National Heritage Areas as Sustainable Heritage Tourism and Preservation Tool

The purpose of this study is to clarify the role of National Heritage Areas (NHAs) in the field of historic preservation. NHAs have been largely misunderstood as tools for natural resource planning, whereas, NHAs are in fact effective preservation tools that support sustainable heritage tourism. This is demonstrated through an analysis of the formation of NHAs, which will lead to an evaluation of the ways in which NHAs incorporate the local community, protect and promote historic resources, improve the local economy, and achieve their intended outcomes. This is demonstrated through a case study, the Baltimore National Heritage Area, which shows that NHAs promote historic preservation and rely on partnerships to achieve their goals. In order for NHAs to be better understood, they should be promoted as unique regional tools and included in historic preservation literature.