Tourism: A mixed blessing to world heritage sites

Tourist hordes told to stay away from world heritage sites by the locals (guardian.co.uk): "From Easter Island to Venice, communities are up in arms at the environmental damage being caused by mass tourism."

The author describes some of the activities, concerns and reactions to possible restrictions to both Easter Island and the Galapagos archipelago, concluding "A rise in eco-holidays and sustainable travel operators may go a little way to addressing the balance but, as more and more tourism sites round the world face backpacker fatigue, some of the world's most famous wonders could increasingly be closed off to the public, accessible only through an image on a postcard."

Photo of a panga, a local means of transportation in the Galapagos, thanks to ClipArt.com. For more views, browse the Galapagos Islands Tour and Easter Island from Space Photo

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