The "International Meeting: Towards a paradigm shift in cultural heritage tourism / The transformational potential of the ICOMOS International Charter for Cultural Heritage Tourism 2022" was held at the Palacio de Carlos V of the Alhambra in Granada, Spain from December 11-13, 2024. It was organized by the Council of the Alhambra and Generalife, ICOMOS and ICOMOS ICTC.
The objective of the international meeting was to discuss the transformative potential of the ICOMOS International Charter for Cultural Heritage Tourism (2022) and how its application can contribute to the protection of cultural heritage and the resilience of communities through responsible and sustainable tourism management. The participants, experts from the most relevant international organizations in the field, reflected on the seven principles of the Charter, highlighting new concepts for improving practice. The main study case was the Alhambra and Generalife itself, which has over a century of experience in visitor management but like most other protected heritage sites is facing new challenges. Researchers, organizations, institutions, associations and agents of the heritage and tourism sectors were invited to attend this meeting and participate in the debates and working groups that hope to shape the future application of the charter and realize its transformative potential.
The topics and speakers for Day 1 were —
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| Keynote: The future of heritage tourism: The need for a paradigm shift / Peter DeBrine, Senior Project Officer, UNESCO World Heritage Center |
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| 50 years of implementation of the World Heritage Convention in Spain / Laura de Miguel, UNESCO Conventions Area, General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Fine Arts, Ministry of Culture of Spain |
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| The public visitation in the Alhambra and Generalife 1907-2024: Effects on the management and protection over the centuries and current trends / Pedro Salmerón Escobar, Doctor Arquitecto and co-author of the Plan Director de la Alhambra y el Generalife 2007-2020. |
The topics and speakers for Day 2 were —
Session 1: ICOMOS International Charter for Cultural Heritage Tourism 2022: Principles and Transformative Potential
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| Keynote: The new Director Plan of the Alhambra and Generalife: Challenges and opportunities / Rodrigo Ruiz-Jiménez Carrera, Director General, Council of the Alhambra and Generalife, and Antonio Peral López, Chief, Conservation and Protection Service, Council of the Alhambra and Generalife |
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| The role of ICOMOS in international recommendations on cultural tourism 1969-2024 / Fergus Maclaren, President, ICOMOS ICTC, Principal at MAC-DUFF Tourism Heritage Planning |
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| The ICOMOS International Charter for Cultural Heritage Tourism 2022: Objectives, principles, and new concepts / Celia Martínez Yáñez, Full Professor at the University of Granada, ICOMOS Board member, Vice President ICOMOS ICTC |
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| Application of the Charter in government policies protecting UNESCO-designated sites / Ivan Anthony Henares, PhD, Secretary-General of the UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines and Commissioner, National Commission for Culture and the Arts |
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| Operationalising the ICOMOS International Charter for Cultural Heritage Tourism 2022 / Cecilie Smith-Christensen, Founder of World Heritage Catalysis, ICOMOS ICTC Bureau Member, Expert Advisor to UNESCO World Heritage Sustainable Tourism Programme |
Session 2: Reinforcing cultural heritage protection and community resilience through responsible and sustainable tourism management
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| Keynote: The rights of tourism: whose rights and how to balance them / Igor Stefanovic, Technical Coordinator of Ethics, Culture and Social Responsibility at UN Tourism |
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| Tourism planning and carrying capacity: Is it possible to avoid overtourism? (Charter principles 1, 2, and 5) / Tomeu Deya, Vice President, ICOMOS ICTC |
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| Sensitive interpretation and presentation of cultural heritage: The power of narratives (Charter principle 3) / Sofía Fonseca, Founder and Director of Teiduma, Consultancy on Heritage and Culture, ICOMOS ICTC Bureau member |
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| Empowering communities: Participatory governance and resilience in cultural tourism (Charter principles 4 and 6) / Ananya Bhattacharya, Co-Founder and Director of Banglanatak dot com, Vice President ICOMOS ICTC |
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| Inclusion, capacity development, and conflict resolution as part of tourism governance / Alicia Castillo, Full Professor, Co-director of the Cultural Heritage Management Research Group and Director of Publications at the Complutense University of Madrid |
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| Application of the Charter in the Special Area Plan of Melaka World Heritage Site / Faisal Abd Rahman, President, ICOMOS Malaysia, and Juwairiyah Ho Abdullah, Honorary Secretary, Malaysian Institute of Planners |
The topics and speakers for Day 3 were —
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| Keynote: Tourism, heritage and climate action (Charter principle 7) / Fergus Maclaren, President ICOMOS ICTC, Principal at MAC-DUFF Tourism Heritage Planning |
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| The Charter as an opportunity for collaboration between organisations (ICOM - ICOMOS) / Dora Llamas, President of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) Spain |
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| Strategic vs transformative visitor management: Application of UNESCO’s Visitor Management Assessment and Strategy Tool (VMAST) / Cecilie Smith-Christensen, Founder of World Heritage Catalysis, ICOMOS ICTC Bureau Member, Expert Advisor to the UNESCO World Heritage Sustainable Tourism Programme |
Panel: Communications on the opportunities of the Charter application by the professionals, actors and projects on cultural heritage and tourism
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| Bridging cultures through tourism: Life Beyond Tourism practices in the context of the ICOMOS International Charter for Cultural Heritage Tourism 2022 / Simone Giometti, Secretary General, Fondazione Romualdo del Bianco (Firenze) |
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| Connecting the ICOMOS International Charter for Cultural Heritage Tourism with new approaches to social sustainability and values in World Heritage Sites / Celia López Bravo, Department of Urban and Territorial Planning of the University of Seville |
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| The routes of Santiago de Compostela: the tourism management of a living cultural route designated by UNESCO and the Council of Europe / Francisco Singul, Head of the Jacobean Culture Area of the Galician Tourism Agency, Xunta de Galicia |
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| Historic centres, cultural landscape and identity: Málaga beyond overtourism / Lourdes Royo, Full Professor, Department of Architectural History, Theory and Composition of the ETSA of Seville |
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| ICOMOS Italy activities to prevent overtourism impacts through the application of the ICOMOS International Charter for Cultural Heritage Tourism / Paolo Motta, Representante de ICOMOS Italia en el Comité de Turismo Cultural de ICOMOS |
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| Living Heritage: Respect, Enhance, Accept and Partnership. Invitation to the ICOMOS General Assembly 2026 in Kuching, Malaysia / Elisabeth Cardosa & Faisal Abd Rahman, ICOMOS Malaysia & ICOMOS ICTC |
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