I’ve recently returned from a fascinating 10-day research trip to Cuba. I went there to write a case study for a project I’m involved in whose goal is to advise tourism planners about balancing the needs of historic preservation with those of tourism development. Our small team visited five out of Cuba’s nine World Heritage sites, focusing on the five that are cultural heritage sites in urban settings.

We came away realizing that there is a real need in Cuba to develop a comprehensive tourism management plan for cultural tourism. Having banned tourism after experiencing the negative consequences of prostitution and gambling during the period leading up to the revolution (the reaction to which, in fact, contributed to the success of the revolution), Cuba re-introduced tourism in 1993 following the collapse of the Soviet-led trading block, upon which its economy had become dependent. The plan began with beach tourism, developing the Varadero Beach area to meet international standards.

But it seemed to us that, thus far, Cuba has done little to develop the required infrastructure to promote cultural and natural heritage tourism. We started and finished in Havana, focusing on Old Havana. In between, our group of four researchers traveled in a van with a driver and guide to visit World Heritage sites in Cienfuegos, Trinidad, Camaguey, and Santiago de Cuba.

Cienfuegos’ old town features a cluster of historic buildings around a main square, established originally by French settlers from France and New Orleans, who successfully appealed to the Spanish crown for rights to establish the city. The architecture is a blend of French and Spanish, making for a unique heritage site. Nearby Trinidad is heavily influenced by Afro-Cuban heritage, with a look all its own; a delightful place to visit.

Camaguey is a large city, but the historic center is intriguing for its odd street patterns and five historic squares. Santiago de Cuba, the second largest city in Cuba and a cultural center, is a vibrant Caribbean city. We timed our visit to experience a portion of its annual Fiesta del Fuego, a five-day festival that celebrates Caribbean culture. Note on a map how close Santiago de Cuba is to Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and other diverse Caribbean cultures, and you’ll appreciate how culturally distinct it is from Havana.

Cuba contains rich cultural heritage, it has a strong appreciation for its heritage, and there are many layers of heritage protection. But much of the tangible heritage is threatened by a lack of effective preservation and restoration resources. Much restoration is underway (we saw many successes!) but the extent of its restoration needs far outpaces its available resources.

In addition, the US trade embargo creates unique circumstances for Cuban preservation and tourism management. When the embargo eventually ends, either through the gradual dismantling of its many legal layers, or suddenly, the world’s second largest outbound tourist source market (and close neighbor to Cuba) will dramatically change the game for both preservation and tourism. For Cuba to retain its unique character, this must be managed and planned for.

One hopes that Cuban tourism planners are sufficiently aware of a) the opportunity their cultural and natural heritage sites offer and b) the difficult challenges the country will face as it works to preserve them. American travelers and travel professionals would do well to consider history and current realities in the country as they plan for the eventual opening up of this great destination to the US travel market.

The International Cultural Tourism (ICTC) of ICOMOS just welcomed me to their ranks. ICOMOS is the International Council on Monuments and Sites, the official advisory body to UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre on matters pertaining to cultural heritage. The ICTC committee supports ICOMOS’ mission by supplying it with expertise on tourism to cultural heritage sites.

We combined our annual meeting with a few days of learning about the World Heritage site of the Douro Valley of Portugal while traveling through it. We met with local tourism and governmental development agencies, and at the end of our time provided our recommendations for sustainable tourism development in the region.

The annual meeting and all the informal meetings of the committee were excellent. This is a passionate group of experts, committed to heritage preservation who also understand the inevitability of tourism to heritage destinations and are engaged in the process of balancing the needs of the two. The committee is truly international. Many are heritage architects, others are government planners and regulators of heritage protection of buildings and sites. All are very talented and intelligent.

As a committee, we’re in the process of writing a handbook on communicating heritage to the tourism industry, commissioned by the UNWTO. I’m one of the many who is submitting content for the handbook, which will likely be published late this year.

The meeting’s setting in the Douro Valley was delightful. I was somewhat knowledgeable of it from my days of selling the riverboat experience there with INTRAV, and enjoyed seeing it in person for the first time. The landscape is wonderful; vineyards on steep slopes, heavily terraced, with very limited numbers of visitors. A great place to taste wine and the famous port wine of the region, and to walk and bicycle in a beautiful setting. It struck us all as Provence or Tuscany before discovery.

For the first time ever, the World Bank in Washington DC hosted the annual US/ICOMOS meeting– showcasing the importance of global preservation to our nation’s people and capitol.

Randy and I were honored to be asked to speak on the “Power of Travel,” a major message for economic development in emerging nations and for public/private partnerships  … a keynote of the three-day Conference.  Over 150 people attended; World Bank representatives from major areas came to “listen and learn” — all recognize Cultural Heritage is growing. It was fascinating– held in the huge board room with over 60% attendees from abroad.  Our nation even hosted the World Bank –IMF Chorus in the atrium lobby.

