What are the benefits of World Heritage List inscription? When it brings higher visibility and increased tourism to a site, how can the site still be protected?

Issue 58 of our quarterly magazine explores these questions with a lead article by Jonathan B. Tourtellot, National Geographic Fellow, Geotourism Editor at National Geographic Traveler and World Heritage advocate. Other features include in-depth looks at tourism management at Hoi An, Viet Nam; in the Serengeti, United Republic of Tanzania; in Sian Ka’an, Mexico, and other sites, written by experts working at the properties and illustrated with beautiful photographs and detailed maps.

Thanks to collaboration between the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and National Geographic, this issue is also available on the National Geographic Travel & Cultures website.

Table of Contents

In Focus

Part threat, part hope The challenge of tourism
With millions of tourists visiting World Heritage sites, tourism has become an important cross-cutting issue and management concern at most sites.

Public Use Planning: Managing the tourism flood in central Viet Nam
The Public Use Planning in Hoi An Ancient Town is a positive example of a tool for sustainable tourism.

Nature tourism in Sian Ka’an, an example of community work
Limits on tourist levels and zones of public use allow continued economic benefits to the local communities while ensuring the conservation of the countryside. Serengeti

Communities and tourism benefits
The Serengenti National Park’s imme-diate and potential tourism-related values and benefits are tied to the needs of the communities living in the vicinity.

Völklingen Ironworks European Centre for Art and Industrial Culture
An industrial memorial and a unique venue for cultural activities.

World Heritage and sustainable tourism The Swiss experience
The Swiss system of protection involving all tourism organizations has ensured the preservation of the quality of landscape and natural environment.

Close-up

New World Heritage sites 2010
A presentation of the 21 new World Heritage sites inscribed at the 34th session of the World Heritage Committee, Brasilia (Brazil) in July 2010.

Forum

Interview
The price of lemons – World Heritage and economic development. Interview with James Rebanks.

Advisory Bodies
Tourism management at World Heritage sites – building international consensus.

Conventions
UNWTO: Tourism at World Heritage sites; Working Group on World Heritage meets under the Alpine Convention.

Preservation
Fabulous fossil find in the Cradle of Humankind; Committee meets in Brasilia; Calakmul in four dimensions; Meidan Emam above and under the ground; Sustainable development as part of World Heritage; Upstream support for nomination process; New fieldwork in Jam; Central Africa meets; Serial nominations and properties under discussion.

In Danger
Danger List gets longer as one site is removed.

Outreach
Business unusual; Linking biodiversity and cul¬tural diversity; TripAdvisor partnership involves world travellers; Go4BioDiv International Youth Forum held for natural World Heritage sites; The Case of the Missing World Heritage.