Panelists exchanged comments, which were kept anonymous to maintain survey neutrality during the rating process. These lightly edited excerpts offer a glimpse of panelists' varied points of view and the reasoning behind each score. They are not the views of the National Geographic Society.

Ethiopia: Rock-hewn churches, Lalibela
Score: 48

"Three key problems: 1) A desperate need for a management plan before increasing tourist numbers do more serious damage to the soft rock of the churches 2) Awful roof structures which seriously detract from the experience 3) The very poor, local people don't get real benefits from a valuable heritage site which is also a great economic/tourism asset."

"A site of immense interest, importance and character in an area of considerable poverty. The role of the church in linking visitors, income, management, and community is not transparent…. When I visited in 2004, roofing of some structures was physically intrusive—can better solutions be found?"

"Tourists are still a minority among the pilgrims, but the presence of too many tourists will become a nuisance to the pilgrims and spoil the atmosphere of the place."