china eco tourism

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China’s ecotourism industry: how sustainable traveling looks like today

• September 12, 2022
• Chinese tourise , Ecotourism in China , Green tourism in China , Tourism in China

Over the years, the tourism sector in China has undergone a significant transformation – keeping up with global trends in embracing sustainability and ecotourism in its development, especially as government initiatives are pushing for environmental beautification as well as conservation. 

Ecotourism is a form of sustainable tourism that focuses on the natural environment, cultural heritage, and community development. It encourages travelers to gain a deeper understanding of the cultures when visiting destinations and be responsible towards nature.

The Chinese outbound eco-travel market

As Chinese tourists become more eco-conscious, both when traveling domestically and overseas , businesses have also been working diligently to improve the quality of their ecotourism offerings. 

For example, Six Senses Qing Cheng Mountain resort (青城山六善酒)in Sichuan houses, an organic farm, uses only local produce, provides guests with reusable glass bottles ( saving 110, 922 plastic bottles in 2021 ), as well as only uses Teslas for airport transportation. 

Villa Finder , a rental company with thousands of private villas globally, also engages in green practices. Such as planting a tree for each booking, offsetting carbon footprint, as well as creating a dedicated collection for eco-conscious villas. Their initiatives are notably strong in Bali, with special sustainable listings like RedDoor Villa , as well as partnerships with local companies for recycling efforts.

Although Villa Finder does not currently operate in China, Khanh Tran, the Growth Manager of Villa Finder, observed that most bookings from China were for vacation villas in Bali. In fact. China was the top inbound market for Bali at 23% in 2019. On the other hand, most of the Chinese clientele of Villa Finder were from Hong Kong rather than Mainland China, with Koh Samui being the top destination for Hong Kong travelers.

Another luxury eco-resort located abroad in the Maldives, Gili Lankanfushi , also witnessed an influx of Chinese tourists in 2018. However, the Gili Lankanfushi team remarks that while all Chinese tourists are engaged with sustainability and environmental policies, Hong Kong tourists, in particular, seem to have a stronger “sustainable ethos” compared to tourists from mainland China based on their conversations. 

Domestic eco-travel in China and its social implications

Sustainability being a priority for Chinese tourists is even more apparent in domestic travel, which registered a huge market of six billion domestic trips in 2019 , and 2.92 trillion RMB of travel expenses in 2021. The government has continuously invested in local tourism development, having poured 155 billion USD into its tourism infrastructure in 2018 , which led to an $830 billion tourism industry pre-pandemic.

In 2021, China’s Zhejiang province produced an “ ecotourism map ” that listed 21 ecotourism sites for domestic travel in response to the growing Chinese demand for ecotourism products. This list included sites such as wetland parks, forests, nature reserves, villages, and cultural facilities in 11 cities. 

Shaanxi province also released a list of government development project s, boasting six ecotourism trails that center Northwest China’s signature red leaves, giant pandas, golden monkeys, and other natural attractions. China’s rural regions make full use of their geographical assets to attract visitors and facilitate green tourism. 

However, government support for green initiatives goes beyond just being environmentally friendly. It also serves to help promote cultural preservation and economic development for struggling ethnic minorities . China’s ecotourism is an effective method for economic growth and rural poverty reduction, addressing the problem of ethnic groups that fall behind in economic development due to living in mountain-locked regions. 

Cultural Consumerism in China

China is home to some of the world’s most beautiful mountains, and many of them are rich in cultural heritage. Tourists can visit China’s mountains and enjoy a scenic view while learning about its culture and history, but these mountain ranges often require cultural knowledge to appreciate or understand them fully.

For example, there are signs at the Yellow Mountain that describe a dreamy view known as the Xihai (West Sea), but there are no actual bodies of water in sight. As the West Sea refers to a myth where a hiker reached the Yellow Mountains peaks and saw a sea of clouds. While hikers can of course enjoy the Yellow Mountain view without a Chinese mythology class, knowing the cultural lore helps to create a more immersive touristic experience. 

Mountain spectacles: A new not-so-natural phenomenon

One way that China has connected its cultural heritage with the ecotourism industry is through mountain performances. Instead of traditional forms of ecotourism like scenic tours, nature walks, and reserve visits; cities such as Zhangjiajie and Guilin have created outdoor theatrical shows in their mountain landscapes that showcase the local cultures. 

One of the most popular mountain shows is Hunan Province’s Tianmen Fox Fairy ( 天门狐仙 ) show , with an initial production investment of one hundred million yuan. This huge production in the mountains includes a 10,000 square-meter glass steel stage, which can host 530 actors and stage crew. Some scenes of the show highlight the local Tujia minority’s traditions, like their “ hanging houses .” 

Another popular show called the ‘Impressions of Liu Sanjie’ (刘三姐) in Guilin reached over 300 million yuan in revenue in 2017. This mountain production enabled the local Zhuang villagers to become “farmer-performers,” working in production rather than traditional field work. These new jobs in the tourism industry allow them to earn up to 10,000 yuan annually (mostly during tourist season) , which is ten times higher than their former agricultural incomes. 

These new additions to China’s growing ecotourism industry show that traditional culture and heritage are important factors for development. Tourists are drawn not only to natural landscapes, but also to cultural assets. 

Popular ecotourism mountain destinations in China

One famous site is the Tianmen Mountain National Park, or Tianmenshan (天门山), located in Zhangjiajie City, Hunan Province. This mountain is famous for its natural beauty and was named one of the Seven Wonders of China by the Chinese government in 2011. It was officially designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992 .

The mountain itself has three peaks: East Peak (Dongyue Feng), Central Peak (Zhongyue Feng), and West Peak (Xiyue Feng). The highest point on this mountain is at 2,160 meters above sea level.

Other tourist hotspots in China include:

• The Three Mountains of God
• The Jade Dragon Snow Mountain 

Key takeaways of China’s ecotourism industry

• Many companies in the tourism industry acknowledge that Chinese tourists are becoming more eco-conscious in their traveling preferences when going abroad.
• As government policies focus more on sustainability, domestic conservation, and nature development efforts, the average Chinese consumer is also more aware and interested in being eco-conscious.
• Government investment in ecotourism is growing in order to further economic development.
• Ecotourism is important for the preservation of minority culture, and the development of mountain-locked minority communities. 
• Mountain shows are a relatively new phenomenon that combines cultural assets with China’s natural landscape and has generated significant tourist revenue.

Author: Gloria Tsang

Learn about the travel trends in South Korean

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THE 10 BEST China Eco Tours

Eco tours in china.

• Beach & Pool Clubs
• Hiking & Camping Tours
• Nature & Wildlife Tours
• Up to 1 hour
• 1 to 4 hours
• 4 hours to 1 day
• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 2.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• Chinese (Simplified)
• Chinese (Traditional)
• Dujiangyan Panda Base
• Guangzhou Local Tours
• Xiamen Elephant Tour International Travel Service Co., Ltd.
• Black Dragon Pond Park
• The ranking of tours, activities, and experiences available on Tripadvisor is determined by several factors including the revenue generated by Tripadvisor from these bookings, the frequency of user clicks, and the volume and quality of customer reviews. Occasionally, newly listed offerings may be prioritized and appear higher in the list. The specific placement of these new listings may vary.

1. All inclusive Huangshan summit 1 day private tour-No shopping

2. Dujiangyan Panda Volunteering Experience with Lunch

3. Zhujiajiao Water Town Private Tour with Local Farm Visit and Fruit Picking

4. Hong Kong Dolphin Watch Tour

5. Chengdu Private Day Tour: Du jiang yan Panda Base and Qingcheng Mountain

6. 1 Day Li River Cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo with Private Guide & Driver

7. Hanghzhou Xixi Wetland Half Day Tour with Boat Ride

8. Sai Kung Wild Beaches Adventure

9. 2-Day Private Chengdu Panda Tour

10. 2-Day Inner Mongolia desert and grassland optional tours

11. 8-Day Private Yunnan Tour to Kunming, Dali, Lijiang and Shangri-La

12. Private Day Tour to Seven Star Crag Natural Wonder from Guangzhou

13. Glass Bridge Hills Ancient Limestone Cave Swan Lake Private Tour

14. Three Dragon Gorge River Walking Tour

15. Fengjing Ancient Water Town Private Tour with Eco Farm Visit from Shanghai

16. 5-Day Private Zhangjiajie & Fenghuang Old Town Tour

17. Two Days Colorful Private Tour from Kunming to Dongchuan Red Land

18. Chengdu Private Day Tour to Panda Base with Optional Volunteer

19. Suzhou Eco Village Private Day Tour with Lunch and Fruit Picking Option

20. West Lake Scenery and Red Flower Reservoir Cycling Private Tour

21. Private Full-Day Tour with Fruit Picking and Great Wall of China

22. Suzhou Eco Village Private Day Tour with Lunch and Hot Spring Spa

23. Overseas Chinese Migrant Culture and Bird Paradise Private Tour

24. Private 2-Day Tour of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

25. Private Day Tour: Dujiangyan Panda Base Volunteering from Chengdu

26. Hiking Nanjing on my Car

27. 1 day Kunming Highlights Mini Group tour

28. Private Day Tour Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Baisha Village from Lijiang

29. All-Inclusive Private Day Tour of Panda Volunteer Experience in Chengdu

30. Private 2 Full-Day Classic Zhangjiajie National Park Tour Package

What travelers are saying.

