OPTIMIZATION ON SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT MECHANISMS FOR WORLD CULTURAL HERITAGE TOURISM DESTINATION SAMARKAND

Samarkand is one of the most visited tourism destinations in Central Asia, and has been a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site since 2001. However, rapid growth in tourism has led to pressing problems with maintaining its cultural authenticity and environmental integrity. The study will analyse sustainable management mechanisms, including governance structure, stakeholder collaboration, visitor impact management, and policy implementation towards Samarkand’s tourism sector. The mixed methods consisted of semi-structured interviews with 15 local stakeholders (government officials, heritage managers, tour operators, and community representatives), and a quantitative survey of 200 international tourists. Samarkand has made progress towards a legal framework for its heritage protection, but there are major gaps that need to be filled in terms of community participation, revenue reinvestment, and monitoring its carrying capacity. The establishment of the Samarkand Heritage Trust and the implementation of a visitor management plan are key success factors. However, without a unified coordination mechanism and inadequate conservation funding, its long-term sustainability remains undermined. The study develops a holistic sustainable management approach through adaptive co-management, smart tourism technologies, and participatory decision-making. This study has further enriched our knowledge of World Heritage site management in post-Soviet contexts and presents a set of applicable guidelines for both policymakers and destination managers.