By Dr Michelina Andreucci

TOURISM is becoming one of the most attractive economic sectors in many countries in the world.
However, in these times of globalisation, the challenge of preserving the few remaining cultural heritage sites worldwide are becoming increasingly challenging.
The realisation of economic advancement with minimal negative impacts in indigenous culturally-based areas is an essential objective for any authority.
For any particular generation, cultural values extend across international borders simply because the cultural elements of those countries are equally valued by people outside (the country) as much as those within.
This is acknowledged by the International Agreement, to which Zimbabwe is a signatory, and has been heightened by the phenomenon of international cultural tourism which has steadily grown from its modest beginnings to the current huge volumes, which can be associated with air travel.
Accordingly, the protection of natural and/or cultural heritage sites carries with it the need to protect and conserve those natural environments from deterioration directly or indirectly, associated with this increase in tourism, by sound management and maintenance (rather than expansion) programmes and controlling environmental pollution and destruction; be it noise, air, land or other human pollution.
Due to increasing global concern for cultural heritage, countries that have such heritage sites which are internationally valued, ought to seek international co-operation between government and non-governmental organisations like the United Nations Educational and Scientific Organisation (UNESCO), for international accord on its protection.
Such accord, however, should bear in mind and reflect the reality that legal and institutional apparatus in each country is varied and sovereign.
UNESCO is playing its vital role for the preservation of important natural environments throughout the world through the bestowment of ‘World Heritage Site’ status on them, thereby hoping to ensure any new developments within the sites conforms to universally accepted codes, otherwise, as we have witnessed in many destinations around the world, the environments indiscriminately become ‘concrete jungles’ for tourists, at the expense of natural eco-systems and eventually deprive future generations of such privilege.
As of 2012 ‘World Heritage Sites’ throughout the world covered an estimated area of 259 900 536 hectares; with Africa holding nine percent of this area.
Italy has been blessed with the highest number of heritage sites in the world, totalling 47 such sites.
Only 33 countries in the world have no sites at all.
Zimbabwe, for a country of its size, has five sites – Victoria Falls, Great Zimbabwe, Khame Ruins, Mana Pools and Matobo Hills.
The 3 100km2 Matobo Hills site is regarded by some as the seat of God and of ancestral spirits.
The intangible heritage associated with the shrines is one of the most powerful living cultural traditions in Southern Africa and attracts pilgrims from all over the region.
Its intrinsic value stems from the cultural beliefs of the people, who over many millennia have been inspired and influenced by its rock formations and associated features as well as particular species of fauna and flora.
While international laws, to which we have appended our signatures, prohibit unsanctioned recreational activities in protected areas from a Western point of view, from our African point of view, most protected species are considered sacred animals and are integrated into cultural belief systems.
In the African indigenous oral constitution (which pre-dates the 10 Commandments’ thou shall not kill); animals were only killed for food and sustenance — not for pleasure.
This knowledge is so common that it is even sung by many local pop musicians.
The International Cultural Tourism Committee (ICOMOS) has devised a Heritage Cycle diagram to help understand and gives us an idea how we can make the past part of our future, and so on.
In a clockwise direction the wedges and arrows read as follows:
l By understanding (cultural heritage) people value it.
l By valuing it, people want to care for it.
l By caring for it, it will help people enjoy it.
l From enjoying it, comes a thirst to understand.
l By understanding it, people will value it.
While protection and management programmes are severely constrained by budget and staffing limitations, tourism revenues do not appear to be retained and re-invested for the purposes of conservation and preservation.
Implementation of protection measures are said to be weak and haphazard with poor co-ordination between agencies and the Zambian and Zimbabwean tourism authorities. 
Mosi-oa-Tunya’s (Victoria Falls) raw natural power, its wilderness, ecological qualities and aesthetic value, makes it one of Africa’s greatest natural spectacles that already receives large numbers of visitors from around the world. 
It has been a ‘tourist hot spot’ since 1905.
Effective regulation and control of tourism development pressures, especially the development of physical infrastructure, is the utmost challenge. 
Growth and expansion should be carefully measured.
UNESCO has considered listing the Victoria Falls as ‘endangered’.
Zimbabwe is the home of five World Heritage Sites, yet some countries do not have any.
Let us preserve all of ours!
Dr Michelina Rudo Andreucci is a Zimbabwean-Italian Researcher, Industrial Design Consultant and Specialist Tourism and Hospitality Interior Decorator. She is a published author in her field.
For views and comments, email: linamanucci@gmail.com