Youth-Driven Participatory Mapping for Tourism: A Digital Approach for Promoting Cultural Heritage Noor Afiqah Mohd Nashar, Assoc Prof Dr Illyani binti Ibrahim
International Islamic University Malaysia
Abstract
In the literature of tourist-based tourism, the significance of digital documents and promote local heritage such as interactive mapping has become significant. This study focused on the role of youth in developing interactive tourism maps using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and participatory mapping methods. The project, which will be carried out in Sungai Lembing, Pahang will engage local youth in spatial and cultural data collection that comprises site coordinates, oral histories, photographs and environmental features. The outcomes arising are in the form of open source maps like Google My Maps and StoryMapJS using multimedia features like images, videos, and audio. A mixed-methods approach brings together qualitative such as interviews, observations with spatial mapping activities and digital literacy training. The initial findings show that youth involvement increases visibility of tourism resources and makes people more aware of sustainable tourism and cultural heritage. The study thus highlights the value of interactive community-based mapping to the development of youth-led digital tourism and support cultural resilience and local empowerment.
Keywords: Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Digital Tourism, Participatory mapping
