heritage tourism unwto

Take advantage of the search to browse through the World Heritage Centre information.

Share on social media

Unesco social media.

UNESCO and World Tourism Organization collaborate on cultural tourism recovery guidelines

New guidelines developed by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in cooperation with UNESCO outline how tourism and culture stakeholders can work together to support the inclusive recovery of cultural tourism, as countries around the world respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The publication, entitled UNWTO Inclusive Recovery Guide, Issue 2: Cultural Tourism , draws on the insights and expertise of the two UN agencies to analyse the impact of the pandemic on their respective sectors. This includes how lost tourism revenues are severely impacting communities, heritage sites, cultural events, spaces and institutions, while also weakening competitiveness and market differentiation of destinations. The guidelines on cultural tourism also stress the need for support from policymakers to ensure the relevance of culture in the emergency and contingency planning within tourism destinations.

The release of the guidelines comes within the context of the International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development 2021, a UN initiative designed to recognize how culture and creativity, including cultural tourism, can contribute to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Encyclopedia of Tourism pp 1–3 Cite as

World Heritage and Tourism

• Michael A. Di Giovine 3  
• Living reference work entry
• Latest version View entry history
• First Online: 27 March 2024

World heritage refers to monuments, sites, and cultural and natural landscapes, as well as intangible practices and traditions, as designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Specifically, it refers to something to be of “outstanding universal value” that transcends any specific significances it might have at the local, regional, or national levels. The preservation of world heritage is paramount since it is considered “of common importance for present and future generations of all humanity” (UNESCO 2005 : 12).

World heritage is often seen as an intrinsic quality to a site or tradition, but in actuality, it is the product of a complex political process that evolved over more than a half-century. Born from the 1972 Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritag e, it is elaborated upon through the day-to-day work of UNESCO’s Advisory Bodies (International Council on Monuments and Sites, International Union for...

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution .

Brumann, Christoph. 2022. The best we share . Oxford: Berghahn.

Book   Google Scholar  

Di Giovine, Michael A. 2009. The heritage-scape: UNESCO, world heritage, and tourism . Lanham: Lexington Books.

Google Scholar  

Gravari-Barbas, M., L. Bourdeau, and M. Robinson. 2015. World heritage and tourism: From opposition to co- production. In World heritage, tourism and identity: Inscription and co-production. Heritage culture and identity , ed. L. Bourdeau, M. Gravari-Barbas, and M. Robinson, 1–24. London: Routledge.

Meskell, Lynn. 2018. A future in ruins: UNESCO, world heritage, and the dream of peace . Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Smith, Laurajane. 2006. Uses of heritage . London: Routledge.

UNESCO. 2005. World Heritage Information Kit . Paris: World Heritage Center.

Download references

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

West Chester University of Pennsylvania, West Chester, USA

Michael A. Di Giovine

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michael A. Di Giovine .

Editor information

Editors and affiliations.

School of Hospitality Leadership, University of Wisconsin-Stout, Menomonie, WI, USA

Jafar Jafari

School of Hotel and Tourism Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China

Honggen Xiao

Section Editor information

Universidad Nacional de Quilmes Bernal, Bernal, Argentina

Regina Schlüter

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2023 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this entry

Cite this entry.

Di Giovine, M.A. (2023). World Heritage and Tourism. In: Jafari, J., Xiao, H. (eds) Encyclopedia of Tourism. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01669-6_224-2

Download citation

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01669-6_224-2

Received : 17 March 2021

Accepted : 20 May 2023

Published : 27 March 2024

Publisher Name : Springer, Cham

Print ISBN : 978-3-319-01669-6

Online ISBN : 978-3-319-01669-6

eBook Packages : Springer Reference Business and Management Reference Module Humanities and Social Sciences Reference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences

• Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Chapter history

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01669-6_224-2

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01669-6_224-1

• Find a journal
• Track your research

Advisory Council on Historic Preservation

Each year, millions of travelers visit America’s historic places. The National Trust for Historic Preservation defines heritage tourism as “traveling to experience the places, artifacts, and activities that authentically represent the stories and people of the past and present.”  A high percentage of domestic and international travelers participate in cultural and/or heritage activities while traveling, and those that do stay longer, spend more, and travel more often. Heritage tourism creates jobs and business opportunities, helps protect resources, and often improves the quality of life for local residents.