ICOMOS is the International Council on Monuments and Sites, an important advisory body to UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre for all World Heritage Sites.  (Its counterpart in natural heritage is IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature).

The US Chapter of ICOMOS, based in Washington, DC is considered one of the largest chapters; with representation from  major academia, archaeologists, politicians, preservationists, trusts and foundations, National Park Service, World Monuments Fund and  more. Tourism is recognized as a major contributor; and it is felt — visitation can increase preservation. We were impressed with the caliber of people and their dedication.

The new President of ICOMOS International is an American for the first time: Mr. Gustavo Aroaz, who participated at the event.  Prior to the “Power of Travel” initial speakers included Mr. Francesco Bandarin, newly appointed Assistant Director General for Culture at UNESCO and long-time Director of the World Heritage Centre; in UNESCO’s Paris headquarters.

The World Bank currently has 217 major projects in emerging nations, and for the first time over 50% of these are based on cultural heritage; and tied directly with heritage preservation, job opportunities and development and self esteem for local people in poorer areas.  We heard both positive and alarming case Studies from China, Southeast Asia, Africa, Iraq and Afghanistan and even major World Heritage Cities such as Venice, Guanajuato, Jerusalem and more.  One key message:  After the coveted World Heritage Inscription Status – it takes an average of 8 years to receive “net income” from the investment generally via tourism.  In many cases, direct involvement with public/private partnerships, professional site management and growing awareness, is a positive force for social change!   It was exciting to hear so many first-time reports.

US/ ICOMOS is a proactive organization focused on the innovative solutions and change. New partnerships are so potential with the travel industry and major funding banks of the World.

For more information and details on membership to this truly exceptional organization, please visit http://www.usicomos.org

UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre is embarking on a new approach to destination management.  Rather than managing each heritage site in isolation, they are now coordinating the planning for multiple sites within a given region to gain a holistic tourism management plan.  The goal is to ensure more balanced visitation patterns, better protection of sites,  and the opening of new and authentic, heritage-based activities.

I’ve just returned from the Quang Nam Province of Vietnam, where I was invited by the World Heritage Centre to join a workshop arranged to launch a year of planning for three key sites.  The project showcases this new and unique approach: Site managers at the neighboring World Heritage sites of Hoi An and My Son (both UNESCO 1999) and the biosphere region of the Cham Islands (1999) will update their management plans jointly and include ways to integrate the tourist experience among the three.  The provincial government and UNESCO endorse and support the approach. PATA is involved, bringing together experiences from public/private trusted sources.

It’s a fascinating concept, as the three sites are quite distinct.  The ancient town of Hoi An is heavily visited, included in tourism itineraries by many visitors as well as cruise and tour companies.   It’s a town that conjured for me Brugge and Rothenburg in Europe – exquisitely real, passed up by the Industrial Revolution, and full  of historic architecture.  My Son, an archaeological site quietly nestled between mountains, was the spiritual capital of the Cham Empire, a Hindu culture that was a centuries-long powerhouse in the region until overtaken by Vietnamese culture.  During the “American War” as it is known there, the North Vietnamese Army brought the fight to this otherwise peaceful enclave, compelling American forces to bomb it, seriously damaging much of it in 1969.  Still, there is much to see, and much to ponder (even here, the Vietnamese hosts manage to make American visitors shockingly at ease about the events of forty years ago).   Then there are the Cham Islands just off the coast, places of solitude, little human activity, no motor vehicles, and precious coral formations.

The UNESCO workshop was inspirational.  Many plans and new ideas for joint cooperation among the site managers and provincial authorities can support small-scale infrastructure development for new authentic attractions between Hoi An and My Son.  It is an excellent example of public/private partnerships and I expect to return twice this year as an advisor from the private sector of tourism.

One never forgets their first visit to Petra. The Nabatean Archaeological Wonder is located in Southern Jordan amidst vast deserts and is considered one of the iconic World Heritage Sites. It is a must-see on every travelers list to the Middle East.

I have been fortunate to see Petra over ten times – and each visit is awesome and unique-for the season and the environment are in constant change, with new discoveries still unfolding.

My first visits were in the 1990’s while setting up Tauck’s tours – taking in the sights on foot and by camel, and returning often in horse-drawn carriages. Not much change in that regard. What has changed, today, is the enormous barrage of foot and animal traffic now in Petra. Where once only a few hundred visitors walked in awe, today there are often over 3,000 visitors a day. The issue is getting worse.

The nearby city of Aqaba with its elegant resorts and cruise terminals has expansive developments that will soon be open in 2011 adding over 2,000 rooms and some 6,000 people and employees…as future day-trippers to Petra and Wadi Rum.

