George Town, Penang as a World Heritage Site: The Stakeholders' Perceptions

The designation of George Town, Penang, along with Malacca, as a UNESCO World Heritage Site (WHS) on July 7, 2008 was a boast achievement, particularly for Penangites and Malaysian generally. The status has elevated Penang to international status in terms of cultural heritage tourism and expected to draw more tourists to the area. The impacts of tourism to the local community are inevitable. Questions inevitably arise, particularly on whether the locals are aware of the listing and whether they care about this important listing. This paper examines the perceptions of George Town stakeholders on the WHS status of George Town. The study surveyed 196 respondents who reside and operate businesses in the core zone of George Town. The findings reveal that majority of the respondents are aware of George Town's status and think that such status would have a positive impact on local businesses, on the conservation and restoration of heritage buildings, and on the general well-being of George Town residents. Many agree that the restoration and conservation of heritage buildings are important in sustaining George Town's heritage status. Nevertheless, half of the respondents perceive that tourist activities could threaten the heritage values of George Town. Meanwhile, the level of stakeholder involvement in tourism planning and development is rather low. Only half of them are satisfied with the present management of heritage and tourism in George Town. This paper provides recommendations to assist the Penang State Government in the monitoring, maintenance, management, protection, and conservation of George Town to remain the status of World Heritage Site. (C) 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.