The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Document WHC-10/34.COM/INF.5F.1 and WHC-10/34.COM/INF.5F.3,
2. Highlighting that the global tourism sector is large and rapidly growing, is diverse and dynamic in its business models and structures, and the relationship between World Heritage and tourism is two way: tourism, if managed well, offers benefits to World Heritage properties and can contribute to cross-cultural exchange but, if not managed well, poses challenges to these properties and recognizing the increasing challenges and opportunities relating to tourism;
3. Expresses its appreciation to the States Parties of Australia, China, France, India, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, and to the United Nations Foundation and the Nordic World Heritage Foundation for the financial and technical support to the World Heritage Tourism Programme since its establishment in 2001;
4. Welcomes the report of the international workshop on Advancing Sustainable Tourism at Natural and Cultural Heritage Sites (Mogao, China, September 2009) and adopts the policy orientation which defines the relationship between World Heritage and sustainable tourism (Attachment A);
5. Takes note of the evaluation of the World Heritage Tourism Programme by the UN Foundation, and encourages the World Heritage Centre to take fully into account the eight programme elements recommended in the draft final report in any future work on tourism (Attachment B);
6. Decides to conclude the World Heritage Tourism Programme and requests the World Heritage Centre to convene a new and inclusive programme on World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism, with a steering group comprising interested States Parties and other relevant stakeholders, and also requests the World Heritage Centre to outline the objectives and approach to implementation of this programme, drawing on the directions established in the reports identified in Paragraphs 4 and 5 above, for consideration at the 35th session of the World Heritage Committee (2011);
7. Also welcomes the offer of the Government of Switzerland to provide financial and technical support to specific activities supporting the steering group; further welcomes the offer of the Governments of Sweden, Norway and Denmark to organize a Nordic-Baltic regional workshop in Visby, Gotland, Sweden in October 2010 on World Heritage and sustainable tourism; and also encourages States Parties to support the new programme on World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism including through regional events and the publication of materials identifying good practices;
8. Based upon the experience gained under the World Heritage Convention of issues related to tourism, invites the Director General of UNESCO to consider the feasibility of a Recommendation on the relationship between heritage conservation and sustainable tourism.
Attachment A
Recommendations of the international workshop
on Advancing Sustainable Tourism at Natural and Cultural Heritage Sites
Policy orientations: defining the relationship between World Heritage and tourism
1. The tourism sector
The global tourism sector is large and rapidly growing, is diverse and dynamic in its business models and structures.
Tourists/visitors are diverse in terms of cultural background, interests, behaviour, economy, impact, awareness and expectations of World Heritage.
There is no one single way for the World Heritage Convention, or World Heritage properties, to engage with the tourism sector or with tourists/visitors.
2. The relationship between World Heritage and tourism
The relationship between World Heritage and tourism is two-way:
a. World Heritage offers tourists/visitors and the tourism sector destinations
b. Tourism offers World Heritage the ability to meet the requirement in the Convention to 'present' World Heritage properties, and also a means to realise community and economic benefits through sustainable use.
Tourism is critical for World Heritage:
a. For States Parties and their individual properties,
i. to meet the requirement in the Convention to 'present' World Heritage
ii. to realise community and economic benefits
b. For the World Heritage Convention as a whole, as the means by which World Heritage properties are experienced by visitors travelling nationally and internationally
c. As a major means by which the performance of World Heritage properties, and therefore the standing of the Convention, is judged,
i. many World Heritage properties do not identify themselves as such, or do not adequately present their Outstanding Universal Value
ii. it would be beneficial to develop indicators of the quality of presentation, and the representation of the World Heritage brand
d. As a credibility issue in relation to: i. the potential for tourism infrastructure to damage Outstanding Universal Value
i. the threat that World Heritage properties may be unsustainably managed in relation to their adjoining communities
ii. sustaining the conservation objectives of the Convention whilst engaging with economic development
iii. realistic aspirations that World Heritage can attract tourism.
World Heritage is a major resource for the tourism sector:
a. Almost all individual World Heritage properties are significant tourism destinations
b. The World Heritage brand can attract tourists/visitors,
i. the World Heritage brand has more impact upon tourism to lesser known properties than to iconic properties.
