Accelerating cultural heritage tourism in San Antonio: a community-based tourism development proposal for the missions historic district

Cultural heritage tourism can sustain economic prosperity while preserving local authenticity, but deliberate planning is required to mitigate negative impacts. This study demonstrates that community-based tourism development in the San Antonio Missions Historic District could accelerate economic and social benefits—such as job creation, infrastructure improvement, and small business growth—while preventing gentrification and cultural displacement. By integrating sustainable practices, the research proposes a model that balances tourism expansion with the preservation of historic and cultural integrity, reinforcing connections to the river and supporting San Antonio's potential World Heritage designation. The approach leverages heritage tourism as an economic tool while safeguarding local identity and environmental sustainability.

Doganer, S., & Dupont, W. (2015). Accelerating cultural heritage tourism in San Antonio: a community-based tourism development proposal for the missions historic district. International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning, 10(1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.2495/sdp-v10-n1-1-19