THE APPLICATION OF MARKET APPEAL-ROBUSTICITY MATRIX: A CASE STUDY OF THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL HERITAGE OF LENGGONG VALLEY, PERAK, MALAYSIA

As one of the important World Heritage Site – the Archaeological Heritage of Lenggong Valley, Malaysia, cultural tourism should be promoted along with heritage tourism by developing a number of linked sites as a heritage trail. For helping the development of such, this study evaluates the applicability of the market appeal—robusticity matrix on heritage tourism development, by assessing the potential for tourism in Lenggong Valley. Methods used were based on literature research, site observation and questionnaire survey. The detailed explanation on selected sites represent high and low levels of grading in terms of market appeal and robusticity, and hence suggesting different asset conservation and management options. The findings indicate the matrix is effective to evaluate the assessment of the heritage tourism potential because it instantaneously determines the importance of two major considerations for both tourism industry and heritage management—the attractiveness of the assets and its ability to cope with tourists. This assessment is essential to protect culture heritage assets through suitable legislation and framework for better informed planning decisions in the future. The distinctive features of the sites, their extent and, for the future, their conservation, will facilitate an improved appreciation of cultural heritage assets as part of the community.