Professional Documents
Culture Documents
A World Heritage Site (WHS) is a place that has been identified by United Nations Educational
Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as possessing outstanding universal cultural and
natural importance to the common heritage of humanity. The enlisting of the BJCM to the WHS
List carries with it responsibilities for the host country to observe. These include the responsibility
to educate and share the importance of the WHS to not only residents of the host country, but to
the citizens of the world and for generations to come. A strategy to transmit and educate the public
The gateway town is one which is intended to be a central point where the significance of the WHS
can be celebrated and where visitors can be inspired, engaged and educated about the outstanding
natural and cultural wonders contained within the WHS. A gateway town also provides the services
which cannot be located within the WHS due to the ecological and cultural sensitivity of the region.
Though the concept of a gateway town is well established, research in the area has been scant
resulting in a lack of literature on the subject. However, it is understood that gateway towns are
“towns” which must provide for its local community as well as the influx of tourists travelling to
the WHS. The needs of the local community differ from that of tourists As a result existing towns
have to be retrofitted to meet the needs of the tourists. The basic needs of a tourist are
accommodation, food, transportation and entertainment. Whereas these activities would have been
present in a normal town, in a gateway town they would receive much more focus.
Precedence
Cromford Mills
According to UNESCO (2016), “The Derwent Valley in central England contains a series of 18th
and 19th century cotton mills and an industrial landscape of high historical and technological
interest. The modern factory owes its origins to the mills at Cromford, where Richard Arkwright's
inventions were first put into industrial-scale production. The workers' housing associated with
this and the other mills remain intact and illustrate the socio-economic development of the area.”
There are several gateways towns leading to this heritage site which is known to the world as the
Cromford mills. Cromford Mills is of importance to this research as it brings out how important
Cromford Mills is designed in such a way that is ensures easy access to different activities geared
towards educating the visitors about the world heritage site and it also includes spaces of secular
activities such as restaurants, bars, and other recreational activities. This was done by converting
the ground floor of selected buildings to provide spaces auditorium, exhibition area, shop and
historical interpretation based on archaeological evidence within the area (UNESCO, 2016). The
World Heritage Site ‘Gateway’ is intended to provide a focal point within the northern part of The
Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site to attract a broad spectrum of visitor and engage interest
in a variety of ways.
This strategy can be applied in Papine since it has the potential to be a gateway, a university town
and a major transport hub in the KMR (Jamaica Observer, 2012). This suggest that the area has to
be multifunctional; it has to provide for the local, student and potential tourist population. In order
to do this the same approach taken in Cromford can be applied; suggesting areas on the ground
floor of some building for tourist activities and other commercial activities and areas above for
The second precedent, Jurassic Coast is one of importance because it shows how the educational
institutions can be used to enhance the functioning of a gateway to a world heritage site. According
to VisitBritain (2015), “The Dorset and East Devon Coast, also known as The Jurassic Coast was
the first ever site to be inscribed as a 'natural' World Heritage Site. It spans 95 miles of dramatic
coastline all the way from East Devon to Dorset and includes a range of world-renowned fossils
of all types.”
The Jurassic coast education strategy strives to include programs that would foster further research
on the area (Dorset and East Devon Coast - Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site) as a part of the
regular school curriculum. A major milestone for the region was teaching the science, history,
geography and other aspects of the area to students as a part of the national curriculum (Jurassic
Coast World Heritage Site, 2006). This strategy allows the schools in the region to be continuously
involved in research, community education and encouraging innovative ways on how to present
the site to the world. The government had dedicated funding especially towards the educational
aspect in order to ensure that the projects undertaken by the various institutions are successful
(Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, 2006). Projects are undertaken formally by schools at all level
This president is an excellent one because there is a large number of educational institutions at all
levels in Papine. This president showed how the world heritage site can be streamlined into the
education curriculum of these institutions. Doing this will not only help to attain more information
on the site but it will also help to devise more innovative and efficient ways of promoting and
managing the world heritage site. It will raise local public awareness about the site and local
According to UNESCO (2016), “Yellowstone contains half of all the world's known geothermal
features, with more than 10,000 examples. It also has the world's largest concentration of geysers
(more than 300 geysers, or two thirds of all those on the planet). Established in 1872, Yellowstone
is equally known for its wildlife, such as grizzly bears, wolves, bison and wapitis.”
