Latest
issue
Get Attractions Management digital magazine FREE
Sign up here ▸
Jobs   News   Features   Products   Company profilesProfiles   Magazine   Handbook   Advertise    Subscribe  
NEWS
UNESCO makes 24 new additions to World Heritage list
POSTED 08 Jul 2015 . BY Tom Anstey
Ephesus in Turkey is a new addition to the list Credit: Shutterstock.com
UNESCO has announced the annual update to its register of sites worthy of world heritage status, adding 24 new locations to its global list of more than 1,000.

Well-known visitor attractions, including France’s Champagne wine region, The Alamo and Scotland’s Forth Road Bridge are all new additions to the list, with lesser-known sites added to the list now hoping for a boost in tourism numbers.

Denmark, France, Iran and Turkey had two allocations apiece, leading the way in new additions.

In France, the famous Champagne-region vineyards, wine cellars and sale houses – where champagne is produced and sold – were handed World Heritage Status, while the vineyards of Burgundy south of Dijon were also given an allocation by UNESCO.

In the US, the only addition was the San Antonio Missions, a series of 18th century Spanish Roman Catholic sites which include the Alamo – the scene of a famous battle between outnumbered Texas settlers and Mexican forces.

Ancient Greek and Roman settlements in Turkey have been added to the list as Ephesus, once the site of the Temple of Artemis – one of the Ancient World’s Seven Wonders.

A controversial Japanese bid was unanimously approved for a collection of more than 20 sites illustrating the country’s industrial revolution during the 19th century. The bid was approved only after Japan and South Korea reached an agreement over whether to acknowledge the sites' history of wartime forced labour, particularly that of Gunkanjima.

The Forth Bridge is the sixth Scottish landmark to gain heritage status, with the red structure used to carry trains over the Forth since it opened in 1890. For 125 years the bridge has been seen as an icon of Victorian engineering excellence and as a symbol of Scotland. The bridge recently underwent a £15m (US$23m €21m) development to build a viewing platform, opening the railway route to the public for the first time.

Full list of new UNESCO World Heritage Sites

• Necropolis of Bet She’arim: A Landmark of Jewish Renewal, Israel
• Rjukan–Notodden Industrial Heritage Site, Norway
• Rock Art in the Hail Region of Saudi Arabia
• San Antonio Missions, US
• Singapore Botanical Gardens
• Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining
• Speicherstadt and Kontorhaus District with Chilehaus, Germany
• Susa archaeological mounds, Iran
• The Forth Bridge, Scotland
• The par force hunting landscape in North Zealand, Denmark
• Tusi Sites, China
• Blue and John Crow Mountains, Jamaica
• Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque Hydraulic System, Mexico
• Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalú and Monreale, Italy
• Baekje Historic Areas, South Korea
• Baptism Site “Bethany Beyond the Jordan” (Al-Maghtas), Jordan
• Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars, France
• Christiansfeld, a Moravian Church Settlement, Norway
• Climats, terroirs of Burgundy, France
• Cultural Landscape of Maymand, Iran
• Diyarbakir Fortress and Hevsel Gardens Cultural Landscape, Turkey
• Ephesus, Turkey
• Fray Bentos Cultural-Industrial Landscape, Uruguay
• Great Burkhan Khaldun Mountain and its sacred landscape, Mongolia
The Forth Bridge is the sixth Scottish landmark to gain heritage status Credit: Shutterstock.com
Gunkanjima has been controversially added to the list Credit: Shutterstock.com
The Alamo is the site of a famous battle between outnumbered Texas settlers and Mexican forces Credit: Shutterstock.com
The vineyards of the Champagne and Bordeaux regions of France are on the list owing to their cultural significance Credit: Shutterstock.com
RELATED STORIES
  UNESCO threatens 'in danger' listing for Great Barrier Reef