Chinese Tourists Agency

Eco-tourism is booming in China

Eco-tourism is a rapidly growing industry in China , as more and more people are becoming aware of the importance of preserving the natural environment . With its diverse landscapes and rich cultural heritage, China is a prime destination for eco-tourists from around the world . From the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas to the tropical rainforests of Yunnan, there is no shortage of breathtaking scenery to explore.

In recent years, the Chinese government has taken steps to promote eco-tourism , recognizing its potential to create jobs and boost local economies while also protecting the environment. As a result, eco-tourism is booming in China and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

What is eco-tourism?

Ecotourism is a concept that embodies the essence of what it is to travel responsibly and sustainably . It must in fact merge respect for the environment, society, and culture of a place visited with local economic development and visitor satisfaction .

Ecotourism ranges from luxury eco-lodges in tropical areas , to alternative tourist paths between mountain villages, to hospitality in low-cost accommodation facilities, and to the purchase of exclusively local products.

But it is sometimes also just philosophy, mentality, and style of travel . For many, in fact, ecotourism does not mean anything other than traveling respectfully and in harmony with the host countries, taking fewer pictures and more conversation, getting out of their own canons of life and consumption, and adapting for a few.

Ecobusiness

In a market, international tourism, which handles more than 700 billion dollars a year in turnover , even a small but growing niche is a potential gold mine. But this is also why the term ecotourism is unfortunately spent abused by resorts that have nothing, that so-called “greenwashing”, just like the growing number of brands that claim that their products are sustainable, but without specifying exactly how.

The dilemma obviously could not lead to the proliferation of dozens of certification systems of the “green labels” that formalize the commitment to the sustainability of a receptive structure. Among those internationally recognized we mention Ecolabel Index, The Green, and Green Globeeks as alternative styles.

A new kind of Chinese tourist?

The tourism sector in China is experiencing a real revolution. Tired of being a mere spectator, the Chinese traveler leaves the broken lines for the desire to feel the protagonist of the journey undertaken.

The Chinese tourist 2.0, especially the millennial, eschews more and more the ‘mass’ holiday: he is looking for more man-made destinations, and suitable for slow, relaxed, sleepy but mysterious and able to respect the environment .

The mantra of the new traveler is that a country is not only its capital, and that is why it is increasingly moving towards less explored paths to discover ‘authentic’ and uncontaminated places.

Bio and green energy

According to a study done, promoted by Espresso Green Communication for ConWood, 42% of Chinese tourists prefer eco-friendly accommodation and tourist destinations, and want to take environmentally friendly actions, even on holiday.

From the use of green energy, to biological or zero-kilometer supplies, from separate waste collection to consumption reduction. These are some of the good practices that, according to the survey, decree the success of accommodation facilities and tourist locations.

This interest is mainly found among young people (58%), and among people from large metropolitan cities such as Shanghai (57%) and Beijing (52%) .

Why is ecotourism growing in China?

But what drives an increasing number of visitors to deviate from traditional rules and endure high prices and uncomfortable beds in the name of ecotourism? At the base, there is undoubtedly a genuine spirit of conservation and respect for the places visited and the desire to contribute positively with their choices.

More than 80% of respondents to a survey conducted by the Greenme Foundation consider the sustainability of the holiday “a necessity”, and almost 60% say they are willing to pay more.

This is a fairly rare case in the green economy especially for Chinese, where consumers’ choices or behaviors are often driven by the logic of “appearing” and since “stand out” in economic terms means to describe consumption, and the practices of the perfect ecolodge are obviously expensive you inevitably get to pay more for lodgings or tours that would have otherwise been discarded in equal footing. Is it the price to get right with your conscience?

What are the reasons that push Chinese travelers to prefer eco-sustainable holidays? According to the study, in the first place, there would be a greater awareness of its environmental impact .

To follow there’s the desire to know the local cultural and enogastronomic traditions, the desire to get in touch with nature, the need to dedicate oneself to personal psycho-physical well-being by practicing sporting activities, and the possibility of contributing to the support of the economy and local development.

Reach your Eco-friendly tourist in China

Even if you are popular anywhere in the world and do not equip yourself with an evolved strategy aimed at China, you are cut off from the games: the one that we propose here is a list of some main steps to follow to reach the Chinese tourist market.

Travel website

Websites and travel blogs are always the most used resource by tourists in general and this does not change for Chinese tourists.

They are especially interested in planning a trip abroad and in the case of eco-friendly to see if the structure or service reserves a sustainable policy.

For a website, simple translations are not enough. It is necessary to have a .cn address as it helps with the loading of the page, but if you do not have a business license in China, you may need an agency to make this registration for you.

Also, remember that now 80% of Chinese people search through the phone so a mobile version will help you with your business .

The fundamental point is to do SEO on Baidu. Baidu, compared to Google, gives much more weight to the keywords in the anchored texts.

For this, it is necessary that all the anchor texts to internal links contain selected, relevant, and well-optimized keywords.

Online operators

It does little to sign up for platforms like Booking or Expedia, in fact, online booking operators in China are Ctrip, Qunar, and eLong , or even travel sites like Tuniu and QYER, Mafengwo, and China’s TripAdvisor. In these types of websites, we rely heavily on the content generated by users, and their reviews.

It will therefore be necessary to create a company profile, share content, and manage reviews, but even if you rely on online operators will be good as they offer good advertising packages.

Spread the word on WeChat

Through the creation and use of WeChat you can brand your services. With an official account, companies have a sort of Web page in WeChat, which allows them to share information, connect to external websites, promote campaigns, and provide services to customers inside the app.

A good way to show and promote your destination is the use of WeChat Moments which is the “visible” part of WeChat where users can share stories, photos, and videos, similar to Instagram.

In addition, Wechat offers the possibility of being close to customers and communicating with them and with new and old partners.

This is also the result of customer service or the WeChat Chatbots.

Finally, the mini-programs are very useful if you want to create a guide within your location or some package for excursions, etc.

Collaborate with KOLs

In addition to the various research on the sites and e-reputation, another very important factor for Chinese travelers is if a trip is promoted by their favorite influencers.

Actually, the so-called KOLs are the biggest success in China and considered the mouth of truth when it comes to planning long-awaited journeys!

A collaboration with Key Opinion Leaders is a powerful tool for companies to increase the possibility of being known and creating loyalty from customers.

In China, the boom in a fast internet network has led to a doubling of streaming video content compared to other countries. Signing up and opening your channel on apps such as Youku and Yizhibo to sponsor your business or destination is a good strategy to use. Living already on video is an aspect that is well-seen by the Chinese who are preparing for a trip.

In the Yunnan Province of China, the Lashi Lake Nature Reserve has become a successful example of ecotourism. The reserve covers an area of 67 square kilometers and is home to a diverse range of flora and fauna, including several endangered species.

In the past, the local community relied on fishing and farming for their livelihoods, which led to overfishing and deforestation in the area . However, with the introduction of ecotourism, the community has been able to preserve the natural environment while also generating income .

The Lashi Lake Nature Reserve offers visitors a range of activities, including hiking, birdwatching, and cultural experiences with the local Yi ethnic group . The local community is heavily involved in the tourism industry, providing accommodation, food, and guiding services.

The success of the ecotourism industry in Lashi Lake has led to the conservation of the natural environment and the protection of endangered species . It has also provided economic opportunities for the local community, reducing their reliance on unsustainable practices.

Overall, the Lashi Lake Nature Reserve serves as a model for sustainable ecotourism in China and demonstrates the potential for conservation and economic development to coexist .

We are your local partner in China!

