World Heritage Status: Is There Opportunity for Economic Gain?

The Lake District, England's largest national park, commissioned a study to determine the economic impact of World Heritage status, as part of their effort to secure World Heritage designation for the park. Given a previous cost/benefit analysis developed in the United Kingdom by Price Watershouse Coopers consultants which highlighted the high cost of preparing a nomination dossier. The Lake District study is a further attempt to examine the benefits of World Heritage inscription. The study finds, among several interesting conclusions, that "attributing socio-economic impacts to the UNESCO World Heritage Site designation is complex and difficult. It is rarely the designation itself which achieves the impacts, and more normally the actions and investments of the local stakeholders." To see the complete study, click here.