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World Heritage sites are irreplaceable tourist destinations. These protected areas face many challenges and issues, which impact on their Organizational Behaviour (OB) and sustainability. World Heritage status holds considerable promise for economic and social growth, sustainability and development. To this effect UNESCO’S World Heritage Convention ensures that heritage sites around the world are recognized and protected and encourages participatory management. However, many organizational factors may negatively influence sustainability, for example the management or decisions-making style and fragmentation or miscommunication between stakeholders. World Heritage Sites are organizational groupings of stakeholders working together to achieve goals. OB views organizations as open systems with interrelated parts, interacting with the environment and influenced by organizational design, dynamics and stakeholder relationships. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the strategic level of OB of selected World Heritage sites in South Africa, namely the iSimangaliso Wetland Park and the Cradle of Humankind, in order to develop a Strategic Organizational Behaviour Framework to facilitate effective management and sustainability. An exploratory qualitative research approach provided rich descriptive data. The empirical phase involved non-probability sampling and data collection focusing on in-depth interviews with key stakeholders. The findings indicate that the manner in which World Heritage sites are managed influence the organizational culture, communication and the stakeholder relationships. There is a perceived discrepancy between ‘ideal’ OB and the actual experiences of the stakeholders. Issues of strategic concern were the organizational design and structure, in both cases found to exclude key stakeholders; the management style and behaviour, found to be mainly dictatorial and exclusive; and the organizational culture and communication, influenced by the particular management of the sites and experienced as closed and non-participatory. The relationships between strategic stakeholders were found to be flawed, resulting in the sustainability of these sites being questioned. The Strategic OB Framework developed here, is based on OB and Open Systems Theory principles and illustrates the interdependency and influence of the different strategic OB dimensions. Management must understand that positive organizational design, dynamics and relationships will lead to more effective management and sustainability. This Strategic OB Framework can inform management and contribute significantly to sustain the effective management and the continued success of World Heritage sites in South Africa. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Human Resource Management / unrestricted

This research examines historic preservation, sustainability, and environmental hazards in the face of climate change in reference to World Heritage Sites; particularly focusing on the question: Can UNESCO World Heritage Sites be conserved and protected in the face of climate change and environmental hazards? There are 1,121 World Heritage Sites listed by UNESCO and are categorized as cultural, natural, or a mix of both. The majority of these sites are at risk from different environmental hazards that could threaten their existence or long-term survival; however, policy initiatives can mitigate some of these impacts. It was discovered that every continental region, with the exception of Oceania, had a site considered to be the most vulnerable. There were 27 sites deemed most vulnerable, only 2.4% of the World Heritage Sites. Most of these sites were located along the Pacific Coasts of Asia, and both North and South America. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2020. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

ABSTRACT UNESCO’s World Heritage Convention of 1972 has set the standard for the evaluation, preservation and conservation of World Heritage Sites (WHS) globally. The role and function of UNESCO in the cultural heritage sector in Africa, in particular cannot be denied. However, the World Heritage Convention (WHC) site management requirements for African States that are parties to the Convention, presents challenges in terms of implementation. This is due in most cases, to lack of infrastructure, deficient national policy structures, poor legislation, bad management and poor implementation. This is particularly the case in developing countries where governments are grappling with socio-economic and political challenges. Questions are raised about who has the right to define heritage, and what kinds of parameters are used to measure World Heritage of ‘‘universal’’ value. Is it appropriate for UNESCO to recommend a set of standards that have become a lens through which global cultural heritage policy is viewed and measured? What then are the implications for African sites for being listed as World Heritage, and what are their chances of competing in the global cultural arena based on the challenges mentioned above? This research report, through a study of the Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape in the Limpopo Province of South Africa, attempts to grapple with aspects of the questions raised above, and seeks to illustrate the challenges of managing a World Heritage Site. It highlights the gaps between WHC requirements, national cultural policy legislation, infrastructural and human resource incapacity, and implementation by the management at the Mapungubwe World Heritage Site

Archaeotourism (also called archaeological tourism) is one of the oldest tourism niches people have visited archaeological sites for centuries. A question that arises is whether less well-known archaeological sites have potential as archaeotourism destinations. Therefore, the main aim of this study is to determine whether Wonderboom Nature Reserve in South Africa has potential as an archaeotourism destination. To determine the potential of the Reserve as such a destination, the attractions of seven archaeotourism sites are discussed four World Heritage Sites and three less well-known archaeological sites based on a literature study. These sites are popular because they offer tourists interesting events and edutainment. Some contribute to nationhood and identity, and have aesthetic value and/or religious meaning. Some have personal significance, and offer mystery, nostalgia or adventure. In some cases, Google Street View is available. In respect of Wonderboom Nature Reserve, a sample of 35 visitors to the Reserve were interviewed in 2015 to gauge their perceptions of the site, using semi-structured interviews. Based on the findings of the literature study and the results of the interviews, the study concludes that Wonderboom Nature Reserve does have potential to be an archaeotourism destination. This conclusion is based on the reasons for which people visit World Heritage and less well-known archaeological sites. For Wonderboom Nature Reserve, it is clear that people visit the site for the Day of the Vow event, and for the four main attractions (Fort Wonderboompoort, the Wonderboom tree, the waterfall, and caves). Some come for nostalgic reasons, others for the various activities the Reserve offers, such as hiking. It is also a sacred site for the Southern Ndebele. Some visitors claimed that they wanted to search for the fabled Kruger millions on the site. The Reserve's rich historical and archaeological resources are also an attraction. However, for Wonderboom Nature Reserve to reach its full potential, this study concludes with a few recommendations, namely better maintenance and proper promotion of the site. Route markings need to be improved. This study is important because scholars often ignore less well-known archaeological sites and their potential contribution towards tourism. / Archaeotourism / Dissertation (MHCS)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Historical and Heritage Studies / MHCS / Unrestricted

