POSSIBLE IMPLICATIONS OF WORLD HERITAGE STATUS

Some of the potential changes and implications for properties as the result of listing include the following:

World Heritage makes the property a global public resource

  • Inscription will attract increased attention to the WH property from a worldwide public
  • WH attracts press interest due to the prestige attached to the status
  • If things go wrong on a property there will be both stronger interest from national conservation bodies, and increased concern from global conservation organisations

There will be increased expectations and scrutiny of management arrangements

  • Management quality will be expected to be high and appropriate to the standard set by WH status
  • Management will have to operate within global guidelines, not only national ones
  • There will be pressure for management to be at the standards set by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies
  • Presentation of the property will need to change to convey the status of the property, and address potential increased expectations of visitors. Such changes should conserve both the character of the property and the visitor experience.
  • Poor standards of management in relation to increased public interest may damage the fabric of the property
  • Because of the range of increased expectations from stakeholders, management will have a higher profile and this is likely to lead to increased criticism from one group or another. Management must remain firm in assuring that decision-making is rooted in respect for the key values of the property
  • The management costs of the property should be expected to rise to cope with increased requirements for maintenance, monitoring and visitor management

Visitor and tourism will require special consideration, and may affect a wider area than the main property.

  • Visitors will be attracted to the property if there is no national local or commercial promotion of the property, although the numbers attracted will often be difficult to predict
  • New inscriptions are publicised by UNESCO, and there are always travellers looking for new destinations
  • The new status will be likely to be used b the state party and private sector interests within tourism promotion
  • Increased economic benefits may result, but will not necessarily be spread equitably between different uses, and tensions between user groups could result
  • Visitors attracted to the property may both affect its quality, but also impact on a wider area (positively or negatively) in terms of increased economic activity, or adverse impacts on quality of life in terms of burdens on infrastructure or congestion
  • There may be pressures to create new visitor infrastructure which may be incompatible with the values of the property that were the subject of the original inscription
  • The quality of presentation can deteriorate in the face of populist of political pressure unless there is strong management leadership.

Source: ICCROM World Heritage Training Manual.