UNESCO heritage sites rise to 991 as cultural tourism surges 9.6% growth across global destinations

Culture is emerging as one of the strongest drivers of global tourism growth, with destinations increasingly leveraging heritage sites, festivals, food, crafts and performing arts to attract travellers.

The World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026 found that cultural resources recorded the biggest improvement among the index’s tourism pillars, rising 9.6% between 2024 and 2026. More than 95% of the 110 economies covered by the index reported an improvement in their cultural-resource scores.

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UNESCO heritage expands

The WEF linked part of this growth to efforts to preserve and promote cultural heritage. The number of sites on UNESCO’s World Heritage List increased from 869 in 2019 to 991 in 2026, giving destinations a larger pool of internationally recognised cultural assets to promote to travellers.

The expansion is not limited to physical monuments. UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage register, which recognises living traditions such as festivals, performing arts, craftsmanship and food culture, grew from 549 recognised elements in 2019 to 849 in 2026 across 157 countries.

The trend reflects a broader shift in what travellers seek from destinations. Instead of simply visiting landmarks, tourists are increasingly looking for experiences connected to local traditions, cuisine, music, festivals and craftsmanship.

Food becomes a major tourism attraction

Food is becoming an increasingly important part of this experience economy. According to the WEF, more than half of travellers now prioritise food when planning trips, contributing to the growth of the global gastronomy tourism market.

The report puts the global gastronomy tourism market at $16.1 billion in 2025, nearly double its $8.5 billion valuation in 2021.

This growth is allowing destinations to turn local cuisines and culinary traditions into tourism products, ranging from food trails and cooking experiences to regional festivals and speciality markets.

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Cultural demand is rising online

Digital behaviour is also reflecting growing interest in cultural tourism. The WEF found that online demand for cultural and entertainment attractions, including searches related to gastronomy, heritage sites, museums, festivals, local traditions and performing arts, increased by around 15% between 2024 and 2026.

The greatest improvement in cultural resources was recorded in South-East Asia, at 26.5%, followed by North Africa at 18% and the Balkans and Eastern Europe at 12.8%.

The WEF's findings suggest that possessing cultural assets alone is not enough. Countries also need infrastructure, connectivity, promotion and visitor services to convert heritage and traditions into sustainable tourism opportunities. The TTDI measures these enabling conditions rather than tourism performance itself.