Global Network of National Geoparks

International Conference on Sustainable Tourism Management at World Heritage Sites Held in Mount Hua

Published :April 2, 2008


The International Conference on Sustainable Tourism Management at World Heritage Sites was held in Mount Huangshan, Anhui on 24th ~ 27th March 2008 jointly by the World Tourism Organization (WTO), the UNESCO, the National Tourism Administration, PRC and the People's Government of Anhui Province. More than 200 foreigners and Chinese attended it, including the officials from the WTO and the UNESCO, the foreign and Chinese experts as well as the chiefs from administrative agencies and tourism departments of 35 world heritage sites in China.

It was said that the WTO's holding this conference is intended to advocate the principle of sustainability for the solution of specific issues concerning the management of heritage sites. During this conference, representatives from the UNESCO and the WTO demonstrated, remarked and discussed on four topics, i.e. "maximization of economic benefits gained from tourism in world heritage sites", "minimization of adverse environmental effects caused by tourism in world heritage sites (maintenance of heritage sites, jam prevention and moderate development)', "information management and sustainable development indicator ---- study on Mount Huangshan case" and "field expedition and investigation". The Mount Huangshan Declaration of the management of world heritage sites was approved in principle in this conference. Also, the WTO established an observation station of sustainable development of tourism in world heritage sites in Mount Huangshan and presented the plaque.

Photographed by Xinhua correspondent Zhou Xiangji