Slovak Village Seeks UNESCO List Removal Amidst Tourism Concerns

Residents of Vlkolinec, a picturesque Slovak village recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1993, are reportedly seeking its removal from the prestigious list. However, the situation is more nuanced than initial reports suggest, with the core issue being the impact of tourism on the community's way of life.

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Those who come with respect, to admire the village and see how people lived here, are always welcome. They don't bother me. The problem is the rude ones.

Anton Sabuha, a 68-year-old resident, explains that while respectful visitors are welcome, the increasing number of tourists who disregard privacy have become a problem. He has posted "No Entry" and "No Photography" signs on his property, yet visitors continue to enter private yards, damaging gardens and treating the village as an attraction rather than a living community. "Some people see a 'No Photography' sign, but they still have to take a picture. They simply don't respect people's privacy," he told DW.

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You go out into the yard, you want to sit peacefully and have coffee with friends, and then the first tourist comes and asks: 'How are you? How is it to live here?' Then another. Then a third.

Sabuha laments the gradual disappearance of traditional village life, with surrounding meadows left unkempt and many who shaped the landscape no longer alive. He believes the modest annual income from tourism, around 400 euros per resident, has done little to halt this decline. The village, which once housed around 200 people, now has only 17 permanent residents. The UNESCO inscription in 1993, while intended to preserve the site, is seen by some as having accelerated these changes.

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Someone sees a 'No Photography' sign, but they still have to take a picture. They simply don't respect people's privacy.

Despite the challenges, some visitors, like Justine from France, find the fact that people still live in Vlkolinec to be what makes it special. However, for many long-term residents, the influx of tourism has fundamentally altered their once-quiet existence, leading to a desire to reclaim their privacy and preserve what remains of their traditional heritage.

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For an ordinary tourist, these are just wooden houses. For us, these are people. We know exactly who lived in which house.