World Monuments Fund and American Express Announce Funding for a Sustainable Visitor Reception Center on Easter Island, Chile

World Monuments Fund (WMF) and American Express announced today that, as part of their ongoing Sustainable Tourism Initiative, they have teamed up with the National Forestry Corporation of Chile (CONAF) to develop a sustainable visitor reception center on Easter Island in Chile. The design plans for this pioneering project in adaptive reuse and sustainable tourism on Easter Island have been finalized and construction is scheduled to begin early in 2010.

The new visitor center, the Centro de Recepción de Visitantes de la Aldea Ceremonial de Orongo, is located at the entrance to the Orongo Ceremonial Village, one of the most significant archaeological sites in Rapa Nui National Park and the most visited place on Easter Island. Severely impacted by increasing numbers of tourists each year, Orongo has been the focus of an intensive conservation and interpretive program supported by WMF and American Express since 2001. The visitor center is the last redevelopment component of this program, and will serve as an introduction to the national park, providing information and educational materials for visitors as well as helping to monitor and manage visitation to the site.