Aim:

To design a procedure for integrated management of tourist destinations in heritage cities that relies on tourist clustering run by local governments, which contributes to local development under the conditions of the Cuban economy.

Methods:

The method of analysis and synthesis contributing to the treatment of the existing ties between tourism, heritage, and their role in local development. Information was collected through interviews with key subjects, and actors involved in tourist destination management in heritage cities. The validation of the procedure required a survey of experts.

Main results:

The establishment of features, premises, stages, and methodological stages of the procedure for integrated management of heritage cities as tourist destinations with a local development approach. This study identified the elements needed for the establishment of tourist clustering as a tool for the decision-making of local governments adjusted to the conditions of the Cuban economy.

Conclusions:

The relation tourism-heritage city-local development calls for a comprehensive vision to achieve effective management. The procedure suggested is a novel tool in the hands of local governments that contributes to integrated destination management, and fosters tourism as a factor of local development in heritage cities in Cuba, relying on the creation of tourist clustering. The validation of the procedure through expert opinion corroborated the scientific and methodological value of the concept and content, as well as in the tools provided.

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