Implications of Post-Disaster Heritage Tourism Regeneration of an Urban Cultural Hub: Gemmayzé and Mar Mikhael in the aftermath of the Beirut-port blast

The increasing reliance on tourism as an instrument for development has magnified the impacts of disasters on tourism destinations, particularly those that rely on heritage as a primary attraction. Recent heritage tourism discourse suggests that further understanding of the implications of post-disaster reorganisation on heritage-tourism viability is required. The Gemmayze and Mar Mikhael neighbourhoods, which form one of Beirut’s main heritage tourism clusters, were most impacted by the high-profile 2020 Beirut port blast. These neighbourhoods represent a fascinating opportunity to explore tourism resilience and vulnerability in a disaster stricken urban cultural hub. By closely examining post-blast narratives, spatial interventions and industry efforts, this research explores opportunities and vulnerabilities introduced by tourism regeneration on the environmental, economic and socio-cultural aspects of development. Based on this analysis, the study aims to support more inclusive tourism governance in order to help realise resilient communities and improve cultural heritage management. Results of the mixed method case study will shed light on conditions of sustainable regeneration of urban cultural hubs reinforced by tourism development.