Revitalizing Intangible Heritage for Sustainability of Cultural Towns: A Case of Vajrayogini Festival in Sankhu, Nepal

ABSTRACT Although the historic town of Sankhu is rich in cultural heritage values, it faces sustainability challenges. In this paper, nexuses between several heritage sustainability factors, such as community participation, heritage promotion, tourism, and economic development, were examined through a mixed‐methods approach, including a literature review, field observations, surveys, and interviews. It investigated, through the Vajrayogini Chariot Festival, how the revitalization of deeply rooted cultural festivals can act as a catalyst for inclusive local economic growth, apart from cultural preservation. It concluded that despite holding deep spiritual and cultural significance, the festival's tourism potential remained underutilized in Sankhu due to limited vision, minimal participation, and inadequate infrastructure. However, Sankhu can be transformed into a prosperous cultural tourism hub through strategic interventions, and such a transformation would support local development and conservation of the traditional urban landscape by offering insights essential for sustaining cultural heritage sites in the Kathmandu Valley and elsewhere.