Nazca Lines threatened by tourism
Baku, December 3 (AZERTAC).The Nazca lines, among the world`s most iconic and enigmatic attractions, risk being overwhelmed by tourism, according to global heritage experts. Each year, tens of thousands of tourists visit the lines in southern Peru, which were drawn between 500BC and 500AD. Many of the strange geometric designs depict giant animals, including monkeys, spiders, birds and plants. But now the World Monuments Fund believes the geoglyphs and lines are being jeopardised by their own popularity. The WMF has placed the Nazca lines on its 2012 Global Watch List of important, but endangered, heritage sights. Tourism activities that the WMF is concerned about include private flights over the sites without proper safety controls, rising levels of rubbish, and inappropriate tourism infrastructure, such as intrusive viewing platforms.
Tourism is not the only threat to the lines, according to the WFM, which also cites widespread paving of roads in the area as having increased flooding on the surrounding countryside. The lines were threatened in 2007 after floodwaters triggered mudslides that damaged the adjacent Pan American highway. Peru`s mining boom - the country is a rich source of copper and other high-value metals - is also said to be threatening the sites. According to tourism industry experts, the answer is to radically overhaul the management of the Nazca lines, with a new emphasis on educating visitors and making sure that local communities reap the benefits of income from tourism. Tourism is part of the problem now, but if done right it can be part of the solution," said Justin Francis, managing director of responsibletravel.com. "The Nazca lines are a unique, special piece of history. More than anything we need to build awareness of how special these places are and to ensure there is real value in protecting them - especially for local communities. "It`s also about education for visitors - and it can be very simple steps, such as encouraging travellers to take their rubbish away with them. Ultimately this can only enhance the tourist`s experience."
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