Cultural heritage has never been just a relic of the past. It is a living bridge across generations, shaping identity while also offering vast potential for development. In today’s world, where globalization flattens difference and commercialization threatens authenticity, heritage emerges as a rare asset, one that can both safeguard who we are and power where we are going. India, with its immense cultural wealth, is uniquely positioned to lead this conversation. Yet the challenge here is sharper than almost anywhere else: how do we celebrate and share heritage without eroding the very essence that makes it valuable?
This dilemma was at the heart of the UNESCO–India Strategic Conclave on World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism: Inspiring Innovative and Inclusive Approaches, held in New Delhi on Thursday (21st August, 2025). On paper, it was another high-level policy dialogue. In practice, it was a mirror held up to India’s tourism model, reflecting both its extraordinary potential and the fault lines that threaten to undermine it.
The scale of the stakes cannot be ignored. Heritage tourism worldwide is on a steep upward trajectory. UNESCO estimates its value at USD 608.8 billion in 2024, set to touch USD 843.5 billion by 2033. The broader cultural tourism sector, already worth USD 1.2 trillion in 2025, could more than double by 2035. India is not a marginal player in this story. In 2023, cultural tourism accounted for nearly 40% of all tourist arrivals far above the global average. Monuments, festivals, and traditions draw millions here every year. But numbers tell only half the story. The same heritage that attracts visitors is under siege from overuse, insensitive infrastructure, and a mindset that too often equates development with construction.
Junhi Han, UNESCO’s Chief of Culture for South Asia, put the problem bluntly in her keynote. “In a world racing towards modernity, our cultural heritage serves as the anchor that connects us to our past, shapes our present, and inspires our future. What is required today is sensible infrastructure and innovative approaches that preserve the site’s aesthetics and integrity.” Her warning was clear: heritage is not like any other commodity. Build without sensitivity, and the very uniqueness that draws people will be lost.
The irony is striking. India’s heritage portfolio is extraordinary 44 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, 62 more on the tentative list, and nearly 3,700 monuments protected by the Archaeological Survey of India. The most recent recognition, the Maratha Military Landscapes of India in 2025, only adds to this global acknowledgment. Yet beyond the Taj Mahal, which welcomed more than 6.5 million visitors in 2019, many sites remain ignored or under-promoted. The magnificent Rani ki Vav in Gujarat or the Great Living Chola Temples of Tamil Nadu rarely feature on global itineraries despite being treasures of world-class importance.
This imbalance points to what experts at the conclave called India’s “untapped heritage economy.” Compare India’s USD 30 billion earnings from cultural tourism in 2019 to France and Italy, each generating over USD 200 billion annually. The contrast is sobering. India has more monuments, more stories, and more living traditions, but far less revenue. The paradox is not lack of resources, but lack of strategy.
To its credit, the government has tried to bridge this gap. The Adopt a Heritage scheme launched in 2017 encouraged private entities to become “Monument Mitras,” contributing resources and expertise. The intention was laudable, but the execution drew criticism for risking over-commercialization and sidelining communities. More recently, in 2024, the Ministry of Tourism sanctioned projects worth nearly USD 380 million across 23 states, with a dozen directly focused on heritage destinations. The message is clear: heritage is no longer a niche concern, but a central pillar of India’s tourism vision.
Still, the heart of the challenge lies not in budgets but in philosophy. Tourism infrastructure cannot be rolled out as if heritage sites were empty plots waiting for hotels or highways. They are fragile, layered, living spaces. They require design thinking, not mass construction. Han and other speakers at the conclave offered examples: sunken museums that avoid blocking historic skylines, replicas of fragile monuments that allow access without damage, interpretation centres that deepen understanding, and local souvenir shops and cafés that provide livelihoods while enriching visitor experiences.