The Yellow Stone National Park has five gateway towns that offer convenient access to the park,
and each have a unique character, vacation activities, and attractions all their own. The town of
Montana however is the busiest because it is a hub for activities which make it the preferred stop
for persons travelling to the Yellowstone national park from Idaho. This gateway is of importance
because it provides a wide range of supporting services a gateway needs to be an attractive tourism
The town has several squares that have dining spots, coffee shops, gift shops and other
entertainment spots. In addition they offer outdoor activities such as water sports, hiking bike trails,
snowmobiling and cross country skiing. These activities compliment the heritage site and help to
Having activity spots in Papine will not only make it a more attractive gateway but it will also
attract visitors to the world heritage site. What will be promoted are activities that not only take
place during the daytime but also at night time which will increase profits and productivity. It will
be seen as a growth pole in the region that will attract much investments and this will allow the
communication, sewage, water and electric systems are all examples of infrastructure. These
systems tend to be high-cost investments; however, they are vital to an area’s economic
Physical infrastructure provides the basis for social infrastructure to function. Physical
infrastructure is the key to the functioning of any area and it is crucial to the economic growth. In
a tourist town or a gate way town, the same is true, and even more so proper infrastructure is
needed because it will not only cater to the needs of the visitors but it also to the local people that
live there. In addition the tourist arrival may fluctuate depending on the time of year. The physical
infrastructure of the area should be able to function with the added tourism pressure.
The same is true for Papine because the BJM has been declared a world heritage site; it is almost
automatically guaranteed to have increased number of tourist arrival because of its international
significance (Pedersen, 2002). Because Papine is located at the foot of the world heritage site, in
the Kingston Metropolitan region and close to one of the islands major points of entry it would
make a perfect gateway to the area. Therefore in order to facilitate this large influx of people the
gateways infrastructure must be able to withstand the added pressure from increase tourist arrival.
In order to achieve this here has to be development of the existing the infrastructure and there also
has to be capacity building in the social organization to ensure that the necessary infrastructure
(both social and physical) in place are adequate to support both the local population that use them
on a day to day bases and the tourist that visit the area.
The Australian government has embarked on developing a model to predict how much water
resource the visitor tourist population would consume for the period of one year and by extension
it also shows how much waste water they will produce. Case study applications of the model are
developed for the Australian tourist destinations of Daylesford in Victoria and Byron Bay in New
South Wales. Analysis includes full calculations for the water and wastewater needs and associated
costs for the forecast year of 2031 (Beecham, 2009). Major benefits of this research include better
knowledge and understanding of tourist demands, and the need for water and wastewater
infrastructure and analytical tools, enabling councils and other authorities to quantify present and
future tourist demands, infrastructure requirements to meet demand, and the associated costs of
It is important to assess the quality, use and treatment of the water resources of an area because it
is vital to its functioning (Beecham, 2009). Tourism can have devastating impacts on the water
resources of an area because it can cause pollution in the water system. Waste water can cause
pollution to both ground and surface water reservoirs which can in turn affect aquatic life wetland
ecosystem and other ecologically important yet sensitive areas. In addition to polluting areas there
is also the risk of depleting the water resources of the user population is too large for them to
support. In many countries pumping of excess ground water from coastal caused ground water
levels to fall below sea levels and saline intrusion occurs (Beecham, 2009).
Knowing the potential water usage can assist decision makers to assess whether or not
conservation measures are needed and the systems which need to be in place to achieve this.
Potential water usage will also help to decision makers to know the supply, waste management
and treatment system that will be needed and the type and the cost of infrastructure required for
the system. The model also allows one to calculate the water usage per capita so this information
can be used to assess the amount of water that will be used when this figure is multiplied by the
In the same way that the infrastructure related to water supply, distribution and treatment should
be considered; it is the same way that other infrastructure needs to be developed to support the
added pressure from tourist arrivals (Jamaica Tourist Board, n.d.). Some of this infrastructure
include but are not limited to: electricity, health facilities, fire serviced, security, proper road
network etc. In addition the elements of tourism should also be incorporated in the area these
include: accommodation, transportation, attractions and tours, dining and entertainment (inclusive
Tourism
Tourism is difficult to define since it encompasses a wide span of consumption activities which
demands products and services from an equally wide span of industries. A simple definition is:
“tourism is as a set of socioeconomic activities carried out either by or for tourists. Those carried
out by tourists correspond to what tourists do, while those carried out for tourists correspond to
what other socio-economic institutions do to support the needs of tourists” (WTO, 1993) where
tourists are considered “persons traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment
for no more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes (WTO, 1993).
