State of Conservation (SOC)

Requests Approved: 0 (from1991-1991)
Total Amount Ap proved: 20,000USD

Management issues

This mixed site was inscribed on the World Heritage List by the Committee in 1988. IUCN had drawn the attention of the Bureau, at its fourteenth session, to the problem of over-use of this site by tourists. Subsequently, the Ministry of Culture of Turkey organized an international workshop from 1-3 July 1991, to discuss a draft "Preservation and Management Plan" for the site. The organization of this workshop was supported by a financial contribution of US$20,000 from the World Heritage Fund.

The "Preservation and Management Plan" for this World Heritage site contains several proposals, such as:

(a) the removal of all tourist facilities to locations outside of the World Heritage site;

(b) the closure of a road crossing the World Heritage site;

(c) restriction on visitor-use of the travertine pools to a small area near the northern entrance to the site, and

(d) the development of some tourist facilities, such as car parks outside the northern entrance to the site which, if implemented, could improve the state of conservation of this site.

However, there is substantial resistance from interest groups linked to the tourist industry against the implementation of these management strategies. The Secretariat is in contact with the Permanent Delegation of Turkey to UNESCO regarding the implementation of the Plan, and will provide an update on the subject at the time of the meeting of the Committee.