Global case studies reinforce this lesson. In Saudi Arabia’s AlUla, heritage preservation and modern design exist side by side. In France, the Lascaux IV International Centre for Cave Art protects prehistoric caves by diverting foot traffic to a near-authentic replica. The Louvre in Paris and the City Palace Museum in Jaipur show how careful curation and storytelling can transform tourist engagement. Even within India, examples abound. The Humayun’s Tomb Museum in Delhi has demonstrated the impact of narrative-driven interpretation. Bodhgaya and Rajon ki Baoli illustrate how community participation supported by institutions like the Bodhgaya Temple Management Committee and the World Monuments Fund India can sustain both conservation and local livelihoods.
Adding to this perspective, Myrto Tsitsinaki, Director of Urban Heritage & Conservation at the Royal Commission for AlUla, noted: “Not every site may qualify as a cultural landscape, yet each place holds multiple attributes that can be revealed and connected from heritage sites and cultural practices to ecology and community life. The lesson is to design experiences that allow these elements to reinforce one another instead of being treated in isolation. What distinguishes AlUla is the exceptional range and density of assets, desert and oasis, ancient sites and living villages, nature reserves, oral traditions and intangible heritage, all managed within one framework. The broader principle, however, is widely applicable: integration brings coherence, depth, and meaning to any heritage destination.”
For India’s policymakers, the key takeaway is that heritage tourism must be seen as an economy in itself. As Suman Billa, Additional Secretary and Director General in the Ministry of Tourism, argued at the conclave: “We must create a framework of economic and financial autonomy for our heritage assets, so they can be maintained sustainably and deliver long-term benefits.” This means moving beyond dependence on government budgets and ticket revenues. It calls for models that reinvest earnings into conservation, public–private partnerships that bring in expertise without diluting authenticity, and above all, community ownership that ensures benefits flow to those who live closest to heritage.
Closing the conclave, Mugdha Sinha, Managing Director of the India Tourism Development Corporation, distilled the issue into a simple truth: “Sustainable tourism today is less about construction and more about smart ideas that create value while preserving heritage.” She emphasized the convergence of what Prime Minister Modi has called the “five Ts”- tradition, talent, trade, technology, and tourism. If aligned, these forces can turn heritage into not just a memory of the past but a driver of the future.
The broader lesson is that India’s heritage dilemma is not new. Decades ago, sites like the Ajanta-Ellora caves swung from neglect to overexploitation. Today, they struggle with footfall management, while countless other treasures remain invisible to both domestic and international visitors. The global experience shows what happens when balance is lost. Venice and Barcelona have faced protests and restrictions after uncontrolled over-tourism. On the other hand, Japan’s heritage towns and South Korea’s palace complexes have pioneered controlled access and digital innovation, balancing conservation with meaningful engagement.
For India, the road ahead must involve embracing technology, inclusivity, and community resilience. Digital ticketing and AI-driven crowd management can prevent overcrowding. Virtual reality tours can widen access while protecting fragile sites. Accessibility for the elderly, differently abled, and marginalized groups ensures that inclusivity is not sacrificed in the name of conservation.
What emerged from the conclave was less a roadmap and more a reminder of responsibility. India stands at a crossroads. It has one of the world’s richest cultural endowments, and with it, the opportunity to redefine what heritage tourism means. The choice is stark: either chase mass consumption and risk eroding authenticity, or embrace sustainability and transform heritage into a celebration that endures.
As Junhi Han concluded in words that could serve as the guiding principle for India’s tourism policy: “By choosing responsible and sustainable tourism, we can protect our cultural treasures, support local communities, and care for the environment. Together, we can turn untapped potential into a lasting legacy.”
It is a vision worth pursuing. Because heritage is not just about monuments, it is about memory, meaning, and the promise of continuity. If India gets this right, it will not only redefine its tourism industry but also set a global benchmark, proving that development need not come at the cost of identity, and that the past can, in fact, be the most powerful guide to the future.
– Dr. Shahid Siddiqui; follow via X @shahidsiddiqui
