During your travels, you have no doubt seen references to UNESCO here and there. UNESCO sites are everywhere, and over the years, we have visited more than a hundred of them. You probably know that it’s a big deal, but what exactly does it mean? What are UNESCO sites? In this post, I’ll explain what a UNESCO World Heritage Site is and why they’re so important.
What does UNESCO mean?
UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. This organization promotes worldwide collaboration in research, culture, communication, and information, with the goal of maintaining global peace and security. To hasten mutual understanding, UNESCO encourages knowledge exchange and the free exchange of ideas.
What is a UNESCO site?
In 1972, UNESCO adopted an international treaty called called the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage to identify, protect and preserve cultural heritage. In essence, cultural or natural places with outstanding universal value are designated as World Heritage Sites so that they can be preserved for the whole world to enjoy. These sites belong to all peoples of the world, regardless of the country or territory where they are situated.
I am currently writing this article from the UNESCO town of San Miguel de Allende, in the heart of Mexico. Its historic center is a well-preserved Spanish colonial town, and some of its buildings are considered masterpieces of the Mexican Baroque style.

UNESCO’s World Heritage Mission
The mission of UNESCO’s World Heritage program encompasses several key objectives:
By pursuing these objectives, UNESCO’s World Heritage mission aims to protect and promote the world’s most outstanding cultural and natural sites. In addition, it fosters appreciation for their universal value and encourages their preservation for future generations to enjoy.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
There are currently 1,157 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 167 countries. 900 are cultural, 218 are natural and 39 are mixed. The country with the most sites is Italy with 58. Thirty-two countries have 10 or more sites. A driver of tourism, this program has been likened to a global museum of all the best places and features the world has to offer. Many travelers rely on UNESCO to find those places of cultural significance that influence where they visit.
Here are some of our favorite UNESCO sites:

Great Barrier Reef
Australia

Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks
Canada

The Great Wall
China

Petra
Jordan

Machu Picchu
Peru

Taj Mahal
India

Okapi Wildlife Reserve
Democratic Republic of the Congo

Galápagos Islands
Ecuador

The Giant’s Causeway
Northern Ireland

Ha Long Bay
Vietnam

San Miguel de Allende
Mexico
Which UNESCO Sites are the Most Visited?
A designation as a UNESCO site makes you an instant tourist attraction. Some travelers even have a UNESCO checklist that guides their selection of destinations. According to WorldAtlas, these are the most visited UNESCO sites:

1. Forbidden City
Beijing, China

2. Kulangsu
China

3. The Great
Smoky Mountains
Tennessee, USA

4. Great Wall of China
China

5. Gyeongju
South Korea

6. Banks of the Seine
Paris, France

7. Sydney Opera House
Sydney, Australia

8. Taj Mahal
India
UNESCO Sites in Danger
Fifty-five sites in 34 countries are classified as being In Danger. The purpose of this designation is to to raise awareness and to encourage preservation measures. Threats vary but include factors such as armed conflict, urban development, deforestation, environmental factors, and degradation of property.
Other UNESCO Projects
In addition to the World Heritage designation, there are other notable UNESCO lists that bring awareness to parts of the world and therefore drive tourism.
Biosphere Reserves
Biosphere Reserves support strategies that balance biodiversity preservation with its sustainable usage. They affect the lives of more than 250 million people as learning environments for sustainable development in a variety of ecological, social, and economic circumstances. UNESCO lists 727 biosphere reserves in 131 countries currently.
Intangible Cultural Heritage
This list recognizes that cultural heritage is not just landmarks and monuments. It also includes rituals, oral traditions, performing arts, festivals and the traditional skills of local artisans.
Creative Cities Network
Launched in 2004, this program organizes member cities into seven fields: Crafts and Folk Art, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, Media Arts, and Music. To be designated as a City of Gastronomy, for example, a city has to meet a number of stringent criteria, such as having traditional food markets, using indigenous ingredients and promoting of sustainable local products. There are 50 Cities of Gastronomy, including Parma, Mérida, Chengdu, Phuket, and San Antonio.
Global Geoparks
A geopark is a single geographical area that encompasses multiple significant sites and landscapes. Currently there are 195 UNESCO Global Geoparks in 48 countries. Some notable geoparks are Haute-Provence in France, Reykjanes in Iceland, Portugal’s Azores Islands, the Basque Coast of Spain, and the Ngorongoro Lengai of Tanzania, which includes the Ngorongoro Crater.
Conclusion: UNESCO Sites are Worth Visiting
UNESCO Sites by definition belong to us all. Through a lengthy process, cultural or natural places have been designated as having outstanding universal value. For this reason, they are worth a visit.