Northern Region Archaeotourism Network - OUR WORK

OUR WORK

Northern Region

Archaeotourism Network

The Northern Region Archaeotourism Network Programme (NRAN) aims to:

Develop northern Malaysia’s unique tangible and intangible cultural assets
Build economic resiliency
Highlight the nation’s rich heritage
Boost socio-economic growth.

The NRAN was a RM 10 million project initiated in 2022.

Cultural heritage is a catalyst to reinvent and reposition declining small towns and rural areas to develop local social economies.

The culture-based economic development approach is suitable for the northern region, which includes Perlis, Kedah, Perak and Penang.

Opportunities and Challenges

Prehistoric settlements, maritime kingdoms, Malay Sultanates and colonial settlements form the historical layers of this region. Often referred to as ‘hidden gems’ because of the lack of awareness and exposure, these untapped assets give the region a competitive advantage in the growing cultural economy sector. However, its growth is marred by several factors, such as a disconnected ecosystem, poor management, under-utilised heritage buildings, rapid development risks and more.

Cultural Heritage Catalyst

Cultural heritage is a catalyst to reinvent and reposition declining small towns and rural areas to develop local social economies. These places are left behind in contrast with thriving urban areas, suffer from brain drain with an ageing population and do not leverage cultural heritage assets for inclusive growth. More investment is required to create jobs, improve livelihood and rebrand destinations.

The northern region of Malaysia shows evidence of almost 2 million years of human evolution and civilisation interaction with the environment

Historically, the region was a point of migration, trade and early settlements in Malaysia. This makes it a rich repository of cultural assets pivotal to developing Malaysia’s multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural fabric. The historic layers demonstrate the connection between early humans in the region and their surroundings, the impact of environmental and geomorphological phenomena, migratory patterns and social and technological advancements.

Our Approach

Valley-wide approach to connect and optimise heritage assets in the region into a well-curated network of archaeological, cultural and natural sites, thereby strengthening the surrounding ecosystem. It promotes exploration, discovery and interpretation.

We created a framework based on UNESCO’s Outstanding Universal Values (OUV) to build a regional network spanning four states and over a million years of history. This framework addresses gaps, identifies missing narratives, and guides the programme’s interventions.

The NRAN programme has a three-pronged intervention strategy:

Cultural Economy Catalytic Grants (CECG) focuses on community engagement and participation by crowdsourcing new ideas.
Strategic partnership efforts aim to collaborate with local councils, the private sector, and other stakeholders to build ownership, transfer knowledge, and attract investments.
Management Initiatives involve Think City’s self-driven programmes, particularly in strategic planning and plugging significant gaps.

Programme Output

We created an overarching narrative by establishing an integrated network of cultural, natural and archaeological sites based on the region’s meta-narrative. We curated and layered regional history via 62 projects in 15 lesser-known sites in 4 states.

A culture-based economic development approach spurred the local economy by providing employment opportunities and benefits to the local community and businesses.

> 7,000 locals upskilled

>4,300

school children & youth involved 

>350

community members involved

>300

tour guides trained

>100

community interpreters trained 

1,684

people employed through the projects

65%

employed from creative and cultural industries

>170

local businesses supported 

22,830

visitors to events or exhibitions held

1,704,791

viewers to online platform eg. websites, virtual tours, documentaries

> RM11

mil

total PR value generated

The Outcome

The community-based approach and use of culture and heritage to build social capital had a catalytic impact with positive outcomes. This set the foundation for a multi-path network to unlock hidden gems that will benefit economic growth, especially in small towns and rural areas in the northern region. Among contributions from this programme:

Strong seeding ideas developed by a neutral network connected by significant cultural, social, and environmental values. The network comprises of multi-entry points, interwoven stories and multiple interpretation pathways.

The development of community-driven initiatives helped build ownership of community-based projects, which promotes sustainable development and helps distinguish from tourism-first or the mass tourism approach.

Increased visibility with the promotion of sites opened a gateway for local and foreign visitors to self-explore and discover, which can result in longer stays.

The immediate outcomes were transforming government, community and individual perceptions.

The generation of greater interest in economic development and investment into the sites, communities and tourism players.

The promotion of the exchange of knowledge, incubation of ideas and collaboration among grantees, thereby creating a multiplier effect.

Our Strategic Partners

OTHER projects

Think City Johor Bahru Rejuvenation Programme

The Johor Bahru programme is supported by Khazanah Nasional Berhad, evolving out of the recognition of JB as a pivotal city in Malaysia’s southern region.

K2K

Climate Resilience Programme

Climate resilience enhances the community’s ability to withstand and recover from climate change impacts.

K2K

Kuala Lumpur Creative Cultural District

Think City partnered with key entities to develop the Kuala Lumpur Creative & Cultural District (KLCCD) Strategic Master Plan in 2019.

CBED;#ccf2e8|Environment & Social;#ccf2e8|S & A;#ccf2e8|Urban Solutions;#ccf2e8

K2K

Pentas Seni Merdeka

Think City in collaboration with DBKL launched Pentas Seni Merdeka as a convergence platform to advocate for equitable social spaces through arts and culture.

Creative;#ccf2e8

K2K

Kita-untuk-Kita Programme

K2K is a programme by Think City, co-developed with the World Bank aiming to facilitate poverty exit and reverse the social, economic and physical decay in public housing schemes.

Environment & Social;#ccf2e8|S & A;#ccf2e8

K2K

Laneway Improvement

The Laneways Improvement Programme transforms neglected urban spaces into vibrant hubs in Downtown KL, addressing safety, hygiene, and connectivity.

Urban Solutions;#ccf2e8

K2K

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