The political economy of World Heritage

The paper explores the main determinants affecting the nomination and selection process of World Heritage Sites. While World Heritage represents the most relevant cultural and natural assets for humankind, little research has been conducted to understand the conditions influencing the process of sites inscription. Using panel data, we provide evidence on the institutional and economic conditions of countries which affect the composition of the World Heritage List. In particular, we test whether political factors, such as the involvement of countries in the World Heritage Committee, influence inscription of national heritage sites in the List. The paper contributes to the cultural economics literature by providing new insights on the political economy of conservation and promotion of heritage at the international level.