Do UNESCO Heritages Attract More Tourists?
Do UNESCO Heritages Attract More Tourists?
It is believed that the inscription of World Heritage by UNESCO increases tourism demand, leading to economic growth. This study examines 1) whether there is a relation between the WHL and the leisure tourism, and 2) whether there is any difference of the relationship depending on the type of heritage. Using panel data of 78 countries, we test the proposition with linear and non-linear econometric models. Overall, both tangible and intangible heritage have significant positive effects on tourism demand, while the contribution of intangible heritage is greater than the one of tangible heritage.JEL Codes:L83; O40