The ACHP has encouraged national travel and tourism policies that promote the international marketing of America’s historic sites as tourism destinations. The ACHP also engages in ongoing efforts to build a more inclusive preservation program, reaching out to diverse communities and groups and engaging them in dialogue about what parts of our national legacy should be more fully recognized, preserved, and shared. 

The ACHP developed Preserve America , a national initiative to encourage and support community efforts for the preservation and enjoyment of America’s cultural and natural heritage. In partnership with other federal agencies, the initiative has encouraged the use of historic assets for economic development and community revitalization, as well as enabling people to experience and appreciate local historic resources through heritage tourism and education programs. These goals have been advanced by an Executive Order directing federal agencies to support such efforts, a community designation program, and a recognition program for outstanding stewardship of historic resources by volunteers.

From 2004-2016, over 900 Preserve America Communities   were designated in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and two territories, as well as nearly 60 Preserve America Stewards . Many Preserve America Communities are featured in “Discover Our Shared Heritage” National Register on-line travel itineraries . From 2006 through 2010, the National Park Service (in partnership with the ACHP) awarded more than $21 million in Preserve America Grants   to support sustainable historic resource management strategies, with a focus on heritage tourism. 

These links are being provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only; if they are not ACHP links, they do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by the ACHP of any of the products, services or opinions of the corporation or organization or individual. The ACHP bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality, or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links. Please contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content, including its privacy policies.

Related resources.

UNWTO Study on Tourism and Intangible Cultural Heritage

• Year Published 2012
• Link to Entry
• Leave a review
• United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)

Publisher(s)

• Case Studies
• Guidelines and Good Practices
• Reports and White Papers

Indigenous Specific

Level of accessibility, description.

The first UNWTO Study on Tourism and Intangible Cultural Heritage provides comprehensive baseline research on the links between tourism and intangible cultural heritage (ICH). The publication explores major challenges, risks and opportunities for tourism development related to ICH, while suggesting practical steps for the elaboration, management and marketing of ICH-based tourism products. Through an extensive compendium of case studies and good practices drawn from across five continents, the report offers information on, and analysis of, government-led actions, public-private partnerships and community initiatives. It further offers recommendations on fostering responsible and sustainable tourism development through the safeguarding of intangible cultural assets.

• Business Development
• Cultural and Creative Industries
• Cultural Authenticity
• Cultural Awareness and Education
• Cultural Heritage
• Enterprise Development
• Indigenous Destination Development
• Indigenous Leadership Development
• Sustainable Management Systems

Geographic Focus

Stakeholder.

• Indigenous Leaders
• Private Sector
• No comments yet.

Add a review

Leave a reply · cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You May Also Be Interested In

Unwto report on tourism and culture synergies.

• Social & Cultural

The UNWTO report on Tourism and Culture Synergies highlights the symbiotic relationship between tourism and culture and the interdependency of the two sectors. The report, undertaken through a survey of UNWTO member states and expert opinion, affirms that cultural tourism plays a major role in global tourism today. It also reveals that the sub-sector, in keeping with the changes to tourism as a whole, has been transformed by changing lifestyles, new forms of culture and creativity, and evolution and innovation in technology.

UNWTO Recommendations on Sustainable Development of Indigenous Tourism

The aim of these Recommendations is to encourage tourism enterprises to develop their operations in a responsible and sustainable manner, while enabling those indigenous communities that wish to open up to tourism to take full grasp of opportunities that come along, following a thorough consultation process. The Recommendations also target tourists that visit indigenous communities, and whose numbers are steadily increasing given the growth of tourism motivated by the interest to experience indigenous cultures and traditional lifestyles.