Tourism can be disruptive and harmful to the local environment hence alternative tourism has risen
to replace mass tourism practices. Alternative tourism is a form of tourism that sets out to be
consistent with the natural, social and community values and which allows both hosts and guests
to enjoy positive and worthwhile interaction and shared experience (Wearing and Neil, 1999). This
research paper will focus on examining the suitable tourist alternative tourism activities to facilitate
travelers.
Independent travelers are not part of organized groups but travel alone or in small groups of friends.
They travel either out of a general interest or because they want to practice a certain activity in a
new and different environment. Most independent travelers are young, adventurous, willing to use
Specialty tourism firms organize trips for clients wishing to participate in a specific activity such
Also in this category are adventure travel firms offering activities such as back-packing/trekking,
white water rafting, kayaking, canoeing, rock climbing and sport fishing.
The general package-holiday market attracts groups wishing to see an area and its culture but
without a specific interest in a defined activity or subject matter. These tourists tend to be interested
in general sightseeing and shopping, and may be interested in cultural attractions such as museums,
The outstanding universal cultural and natural heritage of the BJCMWHS sets it apart from all
other destinations in the world. The same reasons the area is qualified to be enlisted as a World
Heritage Site (WHS) are the same that will make the territory a renowned travel destination. The
development of a viable tourism product within the BJCMWHS therefore must be done in tandem
with conservation efforts and observe best practices of sustainable tourism development.
Sustainable tourism and community based tourism are linked. Both approach the attempt to
mitigate the windfall effects of mass tourism by adapting a balanced and comprehensive approach
of development where the social, economic and environmental interest of the local community is
held in high regard. Swarbrooke (1991) defines sustainable tourism as a form of tourism that is
economically viable and does not destroy the resources on which future of tourism will depend,
notably the physical environment and the social fabric. WWF (2001) defined it as a form of tourism
“where the local community has substantial control over, and involvement in, its development and
management, and a major proportion of the benefits remain within the community.” WWF (2001)
accepted that the concept of community depends on local “social and institutional structures” and
accepted that it “must also embrace individual initiatives within the community”
Sustainable practices is the preferred approach in ecologically and culturally sensitive sites such
as the BJCMWHS. The second chapter of UNESCO's Word Heritage Convention which outlines
the host country's responsibility of its enlisted WHS states that each territory is to ensure the
identification, protection, conservation, presentation and transmission of the natural and cultural
heritage to future generations. It further states that these activities are to be achieved with the state's
own resources. This multi-faceted duty is best met through sustainable tourism practices and can
best be implemented through a community-based tourism model. These two forms of tourism not
only maximize the benefits for local communities and minimizes cost, but also assures the
conservation of the cultural and natural environment and the economic sustainability of the tourism
industry without compromising the natural and cultural integrity of the WHS (WTO 1998; Kang
2000). The BJCMWHS due to its mixed natural and cultural heritage, can foster both cultural and
nature-based tourism activities. These two broad headings can be divided into its component parts
and examined.
Cultural Tourism
The Outstanding Universal cultural heritage of the BJCMWHS qualifies the destination to develop
a cultural tourism product. A growing international trend of tourists is to visit remote locations in
search of distinctiveness. According to Ivonovic (2008) cultural tours or treks involving visits to
or overnight stays with tribal people or villages are becoming more and more popular, especially
in the emerging destinations of the world. The modern tourist is more experienced, independent
and discriminating in what they seek from destinations. These visitors have been categorized as
“new tourists” (Poon, 1993) or “post-tourists” (Urry, 2001). This deliberate seeking out of distinct
tourists travel to achieve the sense of value that culture brings to a place where the main (if not the
Distinctiveness of a destination can be distilled into two elements: the intangible culture and the
tangible culture. According to Ivanovic (2008) culture is seen as a process (intangible) and a
product (tangible). Culture as a process refers to the way of life of the people whereas the cultural
products is seen as the artistic and intellectual works, activities and practices to which specific
meanings are attached. Cultural tourism, in this sense, is dependent on not only distinctiveness but
authenticity of the attraction as well. Tour operators have organized activities encompassing the
two cultural elements where varying focus is placed on either the exploitation of products or the
process of the indigenous culture. This has resulted in cultural tourism manifesting itself in
different forms: indigenous cultural tourism, heritage tourism, and creative tourism (Smith, 2009).
Each form of cultural tourism may have activities that overlap with other forms. For example,
activities in heritage tourism (tours of religious sites, monuments and historic routes) may very
well be found in indigenous cultural tourism packages. When considered in isolation, the activities
may be difficult to place, however, when examined collectively, the form of cultural tourism to
According to Smith (2009) this terminology refers to a kind of tourism in which travelers visit
indigenous people within their own natural environment which is different from that of the tourist.
Indigenous people typically inhabit a region or fragile location under special protection from the
state (such as a national park) or a remote area that is typically inaccessible (such as a mountain
range, forest and so on). Tour operators have capitalized on the inaccessibility of these indigenous
regions whose remoteness and protection from the state provide opportunities for the development
The distinct culture of indigenous people combined with the landscape facilitates numerous
opportunities for indigenous cultural tourism development. Smith (2009) states that this has been
recognized by a number of countries whose destinations are becoming increasingly popular among
new tourists:
◦ Hilltribe and mountain trekking (e.g. Thailand, Vietnam, Peru, Chile, Nepal, China,
India).
◦ Wildlife tourism and national parks (e.g. Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Botswana,
Nambia).
◦ Rainforest and jungle ecotours (e.g. Brazil, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Indonesia,
Malaysia).
◦ Village tourism (e.g. Senegal, Mali, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Pacific Islands).
◦ Cultural heritage tourism (e.g. New Zealand, Australia, North America, Hawaii).
◦ Arts and crafts tourism (e.g. Guatemala, Mexico, Lapland, Mali, Panama).
Additionally, the capitalization on the exoticism of the indigenous group which involves the
purchasing of souvenirs and attendance to performances and cultural displays from an important
Heritage tourism is concerned largely with interpreting and representing the past (Smith, 2009).
Ivanovic (2009) states that heritage tourism is place-bound and geographically specific as it
represents the historic evolution of a specific cultural group. The scope of heritage tourism is wide
“Heritage is a broad concept and includes the natural as well as the cultural
practices, knowledge and living experiences. It records and expresses the long
According to Timothy and Nyaupane (2009) heritage tourism is divided into parts consisting of
the demand and supply perspective. Heritage tourism is made up of the “supply”, i.e. places, events
and artifacts as well as the activities and motives of the tourists who experience them. Tourist who
travel to heritage destinations are less motivated to visit typical cultural attractions such as
museums but “demand” a much more immersive and memorable experience. The new tourist
travel to such destinations to enhance learning, satisfy curiosity and feelings of nostalgia, grow
spiritually, relax, get away from home, spend time with loved ones or discover themselves (Coulon,
1999).
Timothy and Nyaupane (2009) identified subsets of cultural heritage tourism to be religious,
pilgrimage, diaspora and living culture. For the sake of this research focus will be placed on the
last two subsets which are relevant to the BJCMWHS and its buffer zone.
Coles and Timothy (2004) stated that this is a form of ethnic or personal heritage tourism. People
from a variety of backgrounds travel to specific sites to connect to their roots, celebrate religious
or ethnic festivals, visit relatives and learn about themselves. Jamaicans may travel to isolated
maroon community of Accompong to commemorate the treaty signed between the maroons and
the British in 1739 hence forming a sense of identity and even cultural pride in this achievement.
This form of heritage tourism exploits the existing cultural day-to-day way of life of a community.
languages, musical traditions, spiritual and religious practices, and other aspects of the cultural
participation in the rural lifestyle and local community, enjoyment of the natural environment and
the opportunity to enjoy truly locally produced food. Coulson (1999) recognized that cultural
festivals which develop out of spiritual traditions, agricultural harvests etc. become a main form
of attraction. Carnival in Brazil and Trinidad, Crop Over in Barbados, Day of the Dead festivities
in Mexico are some examples of this form of heritage tourism. Similarly, an essential part of living
culture is culinary heritage. The food combined with the method of preparation, associated rituals
and rites and esthetics are an important part of the intangible heritage product.
