InfoAnda - Tourist boom puts Asia's treasures at risk

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

Analysis: Attack on Damascus fortress rocks Assad | | 19 July 2012
Washington cities clamp down on bikini baristas | 5 February 2010
German auction house pulls disputed painting | 22 November 2009

Iraqi politics shuns sectarianism as violence ebbs | 1 November 2009

Forum Views () Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : Tourist boom puts Asia's treasures at risk

Yahoo! My Yahoo! Mail More Yahoo! Services Account Options New User? Sign Up Sign In Help Yahoo! Search web search Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Weekend Edition World Tourist boom puts Asia's treasures at risk AFP - 2 hours 51 minutes ago Send IM Story Print Tourist boom puts Asia's treasures at risk SIEM REAP, Cambodia (AFP) - – The faded 'No Climbing' signs are no match for the tourists jostling to capture that perfect shot of the sun setting over the temple of Angkor Wat, Cambodia's most famous attraction. The view is stunning but the chaotic scene at Phnom Bakheng, also known as the sunset temple, is not exactly relaxing and it can be a struggle to even get a picture with no strangers in it. Visitors to Angkor National Park topped 1.15 million in 2010, up 25 percent on the year before. And at tourist spots across the region it's a similar story. As the world recovers from the financial crisis and infrastructure in developing countries improves, the number of people drawn to Asia's cultural and natural riches has exploded. While this brings in much-needed revenue, observers fear that the growth in tourism is putting unprecedented pressure on precious and often fragile World Heritage sites. At Angkor Wat, the most impressive of the park's many temples, tourists are largely free to wander around the 12th-century complex, ignoring one-way signs and clambering over fallen stones. Many lean against the ancient walls, while others trace delicate bas reliefs with their fingers. "You start to notice a little bit of wear and tear and you're not sure if it's from centuries of use or if it's from lots of tourists," said Rona Soranno, 36, from California, after completing a tour of the temple's inner courtyard. Her 33-year-old partner Marcus Welsh added: "On the one hand it's totally awesome that I am able to step on the stones and be close to so much history, but you have to wonder what it's going to look like years from now." According to the Global Heritage Fund, a US-based non-profit organisation that works to protect heritage sites in developing countries, "Angkor is highly endangered from this lack of control." "These ruins are 600-800 years old and need to be protected from tourism using standard routes, coverings, walkways and enforcement. This is not rocket science," said the group's executive director, Jeff Morgan. The Apsara Authority, which oversees Angkor's upkeep, says it has taken steps to minimise harm to the buildings by roping off the most fragile structures, employing more than 270 tourist guards and diverting people away from the most crowded sites. And twice a year the authority meets with UNESCO officials and foreign experts to "discuss protection efforts and challenges", said Ngeth Sothy, the group's vice-director of the Department of Angkor Tourist Development. Further east, the Great Wall of China, one of the world's most magnificent structures, sees some 10 million visitors a year. It too is feeling the strain from soaring tourism. Parts of the wall, which was built over centuries and stretches for more than 8,800 kilometres (5,500 miles), are covered in graffiti. People have also been known to camp and hold raves at the wall, often leaving behind litter. Most of what remains is in bad shape, according to William Lindesay, a Briton who has spent nearly a quarter-century working on wall conservation. "Only 550 kilometres are in very good condition -- that is, the wall has a structure, with towers still intact," he told AFP late last year. Measures have been taken to limit the damage and new regulations now forbid any construction within 500 metres of the site. But Lindesay says this is just not good enough. "It's a story of disappearing history," he said. "Once it's gone, it's gone." That it is possible to limit the damage to ancient sites while welcoming large numbers of visitors is proved in Indonesia, where some two million people flock to the ninth-century Buddhist temple Borobudur each year, according to the site's head of conservation Marsis Sutopo. "Tourists are not allowed to smoke in Borobudur temple. They are not allowed to wear hard sole shoes," Sutopo said of the strict measures at the complex. "We have a routine conservation. This year, we will clean the drainage on the bottom of the temple. Every two years we have to report to UNESCO about our effort," he said. As a result, the Global Heritage Fund believes Borobudur "is relatively stable". It is not just the region's oldest structures that have become victims of their own success. For years, the 17th-century Taj Mahal, India's white-marbled monument to love that attracts some three million tourists annually, was as much at risk from tourism as from pollution before steps were taken in the late 1990s to reduce the impact from vehicle traffic and nearby factories. The building underwent a major facelift in 2007 but conservationists say it can be fully protected only if the number of visitors is restricted. "Footfalls are indeed a major pressure on the monument and so access to the white platforms in the main mausoleum should be restricted through the levy of high entry fee," said prominent Agra conservationist Rajan Kishore. Asia's natural treasures are also struggling to keep up with an ever-growing number of visitors. Vietnam's Halong Bay with its striking limestone cliffs and emerald waters drew more than 2.3 million tourists in the first 10 months of last year -- up about 114 percent from the same period a year earlier. Many explore the area by boat and it is a constant struggle to keep them from throwing waste overboard, observers say. "Halong Bay is in big trouble from solid waste destroying the environment," said Morgan. Faced with a myriad of problems, the future might seem gloomy for some of Asia's best attractions but according to Morgan, "good management of heritage sites despite millions of visitors is possible". "The big question is when will we treat our heritage sites with the funding and respect they deserve?" Recommend Send IM Story Print Related Articles Arab uprisings raise hope, doubts among filmmakers AFP - 1 hour 26 minutes ago Mums & Babies Movie Time CinemaOnline - Tuesday, March 8 Rio's Carnival parades cap days of partying AFP - Tuesday, March 8 Charlie Sheen sacked from hit TV series AFP - Tuesday, March 8 US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary Reuters - Tuesday, March 8 News Search Top Stories Pakistan on brink of World Cup quarter-finals NASA scientists row over alien microbes Subway steams past McDonald's in store race Prince faces calls to quit trade role Oil shoots higher on Libya turmoil More Top Stories » ADVERTISEMENT Most Popular Most Viewed China richest man says work key to easing poverty Subway steams past McDonald's in store race Libya: live report Asia to be biggest aircraft market by 2029: Airbus Oil shoots higher on Libya turmoil More Most Viewed » More Most Recommended » Elsewhere on Yahoo! Financial news on Yahoo! Finance Stars and latest movies Best travel destinations More on Yahoo! News Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Weekend Edition Subscribe to our news feeds Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS » More news feeds | What are news feeds? Also on Yahoo! Answers Groups Mail Messenger Mobile Travel Finance Movies Sports Games » All Yahoo! Services Site Highlights Singapore Full Coverage Most Popular Entertainment Photos Yahoo! News Network Copyright © 2011 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved. Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Community | Intellectual Property Rights Policy | Help

