCO defines cultural heritage in a broad pledge for neglecting expecations and only sense including monuments, groups of contrast experience and satisfaction. As buildings and sites which in detail can be mentioned above, this study will not only “works of man or the combined works of analyze the relationship between overall nature and man, and areas including experience and satisfaction but also whether archaeological sites which are of outstanding certain dimensions and attributes are universal value from the historical, aesthetic, especially influencing the satisfaction of the ethnological or anthropological point of view” visitor. Facilities and employees, physical (UNESCO, 1972). This broad definition is appearance, accessibility and interpretation useful in order to “encompass not only major consisting of several attributes are hereby historic sites and institutions but the entire taken into consideration. Besides landscape of the region with its geographic acknowledgement of demographics and travel base (Bowes 1989, p. 36). 13 years later the patterns of visitors to the chosen WHS which UNWTO describes cultural heritage in backs the research on differences between connection to tourism as the movement of general heritage tourists and visitors to WHSs persons due to cultural motivations such as (Adie & Hall, 2016), the assessment of study tours, performing arts, travel to festivals 18 Journal of the Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, Alexandria University, Vol. 26, Issue 1 (2019) Visitor Satisfaction at UNESCO World Heritage Sites Heba Aziz , Philipp Herzig and other cultural events, visit to sites and possible relationships in connection to monuments, travel to study nature, folklore, or different stages of the heritage tourism art or pilgrimages (UNWTO 1985). Following lifecycle have been identified and include this definition but defining cultural tourism as denial, unrealistic expectation, parallel the umbrella term, Richards (1997) states that existence, conflict, imposed co-management, cultural tourism includes all movements of partnership, and cross purpose (Zhang & persons to specific cultural attractions such as Zheng, 2014). Denial describes an early stage heritage sites, artistically and cultural and can result in not-used cultural heritage manifestations, and arts and drama outside asset, parallel existence of heritage and their normal place of residence. However, tourism or conflict between the two. Prentice (1993) describes heritage as not only Unrealistic expectation can be caused by landscapes, natural history, buildings, artifacts, people in charge of the supply side, for and cultural traditions which are passed on example the site manager. A parallel existence from generation to generation but every aspect is possible when roles don‟t overlap, and that can be promoted as tourism products. He conflicts arise when uncontrolled tourism also differentiates between types of heritage, threatens the „survival‟ of the heritage product. namely built, natural and cultural heritage. Imposed co-management can occur after a conflict situation and means imposing artificial The tourism industry is growing at a vast solutions to end the dispute between speed and has been titled the world‟s largest stakeholders which might jeopardize the industry since the mid-1980s (Timothy & cultural integrity (McKercher et al., 2005). Boyd, 2003). Cultural and heritage tourism has Sincere partnerships are rare but can be become the most prosperous segment within established when the common goal of the industry (Huh et al., 2006; Altunel & providing a satisfying experience to the visitor Erkut, 2015) and the United Nations World is agreed upon. When using tourism to justify Tourism Organization (UNWTO) the use of for example ancient buildings, acknowledged that heritage tourism has gained intangible heritage attributes might be lost. high importance for many travelers. Almost This type of relationship is referred to as cross 40% of international trips include culture and purposes relationship and emphasizes the need heritage as part of the experience (Timothy & of finding a balance between conservation and Boyd, 2003) which hardly makes heritage a the use of heritage sites for tourism (Garrod & niche of tourism. Fyall, 2000). Several authors have analyzed the relationship between heritage and tourism in their 2.2 Demand Side: Heritage Tourists publications (Ashworth, 2000; Timothy & Timothy and Boyd (2003) describe that Boyd, 2003; Ho & du Cros, 2005). Ashworth scholars define heritage in either a supply-led (2000) proposes three main schools of thought or demand-led manner whereas a
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