Taking Steps to Preserve the Past
Heritage tourism is a multi-billion-dollar industry. For communities near major tourist sites, it can generate staggering amounts of money that can be reinvested in the community itself, paying for amenities and improvements. But being a famous tourism destination comes at a price. Hordes of tourists wear down footpaths. Every touch of a stone contributes to the erosion of a historic site. The debris, litter, and trash tourists generate can be a challenge for those trying to keep the site pristine. Increases in traffic, pollution, and the need for public services like police, firefighters, and medical services at historic sites can burden a community beyond their capabilities. Recently, the rise of social media and people’s desire to post the perfect picture or have a selfie to prove they were there has led to injury and death at some of the world’s most popular destinations.
