Tourism and archaeological heritage

Theme 3
Session 1
LE PATRIMOINE, MOTEUR DE DÉVELOPPEMENT
HERITAGE, DRIVER OF DEVELOPMENT
To
ur
is
m
 a
nd
 A
rc
ha
eo
lo
gi
ca
l He
ri
tage
D
ri
ve
r t
o d
ev
el
op
m
ent o
r D
est
ru
ct
io
n?
518
not contain fragile resources, and where local com-
munities have been or will be established. This will 
be essential for the preservation of the site, but will 
also yield substantial economic benefit to the com-
munities within which interpretation and services are 
provided. Visits to archaeologically sensitive areas 
should be relatively short and the flow of visitors 
should be regulated so as to eliminate torrential flows 
that force individuals against antiquities, encourages 
people to clamber on ruins, and generates frustra-
tion and confusion that can impel people to other 
thoughtless, destructive acts. 
Against the runaway obliteration of our archaeologi-
cal heritage there are precious few global defences 
except the World Heritage Convention. The World 
Heritage List can play an important role in implemen-
ting the Convention if it protects places especially 
important to our common human history and if it 
provides models of excellence in the management 
or archaeological heritage. This can only be done if 
preservation is the first priority. The onus must be 
on tourism to establish that it can contribute to pres-
ervation and not threaten it before it is permitted at 
World Heritage Sites.