Petra is a World Heritage site with a carrying capacity of maximum 2,500 people. Surely the current situation is no model for Sustainable Tourism. Urgent action is needed.

In October 2009, the Jordanian Government assigned a new Chief Commissioner to oversee the Petra Regional Authority, a move that will vastly increase public-private partnerships and actions to protect Petra. We met with the Chief Commissioner and his Commissioner of the Environment and Local Communities, where we learned even more how tourism companies and travelers can help.

In addition, non-profits such as Petra National Trust have worked hard to protect the site with special project management. And USAID and its local Siyaha group are actively involved. We were pleased to be hosted by Dr. Joe Ruddy, Ibrahim Ostas and Ali Goussous of Siyaha. Robin Tauck & Partners in lending our active participation and support through a host of initiatives here that may well become models for the broader Middle East Region.

You’re going where? Isn’t that a terrorist country? Be careful. I was warned by many friends before heading out on my tenth trip to Jordan since 1998 and a first-time visit to Syria. The mission was to assess eye-to-eye what is happening in World Heritage Sites in the Middle East from one key country to another, where UNESCO is placing some priority, and reporting where tourism can help.

Being on the World Heritage List provides a country deserved recognition and is a beacon to tourism growth. It comes with a regulated stewardship responsibility. On behalf of UNESCO, we visited “active sites, sites on the “tentative” list and sites on the “endangered and denied” list. We talked with site managers; top seats of governments, trusts and foundations; tourist boards; tour guides; tourist police chiefs; hotel managers; European and Jordanian conservationists; Muslim citizens and Bedouins; many in communities of the Buffer Zones.

With local experts as hosts, we began to see clearly what actions have been taken, what works and what doesn’t, in the quest to “preserve, protect and open the World’s finest sites for the public.” Changes are coming. The social gains from tourism seem far greater than the preservation losses. Both are pressing issues of our time.

In Syria, where the new President is opening doors to the West, visitation is growing at 15-20% per year primarily due to the European market, bringing 400,000 visitors per year which will double soon and exceed 1 million Europeans by 2014. Syria is rated #5 in Top 10 tourism destinations by a recent British publication. Wonderful, unspoiled World Heritage Sites include Old City, Palmyra, Bosra, Crac des Chevaliers and Aleppo.

Tourism is the “oil of Jordan”, the #1 industry of the future, 11% of the GDP creating education and new-found growth. King Abdoullah and Queen Rania are vocal and active in the move towards both economic development, education and national preservation efforts, and the Parliament has moved rapidly to prioritize and strategize “tourism” for years to come. Several new World Heritage sites are undergoing inscription review.

American, European and other tourism leadership with global experience is needed and respected. Randy Durband and I were warmly welcomed. Exciting new plans are unfolding for 2010 and the future, recreating old routes and stories of the past; to an entirely new future. These are exciting times to become involved. For more information, see our website, www.robintauck.com for World Heritage.

In June 2009 in Sevilla Spain, I witnessed several days of testimony amongst delegations of 100 nations regarding the all-time high UNESCO World Heritage Endangered List. These are irreplaceable places of outstanding cultural and natural value. This poses a key question for the travel industry, can we help “reverse the irreversible?”

There are now 33 Endangered Places – extraordinary sites of “Outstanding Universal Value” – authentic, unique and special world treasures that are in real final jeopardy.

The UNESCO World Heritage Centre in Paris and its network of global reach to 187 nations is working feverishly with Advisory Bodies of IUCN, ICOMOS and more, to bring attention, advocacy and resource to the rescue.

The travel industry or its misguided growth did not create the Endangered List, yet as the 21st century beacon of global economic prosperity, we are uniquely positioned to help.

The 33 properties in danger belong to 25 diverse nations and include, the City of Jerusalem, the Galapagos Islands, the Barrier Reef of Belize, Egypt’s Abu Mena, Dresden and the beautiful Elbe Valley, to name but a few. Even America has a potential Endangered Site – the Waterton-Glacier National Park, now under IUCN and UNESCO protective missions.

Let us commend and work with the governments, delegations, conservationists of the international community and the UN Framework for their implementation strategies. Nations such as Spain, Ecuador, Israel, Egypt, Peru, China, Australia, the USA, Canada and others have stepped up, despite budgetary and other challenges. They are reaching out to major players in the tourism industry, the largest in the world.

There is a global plan. It is audacious, innovative and progressive. I urge members of the travel industry to become informed, become involved and lend support.

I hope we can resist turning away and supporting business as usual – as tempting as it may be, for those who believe it is too costly, too disruptive or too unclear to make new choices. There really is no other choice. Future generations depend on our actions now.