The only other status-elevator that rivals this "inscription" is something inscribed by the emperor, in his own hand. If it existed but was destroyed by the fires of war or the passions of the "cultural revolution" (1966-76), it can be recreated. But you cannot make something like this up. It has to have a real historical basis.
The importance attached to having a UNESCO title is derived from the traditional Chinese notion of hierarchy. Each city has a list of places you have to see before you die, above that is the province list, then the national list of attractions. To top it off is the UN list, which will be at the top of the pyramid until such time as star ships launch seven-day tours of the solar system and beyond.
I have talked to many officials desperate to get on this bandwagon. "People here are very poor. They need something to lift them out of poverty. This place is landlocked. No investor would come. But if we are endorsed by the UN, tourists would come by planeloads and busloads and people can get rich quick by selling trinkets," they argue.
UNESCO does not forbid tourism. It requests that if tourism grows it does not do so at the expense of the ecosystem, which is fragile in the first place. Local officials also emphasize protection, but adopt a different approach: "We want to protect our heritage, but how can we go about it without money? And the best way to raise money is through tourism revenues." With money, they can persuade local residents to give up logging for cooking and heating. Local kids can ride the bus instead of walking for miles to get to school. Adults can get jobs as park workers.
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