50 Years UNESCO World Heritage Convention: Curse or Cure?

Abstract

Heritage is widely regarded as an integral constituent of modern tourism and, accordingly, many destinations aspire to gain United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Heritage (WH) status. However, uncontrolled influxes of tourists, ongoing management challenges, competing interests amongst stakeholders and decision-makers, as well as the politicisation of regulatory processes, all threaten to undermine the implied protection of WH inscription. Adopting a ‘wicked problems’ lens effectively elucidates the complex, diverse, and interconnected nature of the WH Convention’s governance structure and how this impact and influences the management of WH Sites.

Citation

Pforr, A.F. and Pforr, C. (2024), "50 Years UNESCO World Heritage Convention: Curse or Cure?", Pforr, C., Pillmayer, M., Joppe, M., Scherle, N. and Pechlaner, H. (Ed.) Tourism Policy-Making in the Context of Contested Wicked Problems: Politics, Paradigm Shifts and Transformation Processes (Advances in Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research, Vol. 17B), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 37-47. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1871-31732024000017B003