Estimating cultural heritage sites effect on food and accommodations with synthetic controls

UNESCO World Heritage Sites can significantly boost local tourism, but their impact varies. A study applying synthetic control methods to Poverty Point and the San Antonio Missions found a statistically significant positive effect on food and accommodations industries for Poverty Point in West Carroll Parish, Louisiana, following its UNESCO accreditation. However, no comparable effect was detected for the San Antonio Missions in Texas. The research used Bureau of Labor Statistics data from 2008 to 2020, marking the first application of this method to two cultural heritage sites. This suggests that while some sites drive tourism growth, others may not, highlighting the need for tailored strategies to maximize economic benefits.

Belleville, D. E., & Jolley, G. J. (2022). Estimating cultural heritage sites effect on food and accommodations with synthetic controls. Annals of Tourism Research Empirical Insights, 3(1), 100045. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annale.2022.100045