Asian heritage sites get UNESCO recognition

Cultural and environmental sites in Malaysia, China and India have been added to the UNESCO (United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) World Heritage list.

The latest meeting of the cultural protection body, confirmed the inclusion of Malaysia's Lenggon Valley, China's Xanadu and Chengjiang Fossil Site and India's Western Ghats on the list.

In Malaysia, the Lenggon Valley is home to four archaeological sites spanning two million years of civilisation, while the Chengjiang Fossil Site in southern China's Yunnan province includes fossils from an estimated 196 species dating back 530 million years.

The site of Xanadu, in Inner Mongolia, encompasses the remains of Kublai Khan's legendary capital city and features temples, palaces, tombs, nomadic encampments and canals.

The Western Ghats mountain chain in western India is older than the Himalayas and contains at least 325 globally-threatened species of flora and fauna.

For more information go to http://bit.ly/MBv2JP

Image: The historic site of Xanadu.

24th February 2011 - DOUBLE-DIGIT TOURISM GROWTH FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC IN 2010