Digital Heritage and Territorial Attractiveness in Morocco: From Cultural Innovation to Sustainable Tourism

Abstract

The digital transformation of museums has emerged as a strategic priority for cultural institutions seeking to preserve heritage while enhancing visitor experiences and strengthening territorial competitiveness. Despite the rapid growth of research in this field, existing studies remain fragmented, with organizational, technological, behavioural, and territorial dimensions often examined independently. This article presents a systematic literature review aimed at synthesizing the current state of knowledge on museum digital transformation and its contribution to cultural innovation and sustainable territorial development, with particular attention to the Moroccan context. Following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, relevant publications were identified, screened, and critically analysed to examine the relationships between museum digitalization, organizational capabilities, perceived constraints, visitor experience, visitor satisfaction, cultural engagement, behavioural intention, digital heritage, territorial attractiveness, and territorial development. The findings demonstrate that successful digital transformation extends beyond the adoption of digital technologies and depends largely on organizational readiness, strategic leadership, governance, innovation capabilities, and human competencies. The review also highlights that immersive and interactive digital technologies significantly enhance visitor experience, increase satisfaction, strengthen cultural engagement, and foster positive behavioural intentions such as revisit intention, recommendation, and loyalty. Furthermore, digital heritage is increasingly recognized as a strategic resource capable of improving destination attractiveness, supporting cultural tourism, reinforcing territorial identity, and contributing to sustainable regional development. Nevertheless, important research gaps remain, particularly regarding the integration of organizational, behavioural, and territorial perspectives within a single analytical framework and the limited empirical evidence available from African countries, including Morocco. By consolidating fragmented knowledge across multiple disciplines, this review contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of digital museum transformation and identifies promising directions for future research in cultural heritage management, museum innovation, and sustainable tourism.

Keywords: Digital transformation; Museums; Digital heritage; Visitor experience; Territorial attractiveness; Sustainable territorial development.

Received Date: 20 October 2025 

Accepted Date: 11 November 2025 

Published Date: 1 December 2025

Available Online at: https://www.ijsrisjournal.com/index.php/ojsfiles/article/view/779