The Great Barrier Reef’s heritage status could be in jeopardy after UNESCO revealed it was considering listing the natural wonder as “in danger”, something that could potentially cripple the area’s tourism industry.
  Japan and Korea in dispute over UNESCO World Heritage listing


Japanese officials’ plans to put several mines, shipyards and factories from World War II onto UNESCO’s World Heritage list have been placed under scrutiny, after South Korea said the sites were used to force Koreans into slave labour.
  UNESCO designates nine Mexican sites for special protection


The Mexican government has worked with UNESCO to enter nine heritage sites into its International Register of Cultural Property Under Special Protection in an effort to protect the cultural sites in times of war.
  UNESCO designates nine Mexican sites for special protection


The Mexican government has worked with UNESCO to enter nine heritage sites into its International Register of Cultural Property Under Special Protection in an effort to protect the cultural sites in times of war.
MORE NEWS
OMA completes New Museum transformation with landmark expansion and Oberon restaurant
OMA has completed a major transformation of New York's New Museum, creating a larger cultural campus that combines expanded exhibition spaces with learning, performance, hospitality and public programming.
David Rockwell creates immersive magic destination, The Hand and The Eye
A US$50 million (£44.2 million, €51.2 million) transformation of Chicago's historic McCormick Mansion has created a new destination that combines live magic, immersive theatre, dining and private membership under one roof.
Montana Heritage Center opens with immersive exhibits and US$107 million investment
The Montana Historical Society has officially celebrated the opening of its new Montana Heritage Center, a US$107 million (£79 million, €92 million) destination that combines immersive storytelling with cutting-edge audiovisual technology to bring the sta
Universal launches new theme park model with Kids Resort
Universal Destinations and Experiences has launched a new regional theme park model with the opening of Universal Kids Resort in Frisco, Texas.
+ More news   
LATEST JOBS
General Manager, The Needles
Heritage Great Britain
Salary: c£70,000pa + benefits + relocation support
Job location: Isle of Wight , United Kingdom
+ More jobs  

COMPANY PROFILES
Clip 'n Climb

Clip ‘n Climb currently offers facility owners and investors more than 40 colourful and unique Cha [more...]
Sally Corporation

Our services include: Dark ride design & build; Redevelopment of existing attractions; High-quality [more...]
Polin Waterparks

Polin was founded in Istanbul in 1976. Polin has since grown into a leading company in the waterpa [more...]
Simworx Ltd

The company was initially established in 1997. Terry Monkton and Andrew Roberts are the key stakeh [more...]
+ More profiles  
CATALOGUE GALLERY
 

+ More catalogues  
DIRECTORY
+ More directory  
DIARY

 

23-26 Aug 2026

Elevate Spa Riviera Maya Edition

The Riviera Maya Edition Kanai, Playa del Carmen, Mexico
29 Sep - 02 Oct 2026

Synergy - The Retreat Show

Pical Resort, Valamar Collection, Porec, Croatia
+ More diary  
LATEST ISSUES
+ View Magazine Archive

Attractions Management

2026 issue 1


View issue contents
View on turning pages
Download PDF
FREE digital subscription
Print subscription

Attractions Management

2025 issue 2


View issue contents
View on turning pages
Download PDF
FREE digital subscription
Print subscription

Attractions Management

2025 issue 1


View issue contents
View on turning pages
Download PDF
FREE digital subscription
Print subscription

Attractions Management

2024 issue 4


View issue contents
View on turning pages
Download PDF
FREE digital subscription
Print subscription

Attractions Management News

06 Apr 2020 issue 153


View on turning pages
Download PDF
View archive
FREE digital subscription
Print subscription

Attractions Handbook

2019


View issue contents
View on turning pages
Download PDF
FREE digital subscription
Print subscription
 
