In many countries, the separate national agencies responsible for tourism and for the cultural heritage pursue their objectives independently. This disjunction often creates serious conflicts. Cultural heritage professionals have begun to advocate a more coordinated and thoughtful approach to archaeological resource management. However, attempts to impose limits on the number of people allowed at a site at a given time often elicit immediate negative reactions from other interest groups. Archaeologists continue to excavate without providing for the presentation and interpretation of sites to the public.
National authorities promote sites without consulting local populations.
Tourism operators show sites without considering the physical impact of large numbers of visitors. Dams are built without any study of their effects on archaeological sites. Hotels spring up around sites, and disposal of their water and waste contaminates and erodes the archaeological remains. The list is long, but little is learned from tragic examples. This awareness must be accompanied by research and study to further our understanding of the dynamics of managing these irreplaceable resources.