Is it better for a tourist destination to be a World Heritage Site? Visitors' perspectives on the inscription of Kanas on the World Heritage List in China

The study aims to examine visitors' perspective on World Heritage Sites (WHSs), the impact of WHS designation, and the fever of inscription on the World Heritage List (WHL) in China, which owns 47 WHS titles and 48 nominees on the tentative list of WHSs. We analyzed visitors' perspectives on the inscription of Kanas on the WHL based on their cognition of WHSs and impacts of WHS designation. Data from 286 visitors were collected from the Kanas National Nature Reserve, located in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwest China. Results of the research highlight that WHS designation does not equate to more tourists according to visitors' perception, although the WHS brand guarantees tourism development. With its considerable socioeconomic and ecological benefits, inscription on the WHL is supported by visitors. Further analysis reveals that social development is a major factor in encouraging local governments to seek WHS designation. This study indicates that heritage education should be introduced prior to WHL inscription, in compliance with the purpose of the World Heritage Convention. In addition, cooperation among a multitude of stakeholders is necessary for the successful inscription on the WHL. (C) 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.