This research trip and subsequent thesis document were conducted in order to gain a better understanding of the experience that is offered by UNESCO World Heritage Sites to the people who engage with them. From the tourists who visit because of their formal heritage designation to the long-time residents who live in close proximity to these sites.  

Among Vietnam’s urban WHS, two sites—Huế and Hội An—were chosen for focused analysis due to their contrasting urban forms, historical backgrounds, and stages of tourism development. Huế, the former imperial capital, spatially planned and steeped in royal symbolism, and Hội An, a port town shaped by multicultural trade. These differing conditions offered an opportunity to explore how heritage can function as both a cultural and economic asset under pressures of globalization and tourism. 

Two methodologies were conducted as part of this thesis, Site Observations and Community Engagement. The Site Observation methodology achieved the first-time experience of visitors that interact with the WHS. The Community Engagement methodology achieved a better understanding of residents' feelings about their city, their feelings about living in proximity to the city's respective UNESCO sites, and the changes they have seen over time.