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World Heritage and Tourism

Preserving our Heritage Resources

What is the World Heritage Convention?

• Adopted in 1972• 184 signatory

countries (95% participation)

• 660 cultural , 166 natural and 25 mixed properties

“Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage”

Intergovernmental legal instrument to identify and conserve cultural and natural sites of “Outstanding Universal Value”

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How does it work?

The WH Committee …• establishes the rules of operation• decides what sites go on WH List• decides what sites go on the List of WH

in Danger, or off the list altogether• monitors the status of WH sites

Countries …• agree to protect the sites• elect the WH Committee (composed of 21 countries)

How does a site get on the List?

The WH Committee:• accepts, rejects or refers the nomination for refinement

Country proposes site for nomination and prepares extensive nomination proposal

IUCN & ICOMOS carry out technical assessment to determine if proposed site: • meets at least one of the inscription criteria• is well managed and protected • has Outstanding Universal Value

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MONITORING THE STATE OF CONSERVATION

• Periodic Reporting (6 years, Tracking Tool)

• Reactive Monitoring, site visits

• Unsolicited reports

Example of the WH Committee request for action

Draft Decision:The World Heritage Committee,

Regrets that plans for hydroelectic dams adjacent to the property’s boundarieshave not been communicated to the World Heritage Centre, as per article 172 of the Operational Guidelines;

Notes with concern that the Outstanding Universal Value of the property may be at risk from these dams, from poaching, and from encroachment by local farmers on both sides of the international boundary;

Requests the States Party of X and X to submit to the World Heritage Centre by 1 February 2008 a joint report on the state of conservation of the property,including the implications of the proposed hydroelectric dams on the aquatic biodiversity of the X watershed, the presence of incompatible land uses within the property’s boundaries, updated information on poaching activities, and on the measures taken to deal effectively with these issues, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 32nd session in 2008;

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Putin orders oil pipeline shifted Mr Putin said the route, which would have passed close to Lake Baikal, should move 40km north. (April 26, 2006)

Everglades Off UNESCO Danger List (25 June 2007)

Oman Sanctuary – First Site to be Removed from UNESCO List (2 July 2007)

Galapagos Islands, park in Senegal added to UNESCO's in danger heritage list (June 26, 2007)

Machu Picchu

• 1998 - Gov of Peru informs WH Committee of a possible cable car concession

• 1999 IUCN/ICOMOS mission

• WH Committee urges the Gov of Peru not to take any decision on project - second IUCN-ICOMOS mission launched.

• Recommendations made against new construction, cable car construction.

• 2001 the Peruvian Gov cancels contract for the cable car concession.

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Sighisoara

• 2001 WH Centre received notice of plan to develop theme park near to the Sighisoara site, Dracula Land. Committee concerned may negatively impact the site and its WH values

• 2001 monitoring mission sent to evaluate the situation -conclusions:

- An increase in tourists and vehicles would cause highly significant cultural impacts would be;

- Important to overall site integrity to maintain the medieval city in a rural landscape setting - this would be damaged by large scale development;- No site management plan available;

• 2002 Romanian Gov makes decision to relocate the theme park closer to Bucharest. Following these actions WH provides international assistance for management plan.

Tourism is an important management issue at the majority of WH sites

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Growth of tourism

• Growth (4-5 % / yr)

• Growth of ecotourism and cultural tourism + 10 + 30 % /yr

Great Barrier Reef (Australia)

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008

Year

No.

of V

isito

rs(m

illio

ns)

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7R

even

ue (m

illio

ns A

USD

)

No. of Visitors (millions) Revenue (millions AUSD)

7

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015

Year

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

Tourism Statistics: Angkor

No.

of V

isito

rs (1

00,0

00s)

Rev

enue

(mill

ion

USD

)

Source: Cambodia Ministry of Tourism, 2006

Tourism Statistics: Galapagos Islands

No.

of V

isito

rs (1

000s

)

Rev

enue

(mill

ion

USD

)

Source: Unidad de Turismo, GNP in Informe Galapagos, 2001-2002 (2002)

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010

Year

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

8

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008

Year

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Tourism Statistics: Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu

No.

of V

isito

rs (1

000s

)

Rev

enue

(mill

ion

USD

)

Source: Sacred Land Film Project: Machu Picchu (http://www.sacredland.org/)

A growing awareness of WH

An interest by governments in using the WH label to promote economic development (tourism marketing)

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Wet Tropics of Queensland

• Growing interest of tourism companies in social responsibility activities. More companies are contacting us

Management Challenges• High visitation levels and associated impacts affecting WH values

• Construction at sites or in areas adjoining sites not appropriate with WH values

• Few sites have tourism management plans

• Data is needed at many sites on tourism numbers and visitor impacts

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Management Challenges• Lack of personnel to monitor impacts

• Few sites educate visitors and local people on WH and the site’s importance

• Generating community economic benefits has been difficult.