Eco-tourism is indeed on the rise in China. This is evidenced by the increasing number of tourists visiting eco-friendly destinations, the growing number of eco-tourism companies and initiatives, and the government’s efforts to promote sustainable tourism practices.

It is likely that this trend will continue as more people become aware of the importance of preserving the environment and seek out travel experiences that allow them to do so.

We are a China-based marketing agency offering cost-effective solutions to foreign brands interested in tapping into the Chinese market. Our team of Chinese and foreign experts has the experience and know-how needed to succeed in this lucrative, yet complicated market. Gentlemen Marketing Agency offers many digital marketing and e-commerce solutions, such as web design, e-commerce and social media marketing strategies, localization, market research, KOL marketing, and more.

Don’t hesitate to leave us a comment or contact us , so that we can schedule a free consultation with one of our experts, that will learn about your brand and present you the best solutions for your China market strategy.

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Eight Eco-Friendly Destinations in China

By John Wogan

Although tales of a Loch Ness–style Kanas Lake monster have been circulating for decades, most travelers come for the forested alpine vistas, as well as rock climbing, paragliding, and other high-adrenaline activities.

Late September, when the changing birch and elm leaves create a tapestry of fiery gold and orange.

HOW TO GET THERE

During the summer, China Southern Airlines has daily service to Kanas Airport from Urumqi (western China’s largest city). Off-season, the safest bet is a flight from Urumqi to Altai, followed by two bus rides: one from Altai to Bu’erjin, another to Kanas Lake.

WHERE TO STAY

The 52-villa ­complex at Hongfu Lake Kanas Resort is reminiscent of a European mountain village (86-653-9-0036; doubles from $15).

Mount Kawa Karpo

The frosty pinnacles of the Meili Snow Mountain Range stretch more than 1,500 miles along the Tibetan Plateau in Yunnan’s northwestern frontier, near Burma. The range’s biggest draws are its tallest peak, Kawa Karpo (22,000 feet above sea level), and the Mingyong Glacier, which covers 7 miles of the mountain’s east side.

In late summer, when clear skies place the mountain views in high relief.

From Beijing, fly three hours to Kunming and then take another short flight to Shangri-La. A six-hour car transfer through the forest brings you to Gujiunong.

All 17 of the handsome rooms at the Song­tsam Meili , in Gujiunong, have mind-blowing views of Kawa Karpo. Staff lead hikes on mountain trails (86-887-8200-889; doubles from $200).

Changqing National Nature Reserve

There’s no better place to glimpse the giant panda in the wild than Changqing, high in the Qinling Mountains of Shaanxi Province. Roughly 100 pandas live within the reserve’s 115 square miles—the country’s highest concentration.

In winter, when the bears head down the slopes to feast on bamboo in the valleys, increasing your chances of spotting one.

Changqing is about 180 miles south of Xi’an, a hub for flights from across Asia. You can take a three-hour bus ride to the reserve or arrange for a private car.

The government-run inns resemble rustic cabins. Travel companies such as WildChina , however, add to the comfort level by providing higher-quality bedding, fresh fruit, and posh bath products.

Changbai Mountains

The remote Changbaishan Nature Reserve is the largest protected area in China and the center of the country’s fledgling ski scene. Made up of more than 500,000 acres of pine forest, Changbai lies along the North Korean border and is the country’s last remaining habitat for Siberian tigers.

The ski season is a long one—from November to May.

Changbai­shan Airport has direct flights to and from Beijing and Shanghai.

In July, Starwood Hotels opened the Westin Changbaishan and Sheraton Changbaishan , a chalet-style compound with 559 rooms, six restaurants, and ski-in/ ski-out access (86-439-698-6888; doubles from $152).

Charlie Hobbs

Maya Silver

CNT Editors

Wulingyuan National Park

Fans of the sci-fi blockbuster Avatar will recognize the otherworldly landscape of Wulingyuan. Along with soaring sandstone pillars, the park has a massive amount and diversity of flora and fauna. Keep your eyes peeled for the giant salamander and tusked Chinese water deer—both endangered—hiding amid the jungle-like greenery.

Spring, when cherry and plum blossoms are bursting and before the stifling heat of summer.

From Beijing or Shanghai, take a two-hour flight to Zhangjiajie City’s Hehua Airport, 23 miles from the park.

Use a tour operator such as WildChina to avoid language barriers and transportation headaches; you’ll be put up in one of many simple, tidy park-run inns.

Hulunbuir Grasslands

The grasslands of Hulunbuir (an expansive prefecture of China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous ­region) seem infinite, covering more than 35,000 square miles in a blanket of green. You can ride horses past traditional Mongolian gers and grazing sheep and cows, and cross streams filled with fish that could be that night’s dinner.

From late May through mid-September, when average temperatures are in the 70s—although rain showers, and mosquitoes, are common.

Hulunbuir’s airport serves several Chinese cities and is a 15-minute drive from Hailar, the prefecture’s main town. The grasslands are an hour’s taxi ride away ($15).

The village of Jinzhanghan is in a scenic valley and is modeled on a Mongolian community, with gers available for stays for $10 a day from June through mid-September. China International Travel Service (CITS) has a Hailar branch with English speakers who can help with bookings (86-470-824-6368).

Guizhou Province

Dozens of ethnic minorities live here among terraced rice fields and karst formations.

Now, before it disappears under development.

There are seven daily flights from Shanghai to Guiyang, the province’s capital.

Arrange stays in guesthouses through an operator like WildChina (888-902-8808).

Guizhou, China’s poorest province, plans to develop ecotourism on a grand scale, but the central government is working furiously to industrialize the region. Residents, like this man and his nephew, stand to benefit economically either way.

Jiuzhaigou National Park

It is widely considered China’s premier protected area.

Mid-November through March, to avoid the crowds.

There are numerous daily flights from Chengdu to the Jiu Huang airport.

The Sheraton Jiuzhaigou Resort is within walking distance of the park (86-837-773-9988; doubles from $65).

An Eco Friendly Trip to China

China has 1.9 billion travelers every year. 33 million of them visited Chinese natural reserves. As people’s concerns about the environment grow, more and more individuals are turning to ecotourism. If you’re planning to take a trip to China, take note that China is catching up to the trend. 

China has a beautiful natural beauty that travelers yearn for, thanks to its diverse natural terrain and features. This article will look at China’s ecotourism so that you can use this informative write-up as a reference for your eco-friendly trip to China.

About Ecotourism in China

About your trip to China, you can discover the vast and diversified geography home to a broad range of species. Did you know China is one of the world’s 17 megadiverse countries, with 7,516 vertebrate species, including 4,900 fish species, 1,270 birds, 562 mammals, 403 reptiles, and 346 amphibian species?

There are currently 225 national parks where you may expect to see breathtaking landscapes. As well as cultural landmarks, unique plants and wildlife to support your vacation in China. For example, the Multicolored Mountain Lakes in Jiuzhaigou National Park is famed for its colorful lakes, waterfalls, snowy peaks, forested slopes, and Tibetan communities. It’s a national park with 40 percent of China’s flora species, as well as over 140 bird and animal species, including the giant panda and the Sichuan takin. So, you can enjoy great biodiversity of nature during your trip to China.

The Yinggeling Nature Reserve’s “Eco Action” in Hainan, Daoyi, China, is a product of Kadoorie Conservation China, an NGO, together with China’s government. The project aims to get as many locals to take proactive and long-term measures to defend their area. Eco-Action also includes environmental education for all local participants while promoting mountain conservation consciousness.

This action plan is to train nature reserve employees and local rangers as guides to enhance their capacity to welcome eco-travelers. The purpose is to assist locals in converting traditional handcrafts into souvenirs, safeguard natural resources, maintain culture and discover the benefits of learning ecotourism so that youngsters can incorporate their learnings for the sake of China’s future.

China Ecotour Initiatives

Despite substantial international organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund to carry out conservation projects, the development of nature reserves has stalled. However, on May 16, 2019, WWF China and Ctrip, Asia’s largest online travel operator signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Shanghai to launch a strategic relationship. The two parties announced a sustainable ecotourism effort with over ten other partners on the same day.

With approximately one million animal and plant species threatened with extinction, Ctrip and WWF China want to raise biodiversity awareness and make environmentally beneficial travel products.

Although, ecotourism is not a Chinese phenomenon but rather an international trend borrowed from elsewhere. There are misunderstandings about this concept, and China needs to educate more about environmental protection and sustainable travel. Especially among the younger generations, according to Tian Zhu Zhang, an environmental science professor at Tsinghua University.

