A part from being one of the oldest kingdoms in Southeast Asia, Kedah is also one of the states in Peninsular Malaysia with the longest history based on evidence gathered from the Sungai Batu archaeological site in Bedong.
These characteristics have made Kedah among the most established with regard to heritage sites. Sadly, these sites are now in neglect and rarely visited by domestic and international visitors.
Two heritage sites that are well-known among locals are Makam Tunku Anum and Makam Puteri Lindungan Bulan.
The former is situated in the middle of a village and is the tomb of a significant historical figure in the state.
Makam Tunku Anum has a memorial plaque placed by Tourism Malaysia with information on the late nobleman in Malay, English, Mandarin and Japanese languages. The site itself, however, lacked proper indicators to guide visitors. Due to its location, it's not appropriate for tourists to come en masse. Without proper management, visitations will only cause inconvenience to the local community.
In the case of Makam Puteri Lindungan Bulan, it's located at the very end of a small village road in Kota Siputeh area.
Although Kota Siputeh is known as one of the many ancient Kota in Kedah, no proper research and development have been done to promote it as a possible heritage tourism site.
The story of Makam Puteri Lindungan Bulan is part of the overall Kota Siputeh history.
The site itself is very hard for buses and coaches to access and bring in tourists.
As the site is next to residential houses, mass visitations will only be intrusive, so locals would be hard-pressed to support tourism at that level.
As stakeholders, we have to ensure to mitigate any impact on the heritage sites and its surrounding residents. One way is through managing the way tourists visit the sites.
For Makam Puteri Lindungan Bulan, buses or coaches may stop at the entrance of Kota Siputeh village for tourists to disembark. Then, guides can bring small groups of tourists to the site.
These groups of visitors can enjoy the natural surroundings and immerse themselves in a Malay village experience with the support of villagers.
Education and awareness programmes for local villagers covering heritage conservation and tourism must also be made an agenda for the local government. It's very significant to involve local communities in any development project and inform them of the benefits that tourism may bring.
For example, villagers can become tour guides or provide tourists with traditional merchandise, food, drinks and snacks. They can also provide a version of their living history, where villagers reenact a traditional lifestyle for tourists to experience through observation or participation.
These experiences would be memorable and convenient for tourists, besides generating income for the locals and uplifting their socioeconomic status.
For Makam Tunku Anum, one recommendation is to utilise a digital representation and interpretation of the area. In this proposal, tourist buses can park at the village entrance without obstructing traffic and remain there for the entirety of the tour.
The visitors may stay in their vehicles and "visit" the site without physically setting foot there.
Digital trace and mapping can be done at the site and programmed as virtual and augmented reality for tourists to experience through the mediation of audiovisual and extrasensory gadgets. This measure may be expensive, but it guarantees a non-intrusive approach in heritage tourism.
The use of digital representation may also be promoted as a unique and entertaining alternative to the typical tourist experience that can be adapted to fit in any travel package.
This is based on my own experience in trying to locate and access these sites. Not only are these heritage sites important to be conserved, they also need to prosper. Tourism promotions alone are insufficient.
Sustainable measures are the means to achieve both agendas while taking into consideration the impact and benefit towards local residents.
The writer is senior lecturer, School of Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management (STHEM), Universiti Utara Malaysia
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times