Heritage politicization has become a serious issue in many countries. Managers tend to use their
power to sideline the heritage of ethnic minorities or select those aspects of heritage which are
politically correct and most appealing to international travelers (Ivanovic, 2006). In an attempt to
make destinations seem more “authentic” and engaging, managers organize staged performances
particularly through retail and tourism development, compromise the core function of cultural
heritage attractions. Distilling and tailoring the cultural heritage for an audience is regrettable and
Creative tourism has risen in tandem with creative industries. This form of tourism involves the
active participation of tourists to create something either collectively or individually. This form of
tourism is being explored by destinations (such as rural areas) which may not have adequate
cultural heritage resources to compete with other destinations. The experience is led by guest-host
interaction. It is hands-on, fun and informal. A case study in New Zealand demonstrates that the
indigenous Maori culture could be taught and appreciated in this way. Visitors not only learn about
the culture from Maori tutors themselves but leave their destinations with hand crafted souvenirs
and lasting memories of their experience (Creative Tourism New Zealand, 2009).
The local community stands to benefit economically from tourism development, however, the
windfall effects can be significant. According to M. Smith (2009) “this form of tourism can easily
become a kind of cultural voyeurism in which the local indigenous population is reduced to little
more than a human zoo”. However, cultural tourism can assist the mandate of host countries to
Nature-Based Tourism
The fastest growing element of tourism is ‘nature-based’ tourism, involving excursions to national
parks and wilderness areas, to developing countries where a large portion of the world’s
biodiversity is concentrated (Olson et al, 2001; WWF, 2001; Christ et al, 2003) Though the reason
tourist travel are varied, one important reason for travel is to view natural wonders and experience
different features of nature for enjoyment. International trends in tourism indicate tremendous
growth in tourism concerned with wildlife, wildlife areas, scenic beauty based on natural areas and
so on (Collins and Tisdell 2002; Tisdell and Wilson 2012). Nature-based tourism and
environmental conservation are inextricably linked. This type of tourism has become popular in
environmentally sensitive areas where many forms of development are prohibited. However,
defining nature-based tourism should not be limited to activities surrounding nature conservation.
Forms of nature-based tourism are diverse and some types of tourism may not seem to utilize
nature at first glance actually make significant use of it. Take into consideration adventure tourism
which makes considerable use of the natural environment. Nature-based tourism may be based on
visits to natural objects (such as mountains, rivers, cliffs) or on the use of living things or a
combination of both; essentially the main focus is on the nature itself as the tourist attraction
(Tisdell and Wilson, 2012). The different types of nature-based tourism include: ecotourism,
Ecotourism
Ecotourism is three tiered. It combines sustainable development with conservation and education.
areas with the specific objective of studying, admiring, and enjoying the scenery and its wild plants
and animals, as well as any existing cultural manifestations (both past and present) found in these
areas". It is regarded as “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and
sustains the well-being of local people” (Blamey, 2005) and provides financial incentive and public
support in conservation efforts. Ecotourism has evolved in a sort of specialty travel which has
merged a plethora of activity types and such as scientific study, birdwatching, photography, diving,
bushwalking and regeneration of damaged ecosystems. Whereas ecotourism requires little built
physical activities such as trekking and cycling with environmental awareness (Swarbrooke,
growth, and other intrinsic values. This sets this form of tourism apart from just another industry
or activity in the natural environment; it is rather, intended to an experience that an individual or
group has that affects their attitudes, values and actions thereby preserving the natural environment
Wildlife Tourism
Wildlife tourism is ‘based on encounters with non-domesticated (non-human) animals ...in either
Wildlife tourism is based on three types of interactions: consumptive use (fishing), low-
consumptive (zoos and aquaria) and non-consumptive (photography and wildlife observation)
This is form of wildlife tourism included both consumptive and non-consumptive use of captive
wildlife species. Visitors are sold products made from farmed animals which are kept for
consumptive purposes. Furthermore, traditional zoos rely on captive wildlife though not all these
animals are taken from the wild; many are bred in captivity. This practice is typical for endangered
This involves the keeping of wildlife in relatively large open areas where the species are typically
used for consumptive purposes and in relatively open zoos where they are used for non-
consumptive purposes. The latter example is typical for wildlife orphanages and refugee facilities
which aim to reintroduce their animal species into the wild.