According to Professor Xue Hua Liu, a specialist in environmental systems at Tsinghua University, “The Chinese concept of ecotourism is still a work in progress, and it is frequently confused with nature-based tourism, which ignores low-carbon transportation or the economic benefits of increasing income to the local people. Land is a limited resource in China, and bringing a large group of people to a nature reserve defies the goal of limiting influence on the natural resources.”

Additionally, access to natural reserves is also problematic for private travel operators without authorization from the Ministry of Environmental Protection. In time, the Chinese government will soon weigh their lofty environmental aims against economic goals. However, as of today, the path to ecotourism will be long and difficult to apply and adapt. And so, we will expect more from China’s ecotourism initiatives when traveling to China in near future.

Unique Ecotours in China

When you travel to China, take a detour to Sichuan Province, near Chengdu. And check out the Dujiangyan Panda Base, a panda hospital, lab, and monitoring enclosure. Here, travelers can pay a certain amount to experience taking care of Pandas. And help clean or feed the pandas as part of the “Panda Volunteer Program.”

And yes, although it says “volunteer,” being a panda volunteer costs travelers’ money because it’s a research center with a funding endeavor. However, during the volunteer experience, travelers will be accompanied by an English-speaking guide who will assist you in taking photos and films of your volunteer experience. 

Since travelers can serve as panda keepers for a day and see them behind the scenes, travelers can learn and spend time with these endangered animals. This makes your eco-friendly trip to China worth more!

Would you like to know more about eco-friendly travel? To receive inspiration direct to your email inbox, please click  here  and subscribe to the Ecotourism World newsletter!

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From the inflight magazines for Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon

Note: While COVID-19 has put most travel on hold for now, we hope our stories will keep you dreaming and planning for the future

Eco China: 5 of the Country’s Coolest Green Projects

Its cities have been plagued by pollution, but China has also been a leader in developing strategies for a greener future. From a small pig barn to a giant solar farm, we round up five game-changing eco-initiatives across the country

By Justin Heifetz   24 January 2018

Rise of the vertical forest‭ ‬

Where: nanjing what is it: tree-covered buildings and a template for the future status: expected completion in 2018.

It’s a striking image: 1,100 trees and 2,500 smaller plants bursting out of two buildings amid urban Nanjing. The city’s visitors and residents can look forward to slightly fresher air, too, as the buildings, called the Green Towers, are set to absorb 25 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year while producing oxygen. But more importantly, it’s an example of a forward-thinking solution to China’s urban smog that doesn’t take up a large area like a public park. The buildings are the work of Stefano Boeri, an Italian architect famed for his green-covered skyscrapers in Milan. In China, Nanjing is just the start for Boeri, whose next project is kicking off in Guangxi province’s Liuzhou, with another proposed for Hebei province’s Shijiazhuang. In these two locations, he envisions entire districts made of hundreds of forested buildings – a template that could have wide influence on China’s urban development and green projects going forward.

Bamboo town

Where: Baoxi, Zhejiang province What is it: a showcase of the fast-growing plant’s possibilities Year completed: 2016

In 2016, the first International Bamboo Architecture Biennale invited a dozen international architects to the heart of rural China, where they each erected a permanent structure made of bamboo. The show has ended, but the installations – including a youth hostel, a ceramics museum and a bamboo bridge – are here to stay, with plans to turn these green projects into a hotel and learning centre for visitors. Amid the country’s hard-edged, smoggy cities made from concrete, the bamboo structures are a reminder of the traditional building material’s strength, versatility, sustainable qualities and elegant aesthetics, and they’ve helped to breathe new life into the small town of Baoxi.

Down on the farm

Where: Lin’an, Zhejiang province What is it: farm and agricultural education centre Year completed: 2016

Sun Commune, an initiative on the rural outskirts of Hangzhou, might just have the happiest pigs in the world. There, at the foot of scenic mountains, they bask in a spacious sty with a handsome thatched roof and a pool in their large backyard for swimming. But the space isn’t just for the pigs. There’s a learning centre nearby, which helps to promote the countryside to urbanites – adults and children alike – as an attractive place to live and work. The centre is a modernist architectural marvel in this rice field setting: a ring frame is covered in white canvas, with an open-air deck in the middle. It serves as an overnight camp for schoolchildren, who get to experience something different from their city lives in Hangzhou and Shanghai.

The Great Green Wall

Where: Gobi Desert’s border What is it: 100 billion trees to stop the desert from spreading Status: under way with expected completion in 2050

China is fighting desertification, which is when land becomes increasingly dry, destroying plants and driving out wildlife. The main cause of this is the Gobi Desert’s encroachment into arable areas due to sandstorms. The country has devised an unlikely way of fighting back: trying to plant 100 billion trees along the Gobi’s 4,500-kilometre border. Billions of trees have already been planted, in an extremely large area known as the Great Green Wall. And while many scientists are sceptical that planting trees will make a difference, there don’t appear to be any plans to change the programme, which started in 1978 and is expected to go on until 2050.

Here comes the sun

Where: Huainan, Anhui province What is it: The world’s largest floating solar farm Year completed: 2017

Anhui province’s symbol of clean energy wasn’t always so clean: the world’s largest floating solar farm started out as a coal mine. When the mine became flooded with groundwater, the government built an artificial lake there instead. Now that lake floats with about 120,000 solar panels, which can power up to 15,000 homes. This transformation from coal mine to solar farm jibes with China’s general direction of investing in clean energy projects. It’s not the cutest of China’s green projects, however – that honour would have to go to the panda power plant in Shanxi province’s Datong, which, yes, resembles China’s national treasure when seen from above.

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Hangzhou leads the way for sustainable tourism in China

The beauty of this eastern Chinese metropolis has been recognised for centuries, and now green policies are safeguarding its huge tourist pulling power

W hen Marco Polo visited Hangzhou in the 13th century, he called it “the finest and most splendid city in the world”. Capital of the fallen Southern Song emperors, Hangzhou was probably home then to a million people, and likely to have been the largest city in the world.

Today, this iconic Yangtze Delta metropolis is home to nine million people and is trying to add environmental chops to its tourist appeal with a lengthy list of Green City awards, including one from the UN. With its reflected bridges, weeping willows, lotus blooms and pagodas, Hangzhou’s Unesco-listed West Lake could have come straight off a willow-pattern plate. Add Song-era culture and China’s most celebrated green tea, and you have a quintessentially Chinese triptych that draws over 100 million visitors each year – most of them Chinese.

Tourism at that level presents sustainability challenges of its own but, thanks partly to former mayor Qiu Baoxing, China’s sustainable city guru, Hangzhou is successfully greening its air, water and landscapes. Trees, pedestrian parks and lantern-lit paths line stretches of the Grand Canal, which was mostly a stinking, toxic wasteland 20 years ago. And to cut air pollution, the city is limiting car ownership and has a fast-growing metro network. Some historic streets are protected, as are several lakes just outside town.

The city boasts not only a Low-Carbon Museum and a Green Building Museum, but the largest bike-share scheme in the world. It’s chastening to consider that Hangzhou has eight times as many rental bikes as London. Locals and visitors make more than a quarter of a million rides every day on bikes from some 3,300 kiosks in locations including art galleries, railway stations and riversides. Hangzhou recently launched nine new cycling routes through the cottage farms that make Longjing tea by hand. This product is so highly prized that first-flush teas have sold for as much as £6,700 a kilo.

Energy conservation and environmental protection have been important to Hangzhou’s economy for some time. And as China battles environmental issues caused by rapid industrialisation across the country, pouring money into coal caps, green finance and renewables, reforestation programmes and anti-pollution research, Hangzhou seems ahead of the curve.

Environmental issues are increasingly important to ordinary Chinese people, according to Peggy Liu, chair of the Joint US-China Collaboration on Clean Energy. “More people in China care about the environment,” she says. “It’s something you see, breathe and sometimes even taste. More of us have air quality apps on our phones to measure air pollution. We’re on a journey from survivability to livability.”

• Cycling routes in Hangzhou
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The path toward eco-friendly travel in China

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Ecotourism industry in China thrives nationwide

Ecotourism, a form of tourism involving responsible travel to natural areas, conserving the environment, and improving the well-being of the local people, has become one of the key green industries in regions across China, driving local economic development while changing people’s lifestyles.

Photo shows a view of the Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve in east China’s Shandong province. [Xinhua/Guo Xulei]

Ecotourism is becoming a favored choice for Chinese people, as they now prefer to visit places that have thick forests and plentiful vegetation as well as being rich in negative ions. Camping, hiking, bird-watching, and other activities that can embrace nature are becoming increasingly popular among Chinese tourists.

