Cultural Resource Management in Malacca

Abstract

Many places in the developing world turn to tourism as a source of income and economic development. The city of Malacca, Malaysia, is blessed with a colorful history and many attractions that make it destined to be a major tourist destination in Southeast Asia. Yet a focus on short-term projects instead of long-term conservation efforts leave this potential unexploited. Consequently, many tourists pass the city by completely or leave after a short stay. This case study explores some of the shortfalls of Malacca’s planning and heritage management efforts, which can be applied to many similarly situated sites throughout the developing world.