The Melaka riverside area is a popular tourist attraction. Photo: Majlis Bandaraya Melaka Bersejarah
It's a Catch-22 situation. In being declared by Unesco as a World Heritage Site, George Town and Melaka, both historic cities of the Straits of Melaka, have experienced higher tourist arrivals.
Which is great for the economy, but that puts pressure on the intangible living heritage of the cities – the people living there. For instance, the sheer number of tourist vising the popular Melaka riverside area (pictured above) affects the everyday lives of Melakans living there. Issues like heavy traffic congestion and high rentals put a strain on the community and may cause some of them to relocate.
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