The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has teamed up with TripAdvisor, the largest global online travel community, to mobilize support to preserve natural and cultural sites inscribed on its World Heritage List.
“Because of TripAdvisor’s excellent reach to their member community, we can, together, raise awareness of World Heritage as well as receive member feedback about sites,” said Francesco Bandarin, Director of UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre.
“This certainly helps us flag site issues and provides useful information on how World Heritage travellers engage with the sites and their communities. We are looking forward to partnering with TripAdvisor on this initiative,” he added in a news release announcing the two-year initiative.
TripAdvisor founder and Chief Executive Officer Stephen Kaufer pledged to donate up to $1.5 million over the next two years to help UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre monitor the conservation of the 890 natural and cultural sites inscribed on the World Heritage List.
The Centre also provides technical and administrative support for States that have ratified the 1972 World Heritage Convention, enabling them to translate its provisions into action.
“We’re calling on the world’s largest travel community to help preserve the places around the world that we all love,” said Mr. Kaufer.
“In support of UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre, we will give not only dollars but also the collective wisdom and support of TripAdvisor’s millions of travellers, and their trusted insights. We’re eager to build global awareness about World Heritage sites, and about sustainable and responsible travel.”
More than 25 million online visitors use its TripAdvisor’s websites every month to find and share travel information.---www.un.org