Lack of World Heritage Standing Will Hamper Liverpool Tourism Restoration
- International tourists spend significantly more on average than domestic tourists.
- Liverpool will now lose several different advantages due to the recent announcement.
- Liverpool must now deal proactively with this news.
While domestic tourism demand may not be massively impacted by the loss of Liverpool’s world heritage site, international demand could be so great that many international tourists visit Liverpool to experience the city’s culture and history.
Cultural tourism is big business today, with 29% of the global travel market typically doing this type of travel. Loss of heritage status could undermine Liverpool’s cultural appeal and lead international tourists to other UK destinations that have retained that seal, such as Bath.
International tourists spend significantly more on average than domestic tourists. According to industry data, the average overseas tourism spend per inhabitant in 2019 (the last “normal” year for tourism) was $ 1,057, while the average UK domestic tourism spend per inhabitant was $ 263 (£ 191).
Liverpool needs to attract as much international tourism as possible in the years to come, given its sizeable revenue. With the cultural heritage status now gone, international demand could be negatively impacted and the recovery prolonged.
Liverpool will now lose several different advantages due to the recent announcement. As mentioned earlier, the increased press and public relations work that accompanies the World Heritage site increases international tourism and acts as a powerful marketing tool for which the city pays little. The status of the world cultural heritage works almost like a seal of quality for the international market. This is especially influential for the powerful Chinese source market, which is known to be influenced by tags that represent quality or excellence. As part of the status, cultural heritage sites can also receive funds for protection and maintenance.
International visits would have taken time to recover after the pandemic, but that growth could take even longer to recover now that Liverpool has lost its World Heritage status. The city must now deal proactively with this news, be it by creating new marketing campaigns for the international market or by quickly appealing this decision in order to regain its cultural appeal.