According to China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, recreational vehicle camping and road trips to nearby destinations were popular during this year’s National Day holiday, which ran from Oct. 1 to 7. A report issued by Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba showed that sales of camping products on its online marketplace Tmall surged more than 50 percent in September from a year earlier, while the booking volume for tents and camping trips on its online travel service provider Fliggy soared by over 1,400 percent from a month ago.

Recently, the department of ecology and environment in east China’s Zhejiang province unveiled an “ecotourism map”, which consists of 21 ecotourism sites, in order to meet people’s growing demand for diversified ecotourism products.

Selected from the province’s education centers displaying achievements in ecological civilization, these sites include wetland parks, beautiful villages, cultural facilities, forest parks, nature reserves, agricultural parks, and scenic spots in 11 cities. The move will promote the development of local ecotourism.

Meanwhile, more and more tourism roads that connect ecotourism sites are emerging across China. The transportation department of southwest China’s Sichuan province recently unveiled an official list of its most beautiful rural roads, which include the Zengjiashan ecotourism ring road in the Chaotian district of Guangyuan city. Flanked by forests, the road passes by several tourism attractions and villages while serving as a corridor that integrates tourism and featured industries. As a popular leisure destination for tourists, the road is leading local residents in the direction towards a wealthier life.

At present, China’s local governments are also pursuing the high-quality development of the ecotourism industry by rationally exploiting ecotourism sources, such as nature parks, in addition to launching more ecotourism products.

Northwest China’s Shaanxi province recently unveiled six ecotourism routes, combining the province’s ecotourism sites to feature red leaves, forests, and rare wild animal species, including giant pandas, crested ibises, golden monkeys, and takins. Shaanxi will speed up the development of its quality ecotourism routes and forest-based industries by making full use of its ecological resources on the premise of ensuring ecological safety.

Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets for the development of the country’s ecotourism industry. Statistics show that China has seen its growing forest coverage rate reach and exceed a level of 23 percent. Between 2000 and 2017, China contributed to about 25 percent of global vegetation growth, the biggest share among all countries. Meanwhile, the proportion of the country’s surface water rated with a “good” quality nationwide increased to 83.4 percent.

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Qiushi Newsletter, a bimonthly on China's governance and perspectives, targets at online readers. With important articles selected or translated from the Chinese or English versions of Qiushi Journal , the Newsletter gives details of the CPC's theories, policies, and practical experience in national governance for domestic and foreign readers.

Ecotourism industry in China thrives nationwide

Ecotourism, a form of tourism involving responsible travel to natural areas, conserving the environment, and improving the well-being of the local people, has become one of the key green industries in regions across China, driving local economic development while changing people’s lifestyles.

Ecotourism is becoming a favored choice for Chinese people, as they now prefer to visit places that have thick forests and plentiful vegetation as well as being rich in negative ions.

Camping, hiking, bird-watching, and other activities that can embrace nature are becoming increasingly popular among Chinese tourists.

According to China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, recreational vehicle camping and road trips to nearby destinations were popular during this year’s National Day holiday, which ran from Oct. 1 to 7.

A report issued by Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba showed that sales of camping products on its online marketplace Tmall surged more than 50 percent in September from a year earlier, while the booking volume for tents and camping trips on its online travel service provider Fliggy soared by over 1,400 percent from a month ago.

Recently, the department of ecology and environment in east China’s Zhejiang province unveiled an “ecotourism map”, which consists of 21 ecotourism sites, in order to meet people’s growing demand for diversified ecotourism products.

Selected from the province’s education centers displaying achievements in ecological civilization, these sites include wetland parks, beautiful villages, cultural facilities, forest parks, nature reserves, agricultural parks, and scenic spots in 11 cities. The move will promote the development of local ecotourism.

Meanwhile, more and more tourism roads that connect ecotourism sites are emerging across China. The transportation department of southwest China’s Sichuan province recently unveiled an official list of its most beautiful rural roads, which include the Zengjiashan ecotourism ring road in the Chaotian district of Guangyuan city.

Flanked by forests, the road passes by several tourism attractions and villages while serving as a corridor that integrates tourism and featured industries. As a popular leisure destination for tourists, the road is leading local residents in the direction towards a wealthier life.

At present, China’s local governments are also pursuing the high-quality development of the ecotourism industry by rationally exploiting ecotourism sources, such as nature parks, in addition to launching more ecotourism products.

Northwest China’s Shaanxi province recently unveiled six ecotourism routes, combining the province’s ecotourism sites to feature red leaves, forests, and rare wild animal species, including giant pandas, crested ibises, golden monkeys, and takins.

Shaanxi will speed up the development of its quality ecotourism routes and forest-based industries by making full use of its ecological resources on the premise of ensuring ecological safety.

Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets for the development of the country’s ecotourism industry. Statistics show that China has seen its growing forest coverage rate reach and exceed a level of 23 percent.

Between 2000 and 2017, China contributed to about 25 percent of global vegetation growth, the biggest share among all countries. Meanwhile, the proportion of the country’s surface water rated with a “good” quality nationwide increased to 83.4 percent. – People’s Daily Online

28 October 2021

Photo : A view of the Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve in east China’s Shandong province. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei)

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UNWTO becomes “UN Tourism” 

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) enters a new era  with a new name and brand: UN Tourism. With this new brand, the Organization reaffirms its status as the United Nations specialized agency for tourism and the global leader of tourism for development, driving social and economic change to ensure that “people and planet” are always center stage.

UN Tourism: Transforming tourism for a better worldTo achieve this goal, UN Tourism engaged the services of Interbrand, the leading global branding agency. Interbrand successfully translated the Organization’s renewed vision for tourism into a new visual identity and brand narrative.

This involved renaming the Organization, transitioning from UNWTO to UN Tourism. At the same time, a new brand narrative was meticulously crafted, one that seamlessly aligns with UN Tourism’s central mission and priorities. This narrative pivots around three main messages: the UN as a global altruistic organization, the notion of connecting humans around the world, and the concept of proactivity and movement.

Enhancing the well-being of individuals, safeguarding the natural environment, stimulating economic advancement, and fostering international harmony are key goals that are the fundamental essence of UN Tourism

By moving away from acronyms, UN Tourism adopts a more approachable stance and capitalizes on its strengths: the “UN”, signifying authority, and tourism, a simple and relatable concept for all. This change has been endorsed by the Organization’s membership, highlighting its united support for the profound transformation and reinvention of UN Tourism in recent years, as it has become more agile, visible, and ever closer to its Member States, partners and the sector as a whole.

With 160 Member States and hundreds of private sector affiliates, UN Tourism has its headquarters in Madrid, Spain, and Regional Offices in Nara (Japan) covering Asia & Pacific, Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) for the Middle East, as well as forthcoming Regional Offices for the Americas (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and Africa (Morocco). Its priorities center on promoting tourism for sustainable development in line with the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Global Goals. UN Tourism promotes quality education, supports decent jobs in the sector, identifies talent and drives innovation and accelerates tourism climate action and sustainability . – UN Tourism Jan. 2024

TAT launches

“Thais Always Care”  Campaign 

“The Tourism Authority of Thailand launches ‘Thais Always Care’ campaign in collaboration with other organizations to ensure tourists’ safety and enhance positive image.”

The “Thais Always Care” online communication campaign was officially launched by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) in collaboration with the Tourist Police Bureau, Grab Taxi (Thailand), and Central Pattana (CPN) to ensure the safety and welcome of tourists from around the world. The campaign aims to provide seamless travel experiences for visitors to Thailand while also reinforcing the positive image of the country as a safe destination.

The campaign reflects Thailand’s renowned hospitality and warmth to visitors, showcasing the country as a desirable destination for tourists. “CARE” stands for Compassion, Assistant, Relief, and Elevate, encompassing the generosity of the Thai people and their commitment to providing a safe and enjoyable travel experience for tourists.

Partners involved in the campaign have strengthened their safety measures and are utilizing technology to ensure the safety of tourists in Thailand. This includes installing CCTV cameras, implementing strict security checks at department stores, and utilizing technology like the “POLICE I LERT U” application to offer emergency assistance to international visitors. The campaign will also involve working with international KOLs to enhance the positive image of Thailand’s tourism assets and reinforce the country’s reputation as a safe destination. -Tourism Authority of Thailand

China’s resort island receives

90 m tourists in 2023

More than 90 million domestic and overseas tourists visited south China’s tropical island province of Hainan in 2023, up 49.9 percent year on year, local authorities said .

