UNESCO World Heritage
and Sustainable Tourism
Programme
For the past 40 years the UNESCO World
WH+ST
Heritage Convention has conserved, protected
and presented the Outstanding Universal Value
of our shared heritage. These unique natural
and cultural wonders represent our past and
present, and belong to all. World Heritage
properties are important travel destinations,
Croatia © V. Vujicic-Lugassy that if managed properly, have great potential
impact for local economic development and
long-term sustainability.
The UNESCO World Heritage and Sustainable
Tourism Programme represents a new approach
For more information about the WH+ST Programme based on dialogue and stakeholder cooperation
please contact: where planning for tourism and heritage
management is integrated at a destination level,
Peter DeBrine the natural and cultural assets are valued and
Programme Specialist protected, and appropriate tourism developed.
Sustainable Tourism
UNESCO World Heritage Centre The Programme creates an international
7, Place de Fontenoy framework for cooperation and coordinated
Paris 07 SP 75352 achievement across sectors in order to
France
safeguard heritage and achieve sustainable
Email:
[email protected] economic development.
Tel: +33 (0) 145 68 17 25
Switzerland © L. Crudgington Norway © Arne Aasheim
Vision
World Heritage and tourism stakeholders share
responsibility for conservation of our common cultural
and natural heritage of Outstanding Universal Value and
for sustainable development through appropriate tourism
management.
Mission
Facilitate the management and development of
sustainable tourism at World Heritage properties through
fostering increased awareness, capacity and balanced China © C. Smith-Christensen
participation of all stakeholders in order to protect the
properties and their Outstanding Universal Value whilst
ensuring that tourism delivers benefits for conservation
of the properties’ sustainable development for local
communities as well as a quality experience for visitors.
The five Programme objectives:
• Integrate sustainable tourism principles into the
mechanisms of the World Heritage Convention.
• Strengthen the enabling environment by advocating
policies, strategies, frameworks and tools that
support sustainable tourism as an important vehicle
for protecting and managing cultural and natural
heritage of Outstanding Universal Value.
Brazil © Francesco Bandarin
• Promote broad stakeholder engagement in the
planning, development and management of
sustainable tourism that follows a destination
Key elements in realising the vision approach to heritage conservation and focuses on
and mission: empowering local communities.
• An interpretation and implementation of the World • Provide World Heritage stakeholders with the
Heritage Convention that embraces sustainable capacity and the tools to manage tourism efficiently,
tourism; responsibly and sustainably based on the local
context and needs.
• National, regional and local governments have
policies and frameworks that recognise sustainable • Promote quality tourism products and services
tourism as an important vehicle for managing their that encourage responsible behaviour among
cultural and natural heritage; all stakeholders and foster understanding and
appreciation of the concept of Outstanding Universal
Value and protection of World Heritage.
• All stakeholders are aware and committed to
sustainable development, and have the capacity to
manage tourism sustainably;
• Local communities take pride in- and have a sense
of responsibility and empowerment towards the
World Heritage properties contributing to property
conservation and the sustainable management of
tourism at the World Heritage destinations;
• The tourism sector values World Heritage and
engages in its preservation while ensuring that
its activities based at World Heritage properties
are responsible, and support social and economic
development;
• Visitors understand and gain an appreciation of the
meaning of Outstanding Universal Value of World
Heritage and adopt responsible behaviours.
Egypt © UNESCO Italy © Benson Kua
