A survey conducted by National Geographic Traveler magazine has revealed that only those sites can sustain their charm where the local community had ensured their participation in preserving priceless landmarks. Jonathan Tourtellot, geotourism editor of National Geographic Traveler magazine, had led the survey for nearly hundred officially designated UN World Heritage sites with the help of 400 tourism experts.
In order to, preserve natural and cultural treasures UN started the naming of heritage sites in 1973. But over the years lots of sites were unable to maintain their unique character, Tourtellot said. Shortage of funding, excessive traffic of tourists and political conflicts resulted in tarnishing the beauty of these sites. However, some places have very heavy tourist traffic and still score well-like the Alhambra, Spain, he added.
The best rated landmarks
1. West Fjords, Norway
2 (tie). Vezelay, France
3 (tie). The Alhambra and Medieval Granada,Spain
4. Te Wahipounamu, New Zealand
5. Guanajuato, Mexico
The worst ratedlandmark
1Potala Palace, Lhasa, Tibet, China
2Venice and Its Lagoon, Italy
3Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
4Portobelo-San Lorenzo Forts, Panama
5Kathmandu Valley, Nepal
Via: National Geographic