Hainan’s total tourism revenue surged 71.9 percent year on year to about 181.3 billion yuan (about 25.5 billion U.S. dollars) in 2023, according to the provincial department of tourism, culture, radio, television and sports.

Last year, Hainan experienced rapid development in cruise tourism. Cruises to the Xisha Islands in the South China Sea saw 400 trips, up 277.8 percent year on year, and received 149,400 domestic tourists, up 405.33 percent.

This year, Hainan aims to receive 99 million tourists and its tourism revenue is expected to reach 207 billion yuan. The province aims to receive more than 1 million inbound tourists in 2024.

China aims to build Hainan into an international tourism and consumption center by 2025 and a globally influential tourism and consumption destination by 2035. – Xinhua

Vietnam  to welcome 17-18

million  tourists  this year

Việt Nam’s tourism industry has set a target to welcome 17-18 million foreign visitors in 2024, approaching the pre-pandemic record in 2019 when COVID-19 had yet to disrupt global travel.

In 2023, the figure hit 12.6 million, surpassing the initial target set earlier in the year (before China, which accounted for a third of foreign arrivals to Việt Nam pre-pandemic, announced reopening plans) by 57 per cent and achieving the adjusted goal of 12-13 million.

The number of domestic travellers, meanwhile, stood at 108 million, up 6 per cent compared to the set target. Tourism activities generated about VNĐ678 trillion (US$27.85 billion) in revenue, 4.3 per cent higher than the yearly plan.

Despite substantial recovery in 2023, the Việt Nam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT) said the domestic tourism recovery will still face challenges in the year ahead. This is particularly true in the context of the unpredictable global developments stemming from economic uncertainties, regional conflicts and climate change.

Việt Nam’s socio-economic conditions remain stable; the economy continues to grow and inflation has been kept in check. But the persistent threat of disease and natural disasters are likely to create uncertainty affecting production, business activities and the daily lives of citizens.

According to forecasts from the UN World Tourism Organisation and the World Travel and Tourism Council, international travel activities may fully recover by the end of 2024, reaching the levels achieved in 2019. However, the recovery is expected to be uneven across different regions.

The ever-changing demands of international tourists require higher standards in product quality, diversity and unique experiences. The trends of integrating information technology, artificial intelligence and digital transformation are envisioned to drive the emergence of new forms of tourism.

Based on these analyses and projections, Việt Nam aims to serve 17-18 million foreign and 110 million domestic visitors this year, with an expected total revenue from tourism nearing VNĐ840 trillion.

To achieve the stated objectives, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyễn Văn Hùng has instructed the VNAT to continue focusing on advising and improving the institutional framework, policies, reviewing identified deficiencies for adjustment, and international commitments in the field of tourism. Collaboration with other ministries and sectors is emphasised to formulate policies for developing various types of products such as agricultural tourism and digital transformation in tourism. He also noted the need for attention on strengthening tourism statistics and digital transformation to enhance the effectiveness of data collection, providing reliable figures to efficiently support tourism policy planning.

The ministry also calls for enhanced training for tourism officials and workers to meet requirements of new situations, especially in terms of language proficiency and technology expertise. — VNS

Global Medical Tourism market 

USD 136.93 billion in 10 years

Newark, Jan. 01, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Brainy Insights estimates that the USD 20.07 billion in 2022 global Medical Tourism market will reach USD 136.93 billion by 2032. There is a growing trend towards health and wellness tourism, with individuals seeking medical treatments, preventive care, wellness programs, and holistic health experiences. Medical tourism destinations can capitalize on this trend by offering comprehensive health and wellness packages.

Furthermore, integrating digital health technologies, including telemedicine, virtual consultations, and electronic health records, can enhance the accessibility and coordination of medical tourism services. Digital platforms can streamline pre-travel consultations, post-treatment follow-ups, and information exchange between healthcare providers and patients. Introducing new and advanced medical treatments, therapies, and procedures can attract medical tourists seeking cutting-edge healthcare solutions. Countries and healthcare providers that stay at the forefront of medical innovation can position themselves as leaders in the industry.

In addition, customized and personalized medical tourism packages catering to individual patient’s unique needs and preferences present an opportunity for service providers. Tailoring experiences that include cultural activities, recovery retreats, and concierge services can set providers apart in a competitive market.

Besides, wellness tourism, including genetic testing and personalized health assessments, is gaining traction. Medical tourism destinations can offer specialized wellness packages, including genetic evaluations and preventive health screenings, to attract individuals interested in proactive healthcare.

China eases visa application for US tourists

BEIJING: China will simplify visa applications for tourists from the United States from Jan 1, cutting the documents required, according to a notice on Friday (Dec 29) on the website of the Chinese embassy in Washington.

The move is the latest by China to revive tourism and boost the world’s second-largest economy following a slump during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tourist visa applicants in the US will no longer need to submit air ticket bookings, hotel reservations or an invitation letter, the embassy’s notice said.

Beijing earlier cleared the way for passport holders from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia to visit the country without visas from Dec 1.Visa-free treatment will run for 12 months, during which tourists from those six countries can visit China for up to 15 days. China also expanded its visa-free transit policy to 54 countries in November.

The number of inbound tourists to the country plummeted during the pandemic due to the country’s strict COVID-19 control policies.

China’s visa-free policy facilitates

travels from 6 countries

Around 214,000 people from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia entered China in December 2023, an increase of 28.5 percent compared with November, according to the National Immigration Administration (NIA).

China’s unilateral visa-free policy for ordinary passport holders from these countries took effect on December 1, facilitating inbound travels from there.

Of these inbound trips, 118,000 were made by ordinary passport holders without a visa, accounting for 55.1 percent of all inbound trips from the six countries during this period. Around 91,000 visa-free entries were made for travel and business.

Thanks to the visa-free policy, ports in the southern Chinese city of Nanning welcomed many inbound travelers. Data showed that 121 inbound travel groups of nearly 2,800 people entered China through ports in Nanning in December.

Since the inception of the visa-free policy, ports in Beijing had, by December 31, witnessed more than 12,000 visa-free entries from the relevant countries.

The NIA pledged more optimized entry-exit management policies for foreigners to facilitate their business, study, work, and life in China.

International flights to China have picked up since Beijing dropped COVID-19 restrictions a year ago but are still only at 60 per cent of 2019 levels. – Xinhua

FACTS —

Tourism helps in:

👉Reducing poverty

👉Reducing Inequalities

👉Promoting gender equality

👉Fostering decent work and economic growth

World Tourism Day 2021: ‘Tourism for Inclusive Growth’

In 2019, Travel & Tourism’s direct, indirect and induced impact accounted for: -US$8.9 trillion contribution to the world’s GDP -10.3% of global GDP -330 million jobs, 1 in 10 jobs around the world -US$1.7 trillion visitor exports (6.8% of total exports, 28.3% of global services exports) -US$948 billion capital investment (4.3% of total investment)

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The empirical decomposition and peak path of China’s tourism carbon emissions

• Research Article
• Published: 31 July 2021
• Volume 28 , pages 66448–66463, ( 2021 )

Cite this article

• Xiaojun Ma 1 ,
• Miaomiao Han 1 ,
• Jian Luo   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-1971-2000 2 ,
• Yanqi Song 1 ,
• Ruimin Chen 1 &
• Xueying Sun 1  

3314 Accesses

26 Citations

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Carbon emissions from tourism are an important indicator to measure the impact of tourism on environmental quality. As the world’s largest industry, tourism has many related industries and is a strong driver of energy consumption. The emission reductions it can achieve will directly determine whether China’s overall carbon emission reduction target can be met. This paper analyzes the drivers of the evolution of carbon emissions from the tourism industry in China over the period 2000–2017 as a research sample using the Generalized Dividing Index Method (GDIM), and on this basis, it uses scenario analysis and Monte Carlo simulation to predict the carbon peak in tourism for the first time. The research results show that the scale of industry and energy consumption are the key factors leading to increased tourism carbon emissions, and the carbon intensity of tourism industry, energy consumption carbon intensity, investment efficiency, and energy intensity are the main factors leading to reduced carbon emissions from tourism. The scale of investment and the carbon intensity of investment have a dual effect; the scenario analysis and Monte Carlo simulation used to predict peak carbon in China’s tourism industry show that the peak carbon will occur approximately in 2030. The government needs to further guide and encourage the tourism industry to increase investment activities targeting energy conservation and emission reduction. Under the conditions of strictly implementing energy conservation and emission reduction measures and vigorous promotion of the transformation and upgrading of tourism development methods, the tourism industry will have considerable potential to reduce carbon emissions.