UNWTO Panel on Indigenous Tourism: Promoting Equitable Partnerships

With the Larrakia Declaration as a backdrop, this UNWTO panel discusses equitable partnerships between indigenous and non-indigenous stakeholders that can benefit the communities on the long-run and will also suggest some guidance in this regard. Furthermore, the event will establish linkages between the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, championed by the United Nations, and indigenous communities, given their ancestral knowledge of nature and methods of sustainable management of resources that they depend on. The panel will finally showcase good practices which have provided indigenous people with concrete entrepreneurial opportunities and economic empowerment.

• Share via...

UN Tourism | Bringing the world closer

Ethics, Culture and Social Responsibility

Global code of ethics for tourism.

• Accessible Tourism
• Tourism and Culture
• Women’s Empowerment and Tourism

share this content

• Share this article on facebook
• Share this article on twitter
• Share this article on linkedin

" Tourism is a genuine driver of solidarity and development. Let us all fully harness its power to bring people and communities together, abiding by the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism. This way tourism can keep delivering better opportunities and sustainable development for millions across the globe. "

Zurab pololikashvili, un tourism secretary-general, august 2020.

As a fundamental frame of reference for responsible and sustainable tourism, the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism (GCET) is a comprehensive set of principles designed to guide key-players in tourism development. Addressed to governments, the travel industry, communities and tourists alike, it aims to help maximise the sector’s benefits while minimising its potentially negative impact on the environment, cultural heritage and societies across the globe. Adopted in 1999 by the General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization, its acknowledgement by the United Nations two years later expressly encouraged UN Tourism to promote the effective follow-up of its provisions. Although not legally binding, the Code features a voluntary implementation mechanism through its recognition of the role of the World Committee on Tourism Ethics (WCTE), to which stakeholders may refer matters concerning the application and interpretation of the document.

The Code’s 10 articles amply cover the economic, social, cultural and environmental components of travel and tourism:

Tourism's contribution to mutual understanding and respect between peoples and societies

3. The host communities, on the one hand, and local professionals, on the other, should acquaint themselves with and respect the tourists who visit them and find out about their lifestyles, tastes and expectations; the education and training imparted to professionals contribute to a hospitable welcome; 4. It is the task of the public authorities to provide protection for tourists and visitors and their belongings; they must pay particular attention to the safety of foreign tourists owing to the particular vulnerability they may have; they should facilitate the introduction of specific means of information, prevention, security, insurance and assistance consistent with their needs; any attacks, assaults, kidnappings or threats against tourists or workers in the tourism industry, as well as the wilful destruction of tourism facilities or of elements of cultural or natural heritage should be severely condemned and punished in accordance with their respective national laws; 5. When travelling, tourists and visitors should not commit any criminal act or any act considered criminal by the laws of the country visited and abstain from any conduct felt to be offensive or injurious by the local populations, or likely to damage the local environment; they should refrain from all trafficking in illicit drugs, arms, antiques, protected species and products and substances that are dangerous or prohibited by national regulations; 6. Tourists and visitors have the responsibility to acquaint themselves, even before their departure, with the characteristics of the countries they are preparing to visit; they must be aware of the health and security risks inherent in any travel outside their usual environment and behave in such a way as to minimize those risks.

Tourism as a vehicle for individual and collective fulfilment

Tourism, a factor of sustainable development

Tourism, a user of the cultural heritage of mankind and contributor to its enhancement

Tourism, a beneficial activity for host countries and communities

Obligations of stakeholders in tourism development

Right to tourism

Liberty of tourist movements

Rights of the workers and entrepreneurs in the tourism industry

Implementation of the principles of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism

Full Text of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism

• ENGLISH (brochure)
• ENGLISH (passport size)
• FRENCH (brochure)
• FRENCH (passport size)
• SPANISH (brochure)
• SPANISH (passport size)
• RUSSIAN (brochure)
• RUSSIAN (passport size)
• ARABIC (brochure)
• ARABIC (passport size)

The versions of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism in non-official languages of the World Tourism Organization have been endorsed by official National Tourism Administrations of the countries and regions listed below. UN Tourism does not guarantee the accuracy of these translations with regard to those in the official languages of the Organization.

This site shall constitute the main source for the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism. Other sites onto which the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism has been uploaded are not under the control of UN Tourism. UN Tourism shall not be responsible for the content of any of these sites or any link contained therein. 

