ABSTRACT
In 2005-2009, the European Union proposed the Municipal Administration Modernisation (MAM) project to Syria for devolution, institutional reform, and effective local governance. One of MAM’s 17 action plans was the visitor routes project in the Old City of Damascus. The project aimed at promoting the economic and social life of the Old City through cultural tourism. This chapter aims to examine the extent to which MAM was successful in its proposed plans, practices and outcomes in visitor routes project. To that end, this study will utilise a comparative case study approach through which it will look into different international contexts where the European Union and/or equivalent national bodies have developed similar projects of cultural tourism in old city centres. MAM suggests that the success of Damascus visitor routes project is subject to the development and implementation of a holistic plan for regeneration, conservation and development for the Old City. This study however suggests that the failure in the delivery of MAM’s holistic plan and modernisation of municipal administration led to a failure in the delivery of MAM’s visitor routes project. Further, this study suggests that the successful implementation of visitor routes is subject to; i. creation of dedicated management and promotion team for the routes project separate from the overall management team of the Old City of Damascus; ii. full delegation of authorities and responsibilities to routes’ management team to form and manage its own governance structure and arrangements; and iii. effectively apply policies that enhance the successful management and implementation of such projects (e.g. cooperation policy, public-private partnership, and community involvement).