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Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.

Introduction

Responding to climate change has become a common global environmental challenge, and reducing carbon dioxide emissions and promoting a low-carbon economy have become the consensus among all countries. In recent decades, China’s economy has continued to grow, and energy consumption, driven by rapid urbanization and industrialization, has grown rapidly for a long time. This has attracted considerable attention to China’s carbon emissions from all over the world and required China to undertake a larger share of emission reduction tasks. Following China’s first proposed binding energy-saving indicators in the “Eleventh Five-Year Plan,” in 2009, it also proposed for the first time the target of controlling greenhouse gas emissions by reducing carbon emissions per unit of GDP by 40 to 45% in 2020 compared to 2005. China’s “Twelfth Five-Year Plan” and “Thirteenth Five-Year Plan” successively proposed binding energy intensity and carbon emission intensity control targets. In addition, in September 2020, General Secretary Xi delivered an important speech at the general debate of the 75th United Nations General Assembly, clearly proposing that China will strive to reach peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030. How to achieve this goal requires effort and attention from all parts of society.

With the rapid development of the tourism economy, the pressure of the tourism industry on the ecological environment has gradually become prominent, and the traditional concept of tourism as a “smoke-free industry” has gradually been subverted. The tourism industry accounts for 4 to 6% of total global anthropogenic carbon emissions. If effective mitigation measures are not taken, carbon emissions from the tourism industry may increase by 1.5 times over the next 30 years (Scott et al. 2007 ). In 2009, the World Tourism and Travel Council (WTTC) determined that by 2035, CO2 emissions from the tourism industry will be reduced by 50% from 2005 levels. According to 2020 China Statistical Yearbook data, the total number of tourists in 2019 reached 6.151 billion. The construction, operation, and maintenance of the associated large-scale tourism facilities consume energy and generate substantial carbon emissions. Carbon peaking is China’s major decision-making and deployment to cope with global climate change, unswervingly follow the path of green and low-carbon development, and force high-quality development with target constraints. The tourism industry must shoulder this mission and responsibility and work together to find solutions. Put forward the goal and vision of peaking the carbon in the tourism industry, which will promote the high-quality development of China’s tourism economy, the overall green and low-carbon transformation of the society, and the high-level protection of the ecological environment. It will play an important guiding role in accelerating the implementation of green and low-carbon transformation and long-term low-carbon development strategies, as well as advancing the process of global governance, which is of very important practical significance. Therefore, accurately identifying the influencing factors that affect the tourism industry’s carbon emissions, scientifically predicting the carbon peaks of China’s tourism industry under different policy orientations, and proposing specific carbon emission reduction measures are the relevant choices for the modern tourism industry to achieve sustainable development of the tourism economy. It is a necessary condition for China to successfully fulfill its commitment to a 2030 carbon peak.

The following structure of this paper consists of four parts. In the “Literature review,” we review previous studies. In the section of “Model methods and data,” we describe the measurement methods of tourism carbon emissions, GDIM decomposition model, scenario analysis and Monte Carlo prediction model, data sources, and indicator selection instructions. In the “Results and discussion” section, we use the above model and the method to carry on the demonstration analysis and carry on the discussion to the result. Finally, we conclude our findings and discuss policy implications.

Literature review

Domestic and foreign scholars have proposed many methods for analyzing carbon emissions according to different purposes, objects, and scales, mainly including the factor decomposition method (Bargaoui et al. 2014 ; Quan et al. 2020 ; Liu et al. 2007 ; Shuai et al. 2017 ; Zhao and Liu 2020 ), input-output method (Guo et al. 2018 ; Moran and Gonzalez 2007 ), model analysis method (Liu and Xiao 2018 ), and life cycle method (Jin et al. 2014 ; Shan et al. 2020 ). Their scopes of application and advantages and disadvantages are shown in Table 1 .

Existing research on tourism carbon emissions focuses on three aspects: the measurement of tourism carbon emissions, the relationship between the economic growth and carbon emissions in tourism, and the degree of influence of various driving factors on tourism carbon emissions. Regarding the measurement of tourism carbon emissions, Gossling ( 2000 ) were the first to propose a method for systematically measuring tourism carbon emissions. Subsequently, Beckena et al. ( 2003 ) studied the energy consumption of tourism in New Zealand and found that the energy consumption of tourism transportation accounted for 65 to 73% of tourism’s total energy consumption. Perch-Nielsen et al. ( 2010 ) constructed a framework for measuring the intensity of Swiss greenhouse gas emissions and compared Swiss greenhouse gas intensity with other European countries, providing an important reference for measuring the carbon emission level of a country or region’s tourism development. Shi and Wu ( 2011 ) adopted the “bottom-up” method to systematically estimate the energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions of China’s tourism industry for the first time. Regarding the relationship between the growth of the tourism sector and carbon emissions, Zaman et al. ( 2016 ) and Len et al. ( 2014 ) identified and analyzed the relationship between economic growth and carbon emissions in the tourism sector in developed and developing countries. They found that economic growth increases carbon emissions. Moreover, the economic growth of tourism has a higher impact on carbon emissions in developed than that in developing countries. Sun ( 2016 ) used an extended input-output environment model to reveal the dynamic relationship between growth in the tourism sector, tourism carbon emissions, and technical efficiency. Regarding the factors affecting carbon emissions in the tourism industry, the logarithmic mean Divisia index (LMDI) decomposition method and the scalable random environmental impact assessment model (STIRPAT) are the most widely used. Robaina-Alves et al. ( 2016 ) and Liu et al. ( 2011 ) used LMDI to study the influencing factors of tourism carbon emissions in Portugal and Chengdu, respectively, and concluded that the number of tourists is the primary factor leading to an increase in carbon emissions and that energy intensity is the key factor in reducing carbon emissions. Koak et al. ( 2020 ) adopted the STIRPAT model to quantitatively analyze the different contributions of driving factors, such as tourism development, the urbanization rate, and energy intensity, to tourism carbon emissions. However, both the LMDI and STIRPAT decomposition methods are constrained by identity, which makes the decomposition results inaccurate. Vaninsky ( 2014 ) proposed a new decomposition method—GDIM—which overcomes the defects of the existing exponential decomposition methods mentioned above and can more comprehensively and accurately quantify the actual contributions of different factors to the evolution of carbon emissions. It has been widely used in the mining industry (Shao et al. 2016 ), industry (Quick 2014 ), transportation industry (Guo and Meng 2019 ), power industry (Zhu et al. 2018 ; Yan et al. 2019 ), etc.

In recent years, the prediction of carbon emission peaks has become a lively research topic in the academic circles. The scenario analysis method is a common auxiliary forecasting model. The greatest advantage of scenario analysis is that it can predict certain trends of future carbon emission changes and avoid overestimating or underestimating future changes and their impacts (Tao et al. 2019 ). The model can assist in predicting the optimal peak path by setting different scenarios and determining the optimal carbon emission reduction method. However, this method cannot be used alone and often appears in the form of “method + scenario analysis.” The common methods mainly include IPAT model, STIRPAT model, system dynamics, and artificial neural network. For example, Yue et al. ( 2013 ) used the IPAT model combined with the scenario analysis method to set 54 plans to predict carbon emissions in Jiangsu Province to determine the best carbon emission reduction path. Fang et al. ( 2019 ) used the expanded STIRPAT model and scenario analysis to predict the carbon emission peak path of China’s 30 provinces in 2030 and found that only 26 provinces may reach the peak carbon emission. Du et al. ( 2019 ) studied the carbon emissions of China’s construction industry under different scenarios through system dynamics, and the results of the study showed that by 2025, carbon emissions will reach 992.11 million tons. Xu et al. ( 2019 ) used a dynamic artificial neural network to predict that China’s carbon dioxide emissions will reach 10.08, 10.78, and 11.63 billion tons in 2029, 2031, or 2035 under low, medium, and high growth scenarios, respectively. As an uncertain analysis method, Monte Carlo simulation has been widely used in the analysis and research of uncertain events due to its comprehensive flexibility (Shao et al. 2017 ), but it has not been widely used by researchers on carbon emission reduction paths in China. If Monte Carlo simulation and scenario analysis can be organically combined, the optimal emission reduction path can be identified (Zhang et al. 2020 ).

