Tourism, a dynamic social and cultural phenomenon, involves traversing borders between countries. Cities vary in their appeal to tourists, whether drawing them in for natural beauty, religious significance, or recreational opportunities. Archaeological sites, a cornerstone of sustainable tourism, captivate generations with their enduring allure. This research’s significance lies in establishing a fresh framework, examining legacies for future generations. It sheds light on our present and our ancestors’ present, often overlooked despite architectural and social importance. Employing a comparative analysis methodology, this paper contrasts heritage building selection criteria in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with Australia’s Queensland Initiative, Britain’s Enfield, and Canada’s Vancouver. In an age of globalization, societies must preserve their cultural identities, develop representative vocabularies, choose defining features, and disseminate them locally and globally. The paper aims to reassess heritage building selection criteria, using Dammam in Saudi Arabia as an example. Dammam, experiencing a renaissance since the 1938 oil discovery, has evolved into a socio-cultural hub, attracting diverse local and foreign groups. The study progressively addresses how to cultivate and revive heritage by refining selection criteria, illustrating with present-day examples such as the revitalization of Souq Waqif in Doha, Qatar. Additionally, it explores the positive media’s role in promoting tourist attractions.