• Unable to bring in the industry to help address critical WH site problems

Urbanpressures

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Sport Complex Development Pressures

Two Main Domains of World Heritage Tourism Activities

1. The ongoing work of the WH Committee and advisory bodies, IUCN and ICOMOS

- issues related to tourism impacts

2. The World Heritage Tourism Programme

– policies and approaches to tourism management

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The World Heritage Sustainable Tourism Programme

The WHC Sustainable Tourism Programme

Objectives

1. Building Site Management Capacity

2. Aiding Local Communities

3. Engaging the tourism industry

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851 World Heritage SitesObjective – Regional demonstration sites

Reinforcing site management capacity;

Training locals so they can benefit;

Aiding marketing local products;

Generating community pride;

Supporting site financing actions;

Sharing lessons learned;

Building tourism industry links.

7 general interventions

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Tourism/public use plans, (preferably carried out before inscription).

Komodo Selatan

Rinca Selatan

Komodo Utara

Labuan Bajo

Rinca Utara

Todoklea

Lengkung Buang

Gunung AraLoh Liang

Gunung Satalibo

Rudolf

Loh BuayaPadar - Pillar Steen

Sebita Poreng

Loh Dasami

Kp. Rinca

Loh Wanci

Gililawa

Manta

Kp. Komodo

Kp. Kerora

Pantai Merah

Batu Bolong AtauTatawa

Komodo Selatan

Zona Wilayah :Core

Batu Bolong/Tatawa

Gililawa

Gunung Ara

Gunung Satalibo

Kampung Rinca

Komodo Selatan

Komodo Utara

Kp. Kerora

Kp. Komodo

Labuan Bajo

Lengkung Buang

Loh Buaya

Loh Dasami

Loh Liang

Loh Wanci

Manta

Padar - Pillar Steen

Pantai Merah

Rinca Selatan

Rinca Utara

Rudolf

Sebita Poreng

Todoklea

Batas poligon Luar

Jalan

Legenda :

PETA SEKTOR PENGGUNAAN OLEH PUBLIK

TAMAN NASIOMAL KOMODOIRIAN JAYA

N

0 KM5 105

Skala 1 : 5

Training public use coordinators

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Darién (Panama)León Viejo

(Nicaragua)

Copán (Honduras)

Joya de Cerén(El Salvador)

Antigua (Guatemala)

Quiriguá(Guatemala)

Tikal (Guatemala)

Great Barrier Reef (Belize)

Río Plátano(Honduras)

Cocos(Costa Rica)

Guanacaste (Costa Rica)

Portobelo—San Lorenzo (Panamá)Coiba

(Panamá)

PanamáViejo

Sitios de PM

Facilitating Coordination between MinistriesCentral American WH Route - with SICA and the French Ministry of Tourism

Site financing – Training in mechanisms, identifying blocks

Using the UN to work with government and the private sector in supporting site financing policies and programmes

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Using tourism to help mitigate site pressures

Facilitating community training

Poverty alleviation programmes linked to economic indicators but also site conservation improvement

Regional development

Supporting small business. Moving out the expertise of a trained small business to other satellite communities and businesses

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3

1

419

5

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1213

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1516

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2122

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25

26

28

29

30

31

3233

34

3540

41

43

44

45

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A map of heritage attractions around a site

Spreading economic benefits and distributing visitation

WH sites as central promotional points or hubs

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Expanded effort to familiarize tour operators and hotels to the existence of local products

Short term in-kind services strengthening local capacities after basic skill training.

Expedia Initiative

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Encouraging awareness raising of World Heritage

Jet Tours, REWE-TouristikExpedia

Building increased awareness of WH and low-impact ways to visit a site

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Engaging the industry to help solve difficult problems– Sharing data (visitor preferences, problem areas etc.)– destination councils

Icons of site pride and identity, e.g., endangered species –symbols to promote regional conservation

Building local pride

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ConclusionAn overall need and opportunity to go beyond site

inscription and use World Heritage status to aid site management and contribute to conservation through

sustainable tourism

THANK YOU