ABOUT LEISURE MEDIA
LEISURE MEDIA MAGAZINES
LEISURE MEDIA HANDBOOKS
LEISURE MEDIA WEBSITES
LEISURE MEDIA PRODUCT SEARCH
 
ATTRACTIONS MANAGEMENT
ATTRACTIONS MANAGEMENT NEWS
ATTRACTIONS HANDBOOK
PRINT SUBSCRIPTIONS
FREE DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS
ADVERTISE . CONTACT US

Leisure Media
Tel: +44 (0)1462 431385

©Cybertrek 2026
Get Attractions Management digital magazine FREE
Sign up here ▸
Jobs    News   Products   Magazine   Subscribe
NEWS
UNESCO makes 24 new additions to World Heritage list
POSTED 08 Jul 2015 . BY Tom Anstey
Ephesus in Turkey is a new addition to the list Credit: Shutterstock.com
UNESCO has announced the annual update to its register of sites worthy of world heritage status, adding 24 new locations to its global list of more than 1,000.

Well-known visitor attractions, including France’s Champagne wine region, The Alamo and Scotland’s Forth Road Bridge are all new additions to the list, with lesser-known sites added to the list now hoping for a boost in tourism numbers.

Denmark, France, Iran and Turkey had two allocations apiece, leading the way in new additions.

In France, the famous Champagne-region vineyards, wine cellars and sale houses – where champagne is produced and sold – were handed World Heritage Status, while the vineyards of Burgundy south of Dijon were also given an allocation by UNESCO.

In the US, the only addition was the San Antonio Missions, a series of 18th century Spanish Roman Catholic sites which include the Alamo – the scene of a famous battle between outnumbered Texas settlers and Mexican forces.

Ancient Greek and Roman settlements in Turkey have been added to the list as Ephesus, once the site of the Temple of Artemis – one of the Ancient World’s Seven Wonders.

A controversial Japanese bid was unanimously approved for a collection of more than 20 sites illustrating the country’s industrial revolution during the 19th century. The bid was approved only after Japan and South Korea reached an agreement over whether to acknowledge the sites' history of wartime forced labour, particularly that of Gunkanjima.

The Forth Bridge is the sixth Scottish landmark to gain heritage status, with the red structure used to carry trains over the Forth since it opened in 1890. For 125 years the bridge has been seen as an icon of Victorian engineering excellence and as a symbol of Scotland. The bridge recently underwent a £15m (US$23m €21m) development to build a viewing platform, opening the railway route to the public for the first time.

Full list of new UNESCO World Heritage Sites

• Necropolis of Bet She’arim: A Landmark of Jewish Renewal, Israel
• Rjukan–Notodden Industrial Heritage Site, Norway
• Rock Art in the Hail Region of Saudi Arabia
• San Antonio Missions, US
• Singapore Botanical Gardens
• Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining
• Speicherstadt and Kontorhaus District with Chilehaus, Germany
• Susa archaeological mounds, Iran
• The Forth Bridge, Scotland
• The par force hunting landscape in North Zealand, Denmark
• Tusi Sites, China
• Blue and John Crow Mountains, Jamaica
• Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque Hydraulic System, Mexico
• Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalú and Monreale, Italy
• Baekje Historic Areas, South Korea
• Baptism Site “Bethany Beyond the Jordan” (Al-Maghtas), Jordan
• Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars, France
• Christiansfeld, a Moravian Church Settlement, Norway
• Climats, terroirs of Burgundy, France
• Cultural Landscape of Maymand, Iran
• Diyarbakir Fortress and Hevsel Gardens Cultural Landscape, Turkey
• Ephesus, Turkey
• Fray Bentos Cultural-Industrial Landscape, Uruguay
• Great Burkhan Khaldun Mountain and its sacred landscape, Mongolia
The Forth Bridge is the sixth Scottish landmark to gain heritage status Credit: Shutterstock.com
Gunkanjima has been controversially added to the list Credit: Shutterstock.com
The Alamo is the site of a famous battle between outnumbered Texas settlers and Mexican forces Credit: Shutterstock.com
The vineyards of the Champagne and Bordeaux regions of France are on the list owing to their cultural significance Credit: Shutterstock.com
RELATED STORIES
UNESCO threatens 'in danger' listing for Great Barrier Reef