This is a form of wildlife tourism which utilizes species occurring in their natural or modified
Adventure Tourism
Adventure means different things to different people. There is little consensus on what is
“adventure” as one activity that is considered exciting to one individual may be boring to another.
Adventure products are a far more well-defined unifying aspect of this form of tourism. Adventure
tours are retail-level commercial tour products which clients purchase specifically to take part in
an outdoor activity which is more exciting than contemplative, and where the outdoor environment
is enjoyed as a setting for the activity rather than for it scenery, flora or fauna (Buckley, 2006)
Adventure tourism brings together travel, sport, and outdoor recreation. Mountains are particularly
attractive destinations as they offer a range of activity options in a setting steeped in actual and
symbolic representations of adventure. Mountains are wild, rugged places that attract bad weather
and contain dangers which make mountain recreation activities inherently risky. However, it is this
level of risk and potential of personal endangerment that creates excitement and sets adventure
Adventure tourism is considered serious leisure. Activities can vary in level of intensity depending
on the experience of tourists and the risks involved. Mountain-based adventure tourism has
extended the breath of traditional mountaineering. These include: climbing, walking, abseiling,
scrambling, off-road biking, conyoning, bungee jumping, paragliding and so on. The list of
activities is endless and is continually being lengthened with the addition of new forms of sports.
The global growth in tourism is well documented and today tourism is often described as the
world’s ‘largest’ industry (Managing Natural World Heritage, 2012). An ever increasing and
significant proportion of this industry is centered on nature and associated cultural heritage. At its
best tourism can provide an excellent opportunity to increase the understanding and appreciation
of natural and cultural heritage which is essentially a vision of the World Heritage Convention;
while at the same time providing long-term financial support to the site’s management team, local
communities and the tourism providers. Poorly managed tourism or excessive visitor numbers at
a site can pose serious threats to the outstanding universal value of the site as well as degrade the
quality of the experience that visitors have when they come to visit the site (Managing Natural
World Heritage, 2012). This points to the importance of devising a proper management framework
in order to avoid the possible negative consequences of developing a tourism product out of a
World Heritage Site inscription. Ringbeck (2008) asserts that once a site is inscribed on the World
Heritage List, it becomes increasingly important for that site to have an instrument for effective
management. The author went on to say that World Heritage sites undergo dynamic development
It is critically important to ensure that a proper management framework of the World Heritage Site
be set up so as to ensure that the different systems that will be operating within the gateway such
as educational, commerce, entertainment, research etc. as well as the systems that will be operating
within the World Heritage Site itself such as light accommodation, nature-based activities etc. all
function to forge a holistic, comprehensive and profitable world heritage tourism product.
Ringbeck (2008) says that management plans are the central planning instrument for the
protection, use, conservation and the successful development of World Heritage sites. Pedersen
(2002) shares similar opinions with Ringbeck (2008) stating that, “Goals and objectives give
direction to site management and set the agenda for defining the experiences that will be offered
to visitors, as well as for determining the limits of tourism development. Setting goals and
objectives is also the key to success for other programmes including interpretation, promotion and
carrying capacity assessment. Detailed management objectives are essential for setting monitoring
standards.” The management framework should consist of policy goals as well as management
objectives. Policy goals can be described as broad statements that set out a vision of how a site
will be managed on the basis of its unique characteristics such as environmental and social
conditions.
The policy statement can unite people with different viewpoints and give direction to public and
private tourism management (Pedersen, 2002). On the other hand, management objectives are
specific actions taken that build upon the stated policy goals. Pederson (2002) says that
management objectives set out in detail how a site will be managed. He went on to say that within
the framework of the general policy goals, the management objectives spell out desired conditions
that reflects what management wants to maintain and the experiences a visitor would ideally
encounter at a site. Management objectives should be subject to evaluation. This means that they
should be clear and specific, quantifiable, have time limits and be stated in clear language so that
they can be understood by all those responsible for their implementation. They should be the basis
for a standard by which to measure the performance of site management. Pederson (2002) cited
the example that at a historical monument, a policy goal may be to support local educational
activities, while a management objective could be to increase the number of local school children
Ensure that all activities permitted at the site are in harmony with nature and with
Educate visitors and the local community to enhance appreciation of the site’s
values and inspire considerate attitudes towards the natural and/or cultural
environment.
Provide infrastructure for visitor safety, the protection of the site’s natural
The above-mentioned policy goals are essentially the kind of management policy objectives that
should govern the operations both in the gateway as well as the site itself. A policy structure with
these goals will ensure optimum usage of the world heritage site and will ensure that the site is
protected and appreciated not only by visitors that come from abroad but by the local population.
Plans should be driven by management objectives and prescriptions that conserve and enhance the
values for which the property has been inscribed. However it should be noted that many, probably
most, World Heritage sites will have values in addition to those specifically mentioned in the
World Heritage nomination and the management plan needs to address the conservation of all
these values (Managing Natural World Heritage, 2012). It is important to note that management
plans take on many different formats and as such there is no template for an ideal management
plan for tourism in a world heritage site. The plan must be drafted by skilled professionals who are
aware of the specific and unique characteristics of the site in order to ensure that the outstanding
universal value of a property are preserved, preferably through participatory means. The major
challenge when developing tourism plans and policies is to respect as chief the conservation
objectives (both tangible and intangible) of the World Heritage Convention, while engaging with
tourism development that is sustainable and equitable (Managing Natural World Heritage, 2012).
The management policy framework must involve relevant government agencies, public and private
tourism sectors and civil society, including NGOs, visitors, the site’s management authority,
The key principle is to ensure that visitation to World Heritage site destination contributes to the
long-term sustainability of its heritage values and sense of place, while at the same time generate
cultural and socio-economic benefits that the local population and surrounding region can enjoy.
Managing Natural World Heritage (2012) says that providing explicit guidance on tourism
planning is difficult which makes it important to develop the capacity of World Heritage site staff
in tourism management so ideally the development of plans and policies should not be left solely
to external consultants while taking little input from site managers. Some basic elements to
consider when developing tourism policies and planning according to Managing Natural World
It is important for the managers of the site to determine how they will work with visitors, the
tourism industry in the country and other stakeholders to develop effective and sustainable tourism
activities that are sensitive to the Outstanding Universal Value of the site. Essentially this should
be the starting point for the creation of any tourism-related management plan for a World Heritage
site. Plans should further consider management capacity, stakeholder concerns, existing legislation
and integration with other policies in place at the property. This is to ensure that the management
framework for the World Heritage site region functions in harmony with what already exists so as
to ensure that there is cooperation among the different entities that make up the wider society.
There should also be consideration as to how the contribution of tourism will affect the sites
Zoning
This is a very important component of planning and management that when used appropriately
limits the spread and intensity of tourism impacts. This is critical because world heritage sites,
especially natural sites usually tend to have very delicate ecological systems that requires proper
management for them to be preserved. In order to limit the spread and intensity of tourism impacts
there needs to be a careful defining of quantitative standards which will specify the amount of
change that can be accommodated in the site. This type of zoning focuses on harmonizing those
places of greatest natural and cultural value with those places of greatest tourism demand in an
effort to satisfy both interests, that of preservation of the site as well as tourist interest. When
effective zoning systems are connected to appropriate management objectives and instructions it
can accommodate the demands for access, quality visitor experiences, the need to support
infrastructure development and the ambitions and activities of all the relevant stakeholders.
