Reimagining Heritage Spaces: The Role of Technology in Cultural Regeneration and Overtourism

Overtourism presents an increasingly relevant threat to historic public spaces, damaging their cultural and architectural heritage. Hence, this study focuses on how technological innovation can regenerate such places from the influence of mass tourism while providing sustainable urban development. Using a comparative case study, this work reflects on efforts toward cultural regeneration in the Ahmedabad Heritage Precinct and the Mumbai Fort Precinct in light of development pressures, stakeholder engagement, and heritage preservation. It further extends an analysis to smaller towns, such as Hampi and Mysore, where the unique scale of the towns can offer particular insight into the management of tourism and preservation. This study took a more expansive view of overtourism as it assessed the capabilities of emerging technologies and their applications in managing overcrowding, raising infrastructure levels, regulating tourist flows, and encouraging greater community participation. Focus areas involved innovative architectural interventions, adaptive reuse strategies, and digital platform use for participatory urban design. It contributes to Sustainable Development Goal 11, which underscores the need for building resilient and sustainable urban environments that protect cultural heritage. The study provides design strategies that should promote a balanced approach to tourism but harmonize local communities with cultural preservation and urban growth since it is promoted by tourism. The work combines tradition and technology to build futures in cultural regeneration for historic public spaces.