Local Stakeholders’ Perspectives of WHS Status: A Case Study

World Heritage Site (WHS) status is a strong brand with exceptional quality and an excellent reputation that attracts tourists to visit. This study applies and adapts the brand knowledge model to examine local stakeholders’ understanding of the WHS status as a brand (Keller, 1998). A case study approach was applied and a WHS in China was selected as the case. In total, 13 interviewees including local government employees, private business owners and residents, participated in the study. The study showed that the three local stakeholder groups were familiar with the WHS status and shared the importance of the WHS status as intended by the WHS program with tourists. However, local stakeholders emphasized the economic importance of the WHS status, and conservation was perceived as a tool to fulfill economic benefits. The results of this research suggested that the WHS status may not be a strong brand and challenges the standpoint of the WHS program

Cultural World Heritage Site Management - a Case Study of Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range

The research aims to examine (1) heritage management and conservation activities, (2) local communities and (3) tourism development in WHS Kii after its WHS listing. Primary data was collected though the visits to WHS Kii, observations of/ad hoc small interviews with stakeholders in the local communities, and in-depth interviews with key stakeholders. According to the findings, overall diverse positive changes are confirmed in relation to the above-mentioned three fields. After its WHS inscription, for instance, people’s awareness of conservation of WHS Kii has been raised and the actual level of conservation of the WHS has also been enhanced. People from outside WHS Kii as well as local people have been involved in the conservation of the WHS and tourism in the WHS. Local people have a higher level of pride in their living place thanks to its WHS designation. The number of overseas tourists has also increased after WHS listing

The impact of world heritage site designation on local communities - A case study of Ogimachi, Shirakawa-mura, Japan

The paper examines economic, socio-cultural, physical and attitudinal changes in/around World Heritage Site (WHS) Ogimachi since WHS designation from the local communities' standpoint and explores the background of these changes and views. Both positive and negative changes for local communities in/around WHS Ogimachi after WHS listing are identified. There are three main factors behind these changes: the extensive and rapid tourism development after WHS inscription; the high level of appeal of a WHS status for domestic tourists; and local people's attitudes towards conservation of the cultural environment and WHS status. In addition to its conservation plan, WHS Ogimachi must have a comprehensive tourism management plan for its successful future as a place to live, as a WHS and a tourist destination

Neuropsychological Phenotype in Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome

The Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) is a rare genetic disorder that causes a range of intellectual disability from mild to severe. In this study, we used standard tools to psychometrically characterize the specific neuropsychological phenotype of WHS. We studied 57 individuals with WHS, ranging in age from 2.6 to 28.6 years representing 70% of the certified Italian WHS population. Results obtained by administering Griffiths' Mental Developmental Scales and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale revealed a typical WHS neuropsychological phenotype characterized by specific strengths and weaknesses. Despite their severe cognitive impairment, in both scales, patients showed better communication and social interaction skills compared to visuo-motor abilities. Results of our study could bring to the development of new and more effective treatments for individuals affected by WHS: based on neuropsychological phenotype description, it should be possible to design specific rehabilitation programs. These programs would then be aimed at improving rehabilitation protocols to optimize the developmental potential and personal independence of individuals with WHS and thus to improve their quality of life

Mediterranean UNESCO World Heritage at risk from coastal flooding and erosion due to sea-level rise

UNESCO World Heritage sites (WHS) located in coastal areas are increasingly at risk from coastal hazards due to sea-level rise. In this study we assess Mediterranean cultural WHS at risk from coastal flooding and erosion under four sea-level rise scenarios until 2100. Based on the analysis of spatially explicit WHS data, we develop an index-based approach that allows for ranking WHS at risk from 15 both coastal hazards. Here we show that of 49 cultural WHS located in low-lying coastal areas of the Mediterranean, 37 are at risk from a 100-year flood and 42 from coastal erosion, already today. Until 2100, flood risk may increase by 50 % and erosion risk by 13 % across the region, with considerably higher increases at individual WHS. Our results provide a first-order assessment of where adaptation is most urgently needed and can support policymakers in steering local-scale research to devise suitable adaptation strategies for each WHS

Pigouvian pricing and stochastic evolutionary implementation

pricing;game theory

Negative externalities and evolutionary implementation

game theory;externalities

Evolutionary implementation and congestion pricing

game theory;pricing