Other News on Tuesday, 8 March 2011
France's ex-president Chirac on trial for corruption
UAE urges U.N. action to protect Libyans
Egypt arrests 47 officers for destroying documents
Berlusconi operated on his face for 2009 attack
New Egyptian govt sworn in
Merkel to run for third term: ally
Libyan rebels lose ground to Kadhafi loyalists
Kuwaiti protests on Tuesday aim to remove PM
Citi eyes three new Africa markets |
South Sudan militia clashes kill at least 56
US negotiating security deal with Afghans
Egypt's new PM sworn in, vows to rebuild economy |
Gates: US should stay involved in Afghanistan
Tunisia names new government, scraps secret police |
Netanyahu formulating new peace plan: source |
Egypt arrests 47 officers for destroying documents |
Mexican mayor fires young police chief in drug war |
China sees positive trend in ties with US
Microfinance struggles to restore its reputation
Hollywood steals the show in Rio's Carnival parades
Obama
Japan protests Chinese chopper that neared warship
Bangladesh delays ruling in Nobel laureate's case
China: Tibet won't fall apart if Dalai Lama dies
Plane makers eye booming China at Asia air show
Indonesia landslide slows access to Freeport mine
McCartney leads a very British day at Paris fashion week
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
Atrinsic says Kazaa users can stream music on phones |
Tribeca unveils competition films for 2011 festival
Charlie Sheen reaches two million Twitter followers
Wimbledon to serve up 3D broadcasting this year |
Giant Kadhafi wows huge crowds at German carnival
Bistro wins bragging rights to best egg mayo
Charlie Sheen reaches two million Twitter followers |
Rio's Carnival parades cap days of partying
Carnival seeks to rid Haiti of its ills
Bond star Craig in drag for Women's Day film
US-TECH Summary
Kadhafi using technology to beef up PR arsenal
Online magazine covering Africa launched
Charlie Sheen reaches two million Twitter followers |
Huff Post closes deal to join AOL
Bond star Craig in drag for Women's Day film |
Skype to introduce ads
Tribeca unveils competition films for 2011 festival |
Demi Lovato thanks fans during darkest time |
'Spectacular' cyber attack hits French government
French agree on low-income mobile call plan
Hitachi to sell HDD unit to Western Digital
Japan vending machines to charge electric cars
British group sets up suicide alert on Facebook
Iran has the most negative influence: BBC poll
British prince faces calls to quit trade role
Prince faces calls to quit trade role
Egypt's new PM sworn in, vows to rebuild economy
Pakistan on brink of World Cup quarter-finals
Bill Gates's philanthropy costs him richest-man title
Kadhafi slams West; US says too soon to arm rebels
Sharp wants to hike TV sales 10 percent in 2011/12
NASA scientists row over alien microbes
Poll shows 30 percent of young drivers text at the wheel
UK and France spearhead drive for Libya no-fly zone |
Subway steams past McDonald's in store race
YouTube buys US web television company
Oil shoots higher on Libya turmoil
US negotiating security deal with Afghans
US publisher to feature Egypt 'tweets' in book
State to control I. Coast cocoa purchases, exports: official
Google buys British price comparison site
Car-bomb kills 17 at Pakistani filling station |
Suspected Colombian rebels kidnap 23 local oil workers |
Android tops BlackBerry in US: comScore
Japan ruling party MP calls on PM to quit soon: report |
Google Maps now helps users beat traffic jams
China says lessons to learn in Xinjiang from Mideast unrest |
Google purges tainted apps from Android phones
US Defence Secretary visits key Afghan battleground
23 oil workers kidnapped in Colombia
Models strut in rare West Bank fashion show
US-style yoga upsets balance at Indian festival
Arab uprisings raise hope, doubts among filmmakers
For Grameen Bank tussle, Noble laureate Yunus blames political greed
Gender equality on farms could cut world hunger: UN
