Research and development

Exploring innovative approaches for conservation and tourism

Since 1990, when ICCROM adopted a fifth mandate to ‘encourage initiatives that create a better understanding of the conservation and restoration of cultural property’, we have engaged in advocacy activities, many of which have inspired national and regional initiatives that are continuing today.

Since 2003, ICCROM in collaboration with UNESCO has been working to sensitize tourists to the fragility of cultural heritage and its conservation. The initial target group was guidebooks editors, followed by the tourism industry, mainly tourism agencies with an interest in interested sustainable tourism. Currently, there is a project to co-write awareness leaflets and materials with these agencies.

In 2008-9, further initiatives to sensitize tourists and communities to the preservation of cultural heritage will be developed. The implementation of these is subject to funding being made available.

ICCROM will seek to collaborate with the World Heritage Centre and relevant universities to carry out a case study on a cultural heritage site (with a provisional title of Case study on Conservation and sustainable Tourism: Interpretation and Awareness).

The project will involve stakeholders at various levels in tourism development and be based on community awareness and interpretation techniques. It will be carried out in collaboration with other ICCROM programmes and activities.

updated on: 23 November, 2007