Tourism, if managed well, offers benefits to World Heritage properties:
a. to meet the requirement in Article 4 of the Convention to present World Heritage to current and future generations
b. to realise economic benefits.
Tourism, if not managed well, poses threats to World Heritage properties.
3. The responses of World Heritage to tourism
The impact of tourism, and the management response, is different for each World Heritage property: World Heritage properties have many options to manage the impacts of tourism.
The management responses of World Heritage properties need to:
a. work closely with the tourism sector
b. be informed by the experiences of tourists/visitors to the visitation of the property
c. include local communities in the planning and management of all aspects of properties, including tourism.
While there are many excellent examples of World Heritage properties successfully managing their relationship to tourism, it is also clear that many properties could improve:
a. the prevention and management of tourism threats and impacts
b. their relationship to the tourism sector inside and outside the property
c. their interaction with local communities inside and outside the property
d. their presentation of Outstanding Universal Value and focus upon the experience of tourists/visitors.
The management responses of World Heritage properties need to:
a. be based on the protection and conservation of the Outstanding Universal Value of the property, and its effective and authentic presentation
b. work closely with the tourism sector
c. be informed by the experiences of tourists/visitors to the visitation of the property
d. their presentation of Outstanding Universal Value and focus upon the experience of tourists/visitors.
The management responses of World Heritage properties need to:
a. be based on the protection and conservation of the Outstanding Universal Value of the property, and its effective and authentic presentation
b. work closely with the tourism sector
c. be informed by the experiences of tourists/visitors to the visitation of the property
d. to include local communities in the planning and management of all aspects of properties, including tourism.
4. Responsibilities of different actors in relation to World Heritage and tourism
The World Heritage Convention (World Heritage Committee, World Heritage Centre, Advisory Bodies):
a. set frameworks and policy approaches
b. confirm that properties have adequate mechanisms to address tourism before they are inscribed on the World Heritage List
i. develop guidance on the expectations to be include in management plans
c. monitor the impact upon OUV of tourism activities at inscribed sites, including through indicators for state of conservation reporting
d. cooperate with other international organisations to enable:
i. other international organisations to integrate World Heritage considerations in their programs
ii. all parties involved in World Heritage to learn from the activities of other international organisations
e. assist State Parties and sites to access support and advice on good practices
f. reward best practice examples of World Heritage properties and businesses within the tourist/visitor sector
g. develop guidance on the use of the World Heritage emblem as part of site branding.
Individual States Parties:
a. develop national policies for protection
b. develop national policies for promotion
c. engage with their sites to provide and enable support, and to ensure that the promotion and the tourism objectives respect Outstanding Universal Value and are appropriate and sustainable
d. ensure that individual World Heritage properties within their territory do not have their OUV negatively affected by tourism.
Individual property managers:
a. manage the impact of tourism upon the OUV of properties
i. common tools at properties include fees, charges, schedules of opening and restrictions on access
b. lead onsite presentation and provide meaningful visitor experiences
c. work with the tourist/visitor sector, and be aware of the needs and experiences of tourists/visitors, to best protect the property
i. the best point of engagement between the World Heritage Convention and the tourism sector as a whole is at the direct site level, or within countries
d. engage with communities and business on conservation and development.
Tourism sector:
a. work with World Heritage property managers to help protect Outstanding Universal Value
b. recognize and engage in shared responsibility to sustain World Heritage properties as tourism resources
c. work on authentic presentation and quality experiences.
Individual tourists/visitors with the assistance of World Heritage property managers and the tourism sector, can be helped to appreciate and protect the OUV of World Heritage properties.
Attachment B
Programme elements recommended by the Draft Final Report of the Evaluation of the World Heritage Tourism Programme by the UN Foundation:
1. Adopt and disseminate standards and principles relating to sustainable tourism at World Heritage sites;
2. Support the incorporation of appropriate tourism management into the workings of the Convention;
3. Collation of evidence to support sustainable tourism programme design, and to support targeting;
4. Contribution of a World Heritage perspective to cross agency sustainable tourism policy initiatives;
5. Strategic support for the dissemination of lessons learned;
6. Strategic support for the development of training and guidance materials for national policy agencies and site managers;
7. Provision of advice on the cost benefit impact of World Heritage inscription;
8. Provision of advice on UNESCO World Heritage branding.
