Universal Design in Urban Heritage Tourism: A Review and Framework for Inclusive Environments with a Focus on Older Adults

Heritage architecture is a defining feature of urban environments worldwide, yet most urban heritage tourism sites continue to exclude older adults through physical barriers, inadequate signage, and limited representation in urban planning and policy. Beyond physical obstacles, older adults also face social exclusion through limited representation in tourism marketing and policy, where economic outcomes are often prioritized over social value. This article aims to develop a design framework for urban heritage tourism for older adults integrating the seven universal design principles. The framework is synthesized from key literature on inclusive tourism, accessibility, and social inclusion. A literature review for the period 2015 to 2026 is conducted using Scopus and ScienceDirect. After two stages of screening, 216 articles are selected and analyzed using VOSviewer 1.6.20 bibliometric software. The analysis reveals four thematic clusters: (1) inclusive tourism and accessible tourism, (2) wellness tourism, travel therapy, and universal design, (3) equity, diversity, and inclusion in tourism, and (4) social inclusion and older adults. Based on the synthesis of these clusters, a matrix framework is proposed, mapping the seven universal design principles against three elements of urban heritage tourism sites: signage and wayfinding, physical environment, and information and visual communication. The framework can serve as a conceptual framework, design guideline, and checklist for urban planners, heritage site managers, policymakers, designers, and researchers seeking to create urban heritage tourism environments that are accessible and inclusive for older adults.