While tourism is implicit in the whole idea of the World Heritage as the common heritage of humanity, and accordingly tourism to World Heritage sites is a means for education, encounters and an experience shared with their local owners, users and guardians, tourism is increasingly morphing into a threat to the sites also. In addition, more and more often the promotion of tourism, not the protection of the site, is now the prime motivation for seeking inscription in the World Heritage List. About one third of all contributions to our report this year document this trend.
“These developments must concern all those who are making efforts for sustainable tourism - including the protection of the sites, an optimum visitor experience, and a local population being involved and sharing the benefits. The present worldwide standstill in tourism should be a moment to review this development, and we hope that our Report will make a valid contribution to this review“, says Stephan Doempke, Chairman of World Heritage Watch.
World Heritage Watch provides information to UNESCO unreported by its member states in order to help the agency having a more comprehensive assessment of the real situation at the sites under its tutelage, and take more appropriate decisions to eliminate threats.