The Great Barrier Reef’s heritage status could be in jeopardy after UNESCO revealed it was considering listing the natural wonder as “in danger”, something that could potentially cripple the area’s tourism industry.
Japan and Korea in dispute over UNESCO World Heritage listing


Japanese officials’ plans to put several mines, shipyards and factories from World War II onto UNESCO’s World Heritage list have been placed under scrutiny, after South Korea said the sites were used to force Koreans into slave labour.
UNESCO designates nine Mexican sites for special protection


The Mexican government has worked with UNESCO to enter nine heritage sites into its International Register of Cultural Property Under Special Protection in an effort to protect the cultural sites in times of war.
UNESCO designates nine Mexican sites for special protection


The Mexican government has worked with UNESCO to enter nine heritage sites into its International Register of Cultural Property Under Special Protection in an effort to protect the cultural sites in times of war.
MORE NEWS
OMA completes New Museum transformation with landmark expansion and Oberon restaurant
OMA has completed a major transformation of New York's New Museum, creating a larger cultural campus that combines expanded exhibition spaces with learning, performance, hospitality and public programming.
David Rockwell creates immersive magic destination, The Hand and The Eye
A US$50 million (£44.2 million, €51.2 million) transformation of Chicago's historic McCormick Mansion has created a new destination that combines live magic, immersive theatre, dining and private membership under one roof.
Montana Heritage Center opens with immersive exhibits and US$107 million investment
The Montana Historical Society has officially celebrated the opening of its new Montana Heritage Center, a US$107 million (£79 million, €92 million) destination that combines immersive storytelling with cutting-edge audiovisual technology to bring the sta
Universal launches new theme park model with Kids Resort
Universal Destinations and Experiences has launched a new regional theme park model with the opening of Universal Kids Resort in Frisco, Texas.
San Antonio Zoo reports $283 million economic impact as expansion plans progress
San Antonio Zoo has reported a US$283 million economic impact for 2025, following a decade- long transformation programme that has seen almost US$200 million invested into the Texas attraction.
Great Barrier Reef attraction set for AU$180 million reinvention
Plans for the AU$180 million redevelopment of Reef HQ Aquarium in Townsville, Australia, are progressing, with the project set to transform the attraction into a global centre for reef education and conservation.
+ More news   
 
COMPANY PROFILES
Clip 'n Climb

Clip ‘n Climb currently offers facility owners and investors more than 40 colourful and unique Cha [more...]
Sally Corporation

Our services include: Dark ride design & build; Redevelopment of existing attractions; High-quality [more...]
Polin Waterparks

Polin was founded in Istanbul in 1976. Polin has since grown into a leading company in the waterpa [more...]
Simworx Ltd

The company was initially established in 1997. Terry Monkton and Andrew Roberts are the key stakeh [more...]
+ More profiles  
CATALOGUE GALLERY
+ More catalogues  
DIRECTORY
+ More directory  
DIARY

 

23-26 Aug 2026

Elevate Spa Riviera Maya Edition

The Riviera Maya Edition Kanai, Playa del Carmen, Mexico
29 Sep - 02 Oct 2026

Synergy - The Retreat Show

Pical Resort, Valamar Collection, Porec, Croatia
+ More diary  
 


ADVERTISE . CONTACT US

Leisure Media
Tel: +44 (0)1462 431385

©Cybertrek 2026

ABOUT LEISURE MEDIA
LEISURE MEDIA MAGAZINES
LEISURE MEDIA HANDBOOKS
LEISURE MEDIA WEBSITES
LEISURE MEDIA PRODUCT SEARCH
ATTRACTIONS MANAGEMENT NEWS
ATTRACTIONS HANDBOOK
PRINT SUBSCRIPTIONS
FREE DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS