Tourism and the Archaeological Heritage: Driver to Development or Destruction?Douglas C.ComerauthorWillem J. H.WillemsauthorSome of the most important, aesthetically spectacular, and famous archaeological World Heritage Sites have seen a dramatic increase in numbers of visitors over recent decades. This paper will address how this flood of visitors has affected the historical and scientific values that inhere in these sites; the economic development of the nations in which they are located; and the social and economic conditions in nearby communities, especially as this has been felt among the chronically disadvantaged, including women, children, and minorities. At many of these sites, the global media has reported significant deterioration of site fabric or social disruptions that have been linked to over-visitation. Further, while much has been made of the economic benefit to countries in which archaeological World Heritage Sites are located, preliminary research by ICAHM has yielded only anecdotal indications of the magnitude of such benefit, and no reliable data regarding the parties to which benefit has accrued. Nonetheless, at each of these sites, investments have been made by international assistance programs, including USAID and JICA, and some host countries have been the recipients of loans from lending institutions such as the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. We contend that archaeological sites comprise a type of cultural resource that must be managed in special ways in order to preserve scientific and historical values. This paper will present the information that we have examined and explain the reasoning that we have in developing this position. 01. Généralités02. Vestiges et sites archéologiques01. Généralités01. Généralités28. Patrimoine Mondial01. Généralités02. Gestion du tourisme04. Tourisme durable05. Patrimoine et développement durable2012-05-21Document issu d'une conférence ou d'un atelier