The Global Code of Ethics for Tourism in non-official languages

• ALBANIA (Albanian)
• ANDORRA (Catalán)
• AZERBAIJAN (Azerbaijani)
• BANGLADESH (Bangladeshi)
• BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA ( Bosnian ) ( Serbian ) ( Croatian )
• BRAZIL (Portuguese)
• BULGARIA (Bulgarian)
• CHINA (Chinese)
• CROATIA (Croatian)
• CZECH REPUBLIC (Czech)
• EGYPT (Arabic)
• FLEMISH COMMUNITY OF BELGIUM (Dutch )
• GEORGIA (Georgian)
• GERMANY (German)
• GREECE (Greek)
• HUNGARY (Hungarian)
• ICELAND (Icelandic)
• INDONESIA (Bahasa)
• ISRAEL (Hebrew)
• ITALY (Italian)
• JAPAN (Japanese)
• JORDAN (Arabic)
• LATVIA (Latvian)
• LITHUANA (Lithuanian)
• NIGERIA ( Hausa ) ( Yoruba )
• PALESTINE (Arabic)
• PHILIPPINES (Filipino)
• POLAND (Polish)
• PORTUGAL (Portuguese)
• REPUBLIC OF KOREA (Korean)
• ROMANIA (Romanian)
• SAN MARINO (Italian)
• SERBIA (Serbian)
• SLOVAKIA (Slovak)
• SLOVENIA (Slovenian)
• THAILAND (Thai)
• TURKEY (Turkish)
• UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA (Swahili)

Private Sector Signatories of the Commitment

In 2011, UN Tourism formulated a Private Sector Commitment to the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, for the signature of private enterprises worldwide. In signing the commitment, companies pledge to uphold, promote and implement the values of responsible and sustainable tourism development championed by the Code. They further undertake to report on their implementation of the Code's principles in their corporate governance to the World Committee on Tourism Ethics.

Ethics convention

The UN Tourism Convention on Tourism Ethics, the first convention of the Organization, was approved by A/RES/722(XXIII) during the 23rd General Assembly which took place in San Petersburg, Russian Federation in September 2019.

World Committee on Tourism Ethics (WCTE)

Established in 2003, the World Committee on Tourism Ethics is the impartial body responsible for interpreting, applying and evaluating the provisions of the UN Tourism Global Code of Ethics for Tourism. For further information, please see UN Tourism General Assembly Resolution A/RES/607(XIX) of October 2011.

The Responsible Tourist

To facilitate the understanding of the principles of the  Global Code of Ethics for Tourism  by tourists, the  World Committee on Tourism Ethics prepared the " Tips for a Responsible Traveller " (2020 version)  to highlight those principles of the Code directly related to tourists, in order to help guide travellers in making their behaviour ever more responsible. 

Background of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism

The Global Code of Ethics for Tourism sets a frame of reference for the responsible and sustainable development of world tourism. It draws inspiration from many similar declarations and industry codes that have come before and it adds new thinking that reflects our changing society at the beginning of the 21st century.

Related links

• UN Tourism ETHICS AWARD
• RESOLUTIONS ON THE GLOBAL CODE OF ETHICS FOR TOURISM
• Implementation Reports on the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism
• 20th Anniversary of the Global Code of Ethics in Tourism

• Regional Support Office for Asia and the Pacific (RSOAP)
• Member States in Asia and the Pacific
• SUSTAINABLE TOURISM OBSERVATORIES (INSTO)

UN Tourism’s (formerly UNWTO) leadership vision acknowledges the most pressing challenges facing tourism and identifies the sector’s ability to overcome them and to drive wider positive change, including the opportunities responsible tourism offers for the advancement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

UN Tourism’s members have endorsed the Management Vision of the Secretary-General which seeks to position tourism as a policy priority, lead in knowledge creation, enhance the Organization’s capacity through building new and stronger partnerships, and offer better value for existing Members while also expanding membership.