Stocks sink as oil price surges
Taylor Swift kicks off European tour
Tourist boom puts Asia's treasures at risk
Supreme Court limits U.S. Navy’s right to withhold public information
Sharp wants to hike TV sales 10 percent in 2011/12 |
Rio's Carnival parades cap days of partying
Adam Lambert returns to "American Idol" for acoustic performance
Charlie Sheen sacked from hit TV series
NTSB: Tugboat mate on phone during fatal crash with duck boat
Lockheed Martin employees return to work after union vote
Seoul shares gain 0.8 pct but tech issues lag
Charlie Sheen's lawyer promises to sue
Natural Gas Drilling Debate Heats Up
Poll shows 30 percent of young drivers text at the wheel |
Larry King hosting Peabody Awards in May
'Presumed Guilty' pulled from Mexican theaters
Bank of Korea under pressure to tighten this week
Discovery crew wakes to Capt. Kirk, then departs ISS on final voyage
Korea Hot Stocks-LG Uplus shares surge on bargain-hunting
Opera opens mobile software store with Appia |
Pakistan
Bill Gates's philanthropy costs him richest-man title |
Seoul shares gain 0.8 pct but tech issues lag
NZ housing market improves in Feb; quake impact seen lasting -QV
Taiwan's UMC Feb sales rise 4.3 percent on year |
S.Korea bond traders see rate rise this week-survey
NZ 91-day T-bills yield 2.67 pct at tender
Seoul shares open up;Samsung Elec, shipyards bounce
Toyota's global sales of hybrid cars top 3 million
Charlie Sheen fired; studio fears life in danger |
Sarah Palin and Kathy Griffin trade jabs over TV |
Bond star Craig in drag for Women's Day film |
Charlie Sheen's lawyer promises to sue |
Libya: live report
Man held in Scotland over Stockholm bombing: police
Palestinians dismiss talk of interim peace plan
French court suspends Chirac graft trial
Iran's Rafsanjani loses a key regime post
Taiwan's UMC Feb sales rise 4.3 percent on year
Bangladesh's Yunus to appeal sacking: lawyer
Darfur to be cut into smaller states; rebel protest
Afghan leader steps up criticism during Gates trip |
Boeing wins hefty plane deals in China
Boeing announces 38 plane deal with HK Airlines
Iran's Rafsanjani ousted as head of state body |
Kuwait protesters want PM to go, hand out melons
Obama to lift freeze on new Guantanamo trials
Iran's Rafsanjani ousted as head of state body
Yemen protests hit Saleh fiefdom, military in Sanaa |
On 100th Women's Day, EU hails north Africa, E.Timor
US group fights ban on Israel 'war crime' bus ads
Bangladesh court upholds removing Yunus as bank head |
Private contractors at record in Afghan war: report
East-West military gap rapidly shrinking: report |
Sudan police arrest women in rape protest: witnesses |
French court postpones trial of ex-president Chirac |
Kenyans swap carbon roles to save forest
Vietnam rescue effort for revered turtle
Rape victims denied justice in Pakistan
Globetrotters: not your average basketball cases
Pakistani rupee gains vs dollar, stocks end lower
Lights go out in Seoul amid energy crunch
Nearly third of young texted while driving: poll |
Nokia starts talks with Finnish staff over revamp |
Wireless expert Parrot eyeing bolt-on takeovers |
China blogger angered over losing Facebook account
Japan Terumo to buy US medical firm for $2.6B
Chinese airlines buy 43 Boeing jets at HK air show
Taiwan allows advanced LCD plants in China
Security high as Prince William and Kate in Belfast |
Bomb kills 20 at Pakistan gas station, many hurt
Pakistan court may indict CIA contractor for murder
S. Korea's state secrets believed leaked to Chinese mistress
Govt to launch Miss Coffee Indonesia contest
Surging oil prices may cost Indonesia $1.6b
FEATURE: When home is a battleground
EDITORIAL: 'Good-bye Pyongyang'
Thai Airways crew fights weight-loss directive
Thai appeals court dismisses Thaksin's ex-wife's case
Suicide takes its toll on Thai police force
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph		BlogMeter 1.01