UNESCO's World Heritage organization is in the news this week.
This is the group that defines something of international heritage.....then gives them a "label". The Pyramids in Egypt fit for the title. Various national forests and sites fall onto the list. UNESCO eventually got around to putting cities on the World Heritage list.
This week....folks in Wiesbaden found that their town is working up this idea of putting the city on this list.....well....at least applying. The deal? They would be a world-class spa city.
Yeah, you can kinda envision this title.....the category....and question the value.
If you asked most folks around town if this really mattered.....I suspect that you'd find ninety percent shaking their head. A world-class spa city.....isn't something that you think of Wiesbaden being.
There's some doubt if this gimmick will work and there's some other worldly cities aiming at the same title.
How would it affect Wiesbaden? Tour operators, hotel operations, and the Casino crowd....would all have a fresh new identifier for their ad displays. The guys who do the wine empires in Eltville? Same deal. The cruises on the Rhein? Same deal. The upscale restaurants in town? Same deal.
Each would claim that they generated an ounce or two more profit.....with this UNESCO title of world-class spa city.
Around two thousand years ago.....Wiesbaden was nothing. A couple of farmers on the side of the river....growing some grapes....making wine....and enjoying the hot springs of the local area. A couple of Romans came by....noted the fine food, fine wine, and relaxing atmosphere of the springs. They kinda stayed for a while.
Over the next thousand years.....Wiesbaden quietly took in the more wealthy of folks. It was a place where someone would claim health aspects from the springs and the wine.
It was a gimmick, that worked over and over. The locals made money, and enjoyed growth without industry. Today? Saudis fly into Frankfurt and enjoy the comforts of Wiesbaden. Rich businessmen from Russia fly in, and spend days making deals in the comfort of the city. Wall Street bankers arrive and find connections to deals, while resting comfortably and enjoying the local atmosphere.
Maybe this UNESCO title means something. But if you ask me....they already got their "status", and this UN thing might be a waste of time.
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