UNWTO International Conference on Heritage Tourism: How do we Foster, Present and Preserve World Treasures?

Cultural and natural heritage are key to tourism. The UNESCO World Heritage Centre defines heritage as “our legacy from the past, what we live with today, and what we pass on to future generations. Our cultural and natural heritages are irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration.” The concept of heritage has widened past tangible heritage (museums, historic sites, landscapes) into daily life and community memory, or intangible heritage (UNWTO, Communicating Heritage - A Handbook for the Tourism Sector, 2011). More than 1,000 natural and cultural heritage sites are inscribed on the World Heritage List and nearly 400 are inscribed on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. At times, communities do not realize the full potential for their own history and heritage to serve as high-value attractions and tourism resources.

The UNWTO International Conference on Heritage Tourism will provide a forum for the tourism industry, governments, academia, representatives of local communities, and international organizations to present global best practices to foster, present and preserve the world’s treasures.

Web Site/Online Registration: www.icht2016.com

Contact:

Ms. Junko Yoshida, UNWTO Regional Support Office for Asia and the Pacific

jyoshida@unwto-ap.org

Presentations:

Session 1: Compatibility of Preservation and Utilization

- Global Best Practices to Facilitate Heritage Preservation and to Ensure an Authentic Experience for All

Dr. Donald Hawkins, Professor, George Washington University and UNWTO Advisor

- Challenges and Opportunities of Heritage Preservation and Utilization

Dr. Mounir Bouchenaki, Director, UNESCO Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage

- Heritage Management and Tourism in Japan

Dr. Noriaki Nishiyama, Director, Center for Advanced Tourism Studies, Hokkaido University

Session 2: Refinement of Tourism Resources

- Travel and Tourism as a Value Creating Industry Imparting New Life to World Heritage

Mr. Yoshinori Ochi, Director and Secretary General, Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA)

- Working Towards Sustainable Tourism

Mr. Masato Takemoto, Office Chief, Tanabe City Kumano Tourism Bureau

- Amaravati Ancient Town Birth Place of Mahayana Buddhism

Dr. Amareswar Galla, Professor, Global Change Institute, The University of Queensland & Executive Director, International Institute for the Inclusive Museum, Australia/India

Session 3: Sustainable Utilization

- Heritage Tourism and Sustainable Development - Experiences and case-studies from Spain and Latin America

Dr. Jordi Tresserras Juan, Director, Laboratory of Heritage, Cultural Tourism and Creativity (LABPATC), University of Barcelona

- Angkor: Curture and Tourism Destination

HE SOK Sangvar, Deputy Director General, APSARA National Authority, Siem Reap, Cambodia

- Initiatives for the Sustainable Use of World Heritage Sites in Japan

Mr. Satoshi Nagasaki, Director of Tourism Resources Division, MLIT-JTA

Documents:

Concept Note

Programme (English and Japanese)

General Information Note

Annex of General Information Note