Integrating Traditional Knowledge into Tourism Climate Policy: Exploring Feasibility and Benefits in Iran’s World Heritage Sites

Traditional knowledge, despite its recognized socio-ecological value, is often underestimated or excluded from climate policies, particularly within tourism contexts. Using qualitative research, this study employed purposive sampling to interview 16 participants to explore (a) the feasibility of integrating traditional knowledge into tourism climate policy in World Heritage Sites and (b) the potential benefits of such integration. Findings show that traditional knowledge can strengthen site resilience, support participatory management, and enhance climate capacity in both theory and practice, though several challenges remain. Theoretically, and grounded in environmental sociology, the study advances the current understanding of the sociocultural dimensions of tourism climate governance and advocates for epistemological pluralism and more inclusive policies that incorporate diverse knowledge systems. Practically, the evidence-based findings suggest that tourism policy should prioritize the application of community-rooted knowledge and practices, develop context-sensitive guidelines to integrate multiple knowledge systems into tourism climate actions, and disseminate effective methodologies and practices.