In this thesis I examine three cities that have been nominated as world heritage sites by UNESCO, and how these cities are understood and mediated by visitors. One of the research questions was also to see how these places has been affected by the nomination. I have visited Visby, Dubrovnik and Toruń to do this research. I wanted to find out why so many people choose to visit these places and how much the world heritage nomination was part of the decision to visit. This is done by examining how these cities are mediated by travel literature, tourist information in the form of brochures and other information, as well as interviews. These interviews were conducted both with tourists at these sites, but also with people that work with tourism or cultural heritage in some form. The method used besides interviews has been thick description as it is formulated by Clifford Geertz to describe and make sense of these places and to see how you would experience these places as a tourist. The researchers that has figured as a theoretical background include John Urry and Andrew Walsh. Urry describes how the tourist uses different gazes to see the world in different ways, and Walsh describes how a place that seems to be irreplaceable might in fact not be so irreplaceable, which applies on the examined places in this thesis. Josefina Syssner and Karim van Knippenberg together with Linde Egberts lays a groundwork for the understanding of different sorts of tourists, and what tools can be used is place marketing of these cities. In agreement with previous research I conclude that the primary attraction of these sites for the tourists is not their status as world heritage sites, and the reason that these sites are troubled with mass tourism lies elsewhere. The place itself is replaceable for the majority of the tourists, but not for the material heritage. A better dialogue is needed between the tourism and heritage sector, as well as local residents and politicians, to be able to counteract the negative effects of mass tourism, that is shown to wear on the material culture. The mediation needs to include a more widespread picture of the complex issues that concerns these heritage sites. In todays globalized and mobile world, the idea of world heritage sites becomes problematic, as this work has shown. This thesis is a two years master’s thesis in Museum and cultural heritage.

This thesis deals with a specific group of historical sites called World Heritage, which are registered on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It characterizes the basic elements of the UNESCO World Heritage idea as a cultural and social process, which engages in acts of remembering that work to create ways to understand, present and interpret the past within the present social frameworks. The thesis brings to the attention a range of viewpoints about the nature of heritage in general and the UNESCO World Heritage in specific that have emerged in the relatively new area of academic interdisciplinary heritage studies. For the purposes of exploring different aspects of the World Heritage phenomenon, following themes of heritage discourse have been developed: remembering and making public use of the past, the UNESCO approach and the ways of presenting and interpreting the past. In order to give a sense of what World Heritage looks like on the ground this thesis details some aspects of three different World Heritage sites. To study such matters in the physical world a strategy of undertaking case studies of three specific UNESCO sites and employing the methods of direct observation and a fieldwork were chosen. Closer examinations of the Czech medieval town of Kutná Hora, the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park...

Tourism is one of the largest industries in the world. Since the 1980s the role of tourism as a means of achieving the objectives of economic development has received prominence within the sustainable development paradigm. This dissertation examines the role of international tourism in achieving the objectives of economic development in terms of its impact on key social and economic variables, such as the balance of payments, inflation, employment and the social fabric of host communities. It also examines the constraints facing international tourism, such as the effect of perceptions on tourism flows and the powerful position of multinationals in influencing the tourist decision-making process. The success of the international tourism industry in selected countries is assessed and the relative position of the South African tourist offering is highlighted in an attempt to draw lessons for the future development of the industry in South Africa. / Economics / M. A. (Economics)

Studies have shown that world heritage sites are regarded as environmental education (EE) resources. However, environmental activities are not integrated with the National Curriculum Statement (NCS) because the heritage educator and guides are not trained in EE, the heritage educator do not liaise with the Department of Education (DoE) especially the curriculum implementation unit and World Heritage Youth Forum. The purpose of this study is to establish the role that world heritage sites can play to provide adequate access to appropriate EE resources since this is a problem that hampers successful implementation of EE. The study gathered data through observation, document analysis, interviews and questionnaire. The data analysis was based on an inductive process that builds concepts. The study recommends training of heritage educator and guide in EE, heritage educator to liaise with Department of Education especially the curriculum implementation unit and the World Heritage Youth Forum to ensure effective implementation of environmental activities at the site. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Environmental Education)

This three-year PhD study looks at heritage performance in impact assessment (IA) practices, analysing the urban planning context and management experiences of selected urban World Heritage (WH) sites in the UK. The research develops recommendations for assessing the impact of plans, programmes and projects on heritage values in culturally significant urban areas with the emphasis on Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of large-scale projects in an urban environment. The research analyses theoretical and empirical approaches to heritage management, investigates methodologies for heritage IA and explores opportunities for and barriers to improved heritage IA in the context of current UK policy. In particular, the research contributes with the conceptual framework of identification, interpretation and management of the cultural heritage in the urban planning system. The review of academic and other relevant literature helped to develop the conceptual framework. The data was collected by means of desk-based documents analysis, case studies, focus-group seminars and an on-line Questionnaire with the experts in the heritage and IA fields. The world’s most well-known and arguably most protected sites with officially identified Outstanding Universal Value – WH sites – provide general lessons for the heritage management and IA of new developments and infrastructure projects. The management of UK WH sites could be said to have the features of what is known as a values-based approach to conservation. This approach emphasises the identification of cultural heritage significance with the early participation of different stakeholders in the planning process; the latter has a scope for improvement in the UK context. Research on the boundaries of the heritage and IA fields leads to an improved understanding of cultural heritage and provides a framework for the IA process. The developed framework and the criteria for an enabling environment could be useful for achieving agreement between the different stakeholders, and could allow a smoother planning decision-making process, leading in turn to a reduced need for monitoring from international bodies. The results are useful for planners and developers in the context of western practice, and could also be relevant to the development of international guidelines.