Heritage interpretation effectiveness in Samarkand: bridging institutional narratives and visitor experience

Heritage interpretation plays a pivotal role in enhancing public understanding and emotional engagement, contributing to sustainable tourism, and augmenting the tourism experience. The effectiveness of heritage interpretation is assessed through visitor perception, emotional engagement, and stakeholder negotiation. This research examines heritage interpretation and presentation of Samarkand, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Uzbekistan. The study employs a thorough methodology to analyze the interpretation and presentation system of Samarkand, focusing on participatory heritage sites and museums. Through qualitative fieldwork conducted between October 2024 and June 2025, including participant observation, site documentation, and semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders (site managers, tour guides, museum curators, and tourism officials), the research maps the spatial distribution, content, and function of interpretive tools across key heritage sites. The study offers authentic empirical insights from an underrepresented region and offers practical recommendations for improving the visitor experience through integrated, holistic, and technologically enhanced heritage storytelling. Findings reveal a fragmented interpretive landscape; while traditional stories, festivals, and educational institutions enrich the visitor experience, digital tools such as the NAZAR mobile app remain underutilized and poorly integrated into a coherent citywide strategy. Critical gaps include inconsistent multilingual signage, limited accessibility for international visitors, and a lack of professionally trained interpreters.