To realize the Management’s Vision, UN Tourism’s work is based around five distinct pillars:

• making tourism smarter through celebrating innovation and leading the digital transformation of the sector
• making tourism more competitive at every level through promoting investment and promoting entrepreneurship
• creating more and better jobs and providing relevant training
• building resilience and promoting safe and seamless travel;
• harnessing tourism’s unique potential to protect cultural and natural heritage and to support communities both economically and socially.

As the leading international organization in the field of tourism, UNWTO (now, UN TOURISM) promotes tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive development and environmental sustainability and offers leadership and support to the sector in advancing knowledge and tourism policies worldwide.

UN Tourism encourages the implementation of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, to maximize tourism’s socio-economic contribution while minimizing its possible negative impacts, and is committed to promoting tourism as an instrument in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), geared towards reducing poverty and fostering sustainable development worldwide.

UN Tourism generates market knowledge, promotes competitive and sustainable tourism policies and instruments, fosters tourism education and training, and works to make tourism an effective tool for development through technical assistance projects in over 100 countries around the world.

UN Tourism’s membership includes 160 Member States, 6 Associate Members and over 500 Affiliate Members representing the private sector, educational institutions, tourism associations and local tourism authorities.

source： https://www.unwto.org/who-we-are

OUR MANAGEMENT

UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili took office in January 2018. Seeking to optimize the efficiency of the Organization, the Secretary-General has introduced a new leadership structure consisting of a Deputy Secretary-General and two Executive Directors, each one overseeing key structural areas and departments of the Organization, for increased efficiency in achieving UNWTO’s goals, including adding value to members, increasing membership and serving the tourism sector as a whole.

The management team works towards a comprehensive vision for development of the tourism sector. This includes positioning tourism as a policy priority, establishing thought leadership in knowledge and policy creation, increasing resources and strengthening UNWTO’s capacity through meaningful partnerships.

Source: https://www.unwto.org/management

※Each bar directs you to the UN Tourism headquarters website

Regional Support Office in Asia and the Pacific (RSOAP)

Rsoap a to z.

• Sustainable Tourism Observatories(INSTO)

UNWTO A to Z

• About UNWTO
• Affiliate Members
• Member States
• Tourism in the 2030 Agenda
• World Tourism Day
• Technical Cooperation
• ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
• MIDDLE EAST
• RESOURCES/SERVICES
• Sustainable Development of Tourism
• Ethics, Culture and Social Responsibility
• Market Intelligence
• Tourism Data Dashboard
• Publications
• UNWTO Academy

Partners links

© UNWTO Regional Support Office for Asia and the Pacific (RSOAP)

UNESCO strengthens cooperation with the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)

UNWTO is the specialized agency of the United Nations in charge of promoting a responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism.

A new memorandum of Understanding was signed by UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova and UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai, in the margins of the UN System Chief Executives Board for Coordination in New York. The Agreement provides a framework for cooperation in a range of areas, including:

• Implementation of the UNESCO World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Programme;
• Developing transnational tourism initiatives to promote and safeguard the shared heritage of the Silk Roads Heritage Corridors;
• Identifying, developing and networking of sustainable tourism initiatives and activities in biosphere reserves;
• Promoting sustainable tourism through United Nations partnerships and initiatives, such as the United Nations Steering Committee on Tourism for Development (SCTD) and the Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism (GPST).

Ms Bokova thanked her UNWTO counterpart for his commitment to reinforcing cooperation between the two agencies so as to achieve a greater impact for the benefit of Member States and to strengthening system wide coherence. "I look forward to furthering this partnership on the basis of shared values and common objectives" said the Director-General.

The MoU is the third agreement between UNESCO and UNWTO, the first going back to 1979.

This renewed cooperation underlines the strength of a partnership that has existed for over three decades.

Related items

• Director General

More on this subject

International Geoscience and Geoparks Programme Secretariat and contact information 2 February 2024

International Geoscience and Geoparks Programme Fostering Researchers in the Geosciences (FoRGe) 22 January 2024

International Geoscience and Geoparks Programme Pre-Atlantic geological connections among northwest Africa, Iberia and eastern North America: implications for continental configurations and economic resources 10 December 2023

Other recent news