Realising the transformative potential of ICOMOS International Charter for Cultural Heritage Tourism 2022
The ICOMOS International Cultural Tourism Committee (ICTC)
ICOMOS ICTC is a global network of cultural heritage and tourism professionals that promotes sustainable development and responsible management of cultural tourism at heritage sites, providing strategic advice, policy guidance, and fostering cooperation between conservation and tourism sectors to protect and present cultural heritage worldwide.
ICOMOS International Charter for Cultural Heritage Tourism 2022: Reinforcing cultural heritage protection and community resilience through responsible and sustainable tourism management
was adopted by the ICOMOS Annual General Assembly (Bangkok, Thailand) November 2022. Since its adoption the Charter has been translated into 7 languages, and is broadly promoted.
Charter application and implementation
During this process we invite the involvement of ICOMOS colleagues and interested parties to access, review and provide comments to documents below.
This temporary website is set up to support collaboration and provide access to working documents. For access, go into the document and request access, alternatively contact [email protected]
Instructions for contributions are made in the document, including a reminder to track any changes.
Charter compendium introduction
This document introduces the compendium and includes the 2022 Charter as adopted.
Provide input to draft document
Annex 1: Glossary & Concept Clusters
The 2022 Charter introduces new concepts reflecting recent developments in heritage, development, and climate, often lacking contextualisation for heritage and tourism. This document clarifies key terms to support effective implementation and ongoing efforts to improve practice.
The glossary expands vocabulary, promotes nuanced interpretation, recognises plural values, and honours Indigenous knowledge, helping realise the Charter’s transformative potential for regenerative, equitable place-based approaches.
Future translations will help unify and assist cultural heritage and tourism professionals worldwide.
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Annex 2: Foundational reorientation
This document provides a context for the conceptual reorientation of the Charter introducing a framework for exploring the potentials for transformative change through tourism with a focus on economic dimensions.
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Annex 3: Application by stakeholder group
The Charter explicitly states that heritage stewardship through the management of tourism is a shared responsibility, providing guidance for practitioners and decision-makers at all levels, aiming to align their efforts for positive, sustainable outcomes. Annex 3 specifically identifies leverage points for systems change and suggests how different stakeholders may apply the Charter in support of transformative change. It also offers Charter reflection questions and a Transformative Change Assessment Form.
To be made available soonPresentations & consultations
Below are selected presentation recordings supporting the engagement with the ChAp documents.
ICOMOS ICTC & SDG WG
Recording from the presentation to ICOMOS International Cultural Tourism Committee Members and members of the SDG Working Group 25. September 2025.
>> Press the image to watch recording.
Support
The 2022 Charter operationalisation is led by a Task Force under ICOMOS International Cultural Tourism Committee Bureau, and in 2025 generously supported by ICOMOS Norway and UNESCO Norway.