Community engagement in World Heritage tourism
Plans and policies should ensure that there is strong community engagement in tourism at World
Heritage sites in meaningful and beneficial tourism ventures. Plans and policies that are created
by management should respect local community use of the site; empower communities to take part
Site managers should invest in research, surveys and monitoring as this can help them to better
understand how tourists view and use the site. The various groups of visitors that visit the site
should be carefully observed so that managers can identify the types of tourism at the site; and
examine the tourists’ travel patterns, the activities and the attractions that they visit and this will
help them to better engineer a tourism plan for the area that is sustainable. If visitors are satisfied
and informed about the site and its importance they will be more willing to contribute income in
terms of paying for various types of visitor services and products. Equally they are more likely to
promote the site to their friends, family or acquaintances which in turn leads to greater prospects
It is important for World Heritage sites to be integrated into the wider country or regional
development plan for tourism. This is important because World Heritage inscription is a very big
accomplishment for any country and the opportunities in terms of economic and social
development are very great. A large portion of tourism promotion, visitor activity and economic
development associated with World Heritage sites usually occurs outside the boundaries of the
site, and is often outside of the direct influence of the World Heritage Site Managers it therefore
means that tourism development and visitor management requires the establishment of a strong
relationship with local authorities and tourism operators in order to influence development in the
Tourism plans should include monitoring and research and develop a list of indicators with
justifications for their selection and estimates of associated monitoring costs. Plans should be
careful to include details of how the site staff will be trained in standardized methods of collecting
data as well as determine how the stakeholder partners can play a part in monitoring and setting
Appropriate visitor facilities should be in place at the site prior to it being added to the World
Heritage List. Facilities should be regularly evaluated to ensure that they are meeting visitor needs
and delivering tourism objectives, e.g. showcasing OUV (Outstanding Universal Value) and
ensuring the delivery of benefits to the local population. Providing retail facilities can provide
sustainable sources of revenue for site management and local communities as well as create a
demand for locally produced goods, foods, arts and crafts. This will go a far way in ensuring that
the benefits of tourism in the region because of the World Heritage site trickles down to people
Ensure that tourism industry links with the site are appropriate
Regular open, two-way communications with tourism operators is the most important strategy for
ensuring the development of sustainable tourism. Steps that can help to build this relationship
include ensuring that site managers have a good understanding of the tourism market: how the
tourism industry is organized and the tourism industry’s vision and marketing of the site. This
means, for example, understanding how the National Tourism Office officials and tourism industry
Concessions
Concessions are permits, licenses or leases that regulate commercial activities, organized non-
profit activities and/or use of land and the building of structures on specific locations within a
World Heritage site or buffer zone. These activities should only be allowed if the conservation
values of the site are protected and the concessions are consistent with the site’s overall
Interpretation
Another requirement of tourism is the effective presentation of the site in its entirety in a manner
that properly explains its values, especially those pertaining to its special values that caused it to
be inscribed on the World Heritage Site listing. The above-mentioned guidelines for tourism policy
and planning for World Heritage Sites will help to ensure that a successful, sustainable
management framework is created to manage tourism in the World Heritage site region.
According to Jamaica: Master Plan for Sustainble Tourism Development (2002), many of the
towns located in Jamaica have the potential and capacity to become vibrant Heritage Tourism
destinations due to their distinct cultural and historical significance. The same sentiments can be
expressed about Papine being that it has its historical roots as being a town that was established
primarily for ex-slaves to sell their agricultural produce and today it sits at the foot hills of the Blue
and John Crow Mountains which has been declared a World Heritage Site. The Master Plan for
Sustainble Tourism Development: Jamaica, (2002) identifies a number of steps listed in the
product development phase for the creation of heritage tourism towns. These steps essentially
describes the management policy framework that would be necessary to manage tourism in the
heritage town region from the perspective of the government of Jamaica. A few of the steps as
The coordinating committees would, whenever possible be drawn from the Parish Development
Committee (PDC) to include representatives of the local parish council, JNHT (Jamaica National
Heritage Trust), tourism agencies, utilities, the private sector, ENGOs (Environmental Non-
Governmental Organization), CBOs (Community Based Organization). They would work through
the Resort Boards to develop project proposals and source funds. The involvement of these various
stakeholders on the coordinating committees allows a balanced mix of ideas from the different
interest groups.
Parish councils would be assisted by JNHT (Jamaica National Heritage Trust), the local Parish
Heritage Foundation and TPDCo (Tourism Product Development Company) to designate Heritage
The plan would include infrastructure, restoration, landscaping traffic and parking, pedestrian
ways, land use and signage, with specific projects identified. This development would improve the
Inclusion of representatives of the local Parish Heritage Foundation and a representative from, or
Setting development plan agendas with Parish Councils, either through engagement of specialist
consultants/in-house staff. These steps give a brief synopsis of the planning approach that would
be necessary to take if the town is to be properly developed into a heritage tourism town.
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