World Heritage Site inscription and waterfront heritage conservation: evidence from the Grand Canal historic districts in Hangzhou, China

This paper explores heritage conservation and tourism development en route to and after World Heritage Site inscription and the roles of local authorities and communities through the case of three heritage sites along the Grand Canal in Hangzhou. It interrogates how the World Heritage Site inscription nomination boosts heritage conservation and assesses how the inscription sustains ongoing heritage conservation and tourism business. The study discusses the authorized heritage discourse and the challenge of scalar mismatch with regards to heritage tourism in the Chinese context. It proposes a gradualist conservation approach that empowers local communities to achieve an inclusive heritage conservation and tourism development.