Although the research on carbon emissions in the existing literature is increasingly diversified and the research methods are gradually improved, there are still some deficiencies: (1) There is a lack of factor decomposition methods. Most of the literature on the analysis of factors affecting tourism carbon emission focuses on the LMDI and STIRPAT methods, which decompose the change in target variables into several influencing factors and identify the influence degree of each influencing factor. The LMDI decomposition method makes all factors depend on each other to some extent. Although the STIRPAT decomposition method can better fit the relationship between resources, the environment, and social and economic indicators, it is mostly limited to the “scale, technology, and structure” influencing factor framework. (2) The selection of factors is one-sided. The influencing factors selected by the existing research on tourism carbon emissions are relatively fixed but not comprehensive, most of which are limited to the consumption level, the number of tourists, and industrial structure, while the influence of investment factors on tourism carbon emissions is ignored. (3) The forecast trend analysis is weak. Although research on carbon peaks has addressed the construction industry (Li et al. 2019 ), industry (Zhou et al. 2018 ), power industry (Gu et al. 2015 ; Tao et al. 2019 ), and other industries and sectors, the research on carbon peaks in tourism is relatively limited.

Given the current state of the literature, the main content and innovations of this article are as follows: (1) In terms of research methods, GDIM was used to analyze the driving factors of China’s tourism carbon emissions from 2000 to 2017. The decomposition results of the GDIM model are not constrained by identities, and the dependence between variables is eliminated. Based on the investigation of the influence of absolute factors, the potential factors can be taken into account, so the accuracy of the factors affecting tourism carbon emissions can be improved. (2) In the selection of research factors, as investment factors have been neglected in the existing literature, this paper provides a new perspective for studying the factors affecting carbon emissions in the tourism industry. Therefore, in terms of variable selection, this article introduces three investment-related factors, namely, investment scale, investment efficiency, and investment intensity, to examine the impact of investment on the evolution of tourism carbon emissions. (3) In terms of trend analysis, the scenario analysis method and Monte Carlo simulation method are used to forecast the carbon emissions of China’s tourism industry. Analyzing the future changes in tourism carbon emissions can serve as guidance for the government when formulating policies, help the tourism industry realize the transition to low-carbon development as soon as possible, and make adjustments as soon as possible to support the national carbon emission plan and reach the carbon peak earlier.

Model methods and data

Estimation method of china’s tourism carbon emissions.

From a global perspective, there is no systematic method for estimating energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions in the tourism industry (Kuo et al. 2012 ). In existing studies, both “top-down” and “bottom-up” methods have been used (Becken and Hay 2007 ; Goessling et al. 2005 ). The so-called “top-down” method directly estimates the proportion of energy consumption and emissions of tourism within a complete system (such as a country or region). The “bottom-up” approach starts with data from visitors arriving at the destination and works its way up the hierarchy to calculate energy consumption and emissions. The “top-down” approach requires national or regional statistics on energy consumption and the monitoring of carbon dioxide emissions. In China’s Energy Statistical Yearbook , the energy-consuming sectors mainly include industry, mining, construction, and transportation, and there is no statistical item for energy consumption in the tourism or service industries. In addition, China does not have a statistical monitoring system for greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, it is difficult to use a “top-down” approach to estimate energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions from the tourism industry. This research adopts the “bottom-up” approach to measure the carbon emissions of China’s tourism industry from 2000 to 2017 and draws lessons from the research of Beckena et al. ( 2003 ) and Shi and Wu ( 2011 ) to determine the tourist traffic, tourist accommodations, and tourism activities to identify the carbon emissions of key areas of the tourism industry. The method used here to calculate carbon emissions and aggregate various sources in the tourism industry using the “bottom-up” approach is as follows:

C represents the total carbon emissions from the tourism industry, and i represents three sectors: tourism transportation, tourism accommodation, and tourism activities.

C 1 represents the total carbon emissions of tourism transportation; m represents the four transportation modes of road, aviation, railway, and water transportation; Q m is the passenger turnover of the m -type transportation mode; and P m is the proportion of tourists in the passenger turnover of the m -type of transportation. The ρ values of road, air, rail, and water transportation are 13.8%, 64.7%, 31.6%, and 10.6%, respectively. α m is the carbon emission factor of the m type of transportation, and the emission factors of road, airplane, railway, and water transportation are 133, 137, 27, and 106, respectively (Shi and Wu 2011 ).

c 2 represents the total carbon emissions of travel accommodations. N is the number of beds in a tourist hotel room. R is the average room utilization rate of tourist hotels. β is the carbon dioxide emission factor per bed per night. The value is 2.458 g  bed −1  night (Wei et al. 2012 ).

c 3 is the total carbon emissions from tourism activities. K j is the number of tourists in j tourism activities and combines the number of inbound tourists, urban residents, and rural residents, and β j is the carbon dioxide emission factor of j tourism activities. The carbon dioxide emission factors of sightseeing, business travel, leisure vacation, visiting relatives and friends, and other types of tourism activities are 417, 786, 1670, 591, and 172 g  person −1 , respectively (Shi and Wu 2011 ).

Decomposition method for tourism carbon emission factors

The GDIM mainly establishes a multidimensional factor decomposition model through the deformation of the Kaya identity to reveal the causes of carbon emission changes. Based on the basic principles of GDIM, the expressions for tourism carbon emissions and related influencing factors are as follows, the variables and specific meanings involved in model are shown in Table 2 .

To further use the GDIM method, Formulas ( 8 ). ( 9 ), and ( 10 ) are transformed into the following formulas:

For factor X , use function Z ( X ) to represent its contribution to changes in carbon emissions. Construct a Jacobian matrix Φ X composed of various influencing factors from Formulas ( 12 ), ( 13 ), ( 14 ), and ( 15 ):

According to the GDIM method, the amount of change ∆ Z in the tourism industry’s carbon emissions can be decomposed into the sum of the contributions of various influencing factors, as shown in the following formula:

In Formula ( 17 ), L represents the time span ΔZ  = ( X 2   X 1  0 0 0 0 0 0), I represents the identity matrix, and “+” represents the generalized inverse matrix. If the column vectors in the Jacobian matrix Φ X are linearly independent, then \( {\varPhi}_X^{+}={\left({\varPhi}_X^T{\varPhi}_X\right)}^{-1}{\varPhi}_X^T \) . This article decomposes the changes in tourism carbon emissions into the sum of 8 factors: ∆ Z XI , ∆ Z X 2 , ∆ Z X 3 , ∆ Z X 4 , ∆ Z X 5 , ∆ Z X 6 , ∆ Z X 7 , and ∆ Z X 8 .

Tourism peak carbon emissions forecast

Scenario analysis of tourism carbon emission forecast.

Based on the factor decomposition results, the main driving factors in the evolution of tourism carbon emissions are industry scale and tourism industry carbon intensity, while the energy consumption energy intensity and energy intensity have considerable potential to drive emission reduction, and future carbon emission reduction policies should be mainly formulated and implemented around these factors. Therefore, this paper constructs the following expressions containing relevant factors for scenario analysis:

If the rates of change of industry scale, energy intensity, and energy consumption carbon intensity are δ , ε , and ω , then

Therefore, the following relationship exists:

The rate of change in tourism carbon emissions can be expressed as follows:

To predict future trends in the evolution of tourism in carbon emissions, then put forward deserve further exploration of issues such as tourism carbon emissions. This article considers the past trends of various factors influencing the tourism industry, the potential for emission reduction, and the difficulty of implementing emission reduction policies. We set three scenarios for future development as a baseline scenario, a low-carbon scenario, and a high-carbon scenario.

Baseline scenario. This scenario basically does not make adjustments to the tourism industry and is estimated in accordance with existing energy-saving potential. On the one hand, it maintains healthy economic growth, and on the other hand, it realizes a strong low-carbon travel policy. During the “Thirteenth Five-Year Plan” period, various localities continued to promote the construction of a green tourism product system. This article sets relevant parameters based on the “Thirteenth Five-Year” Tourism Development Plan and other policy documents (State Council 2016 ).

Low-carbon scenario. This scenario emphasizes the coordinated development of the economy and environment, highlights the importance of low-carbon environmental protection, vigorously develops non-fossil energy industries, strengthens the transformation of the energy structure, promotes the industrialization of new technologies, strengthens the construction of tourism industry infrastructure, and gradually realizes smart green growth. Green tourism-related infrastructure and effective management of tourism activities are employed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

High-carbon scenario. This scenario is set in the context of faster economic growth, greater energy intensity, and greater carbon intensity in energy consumption. No measures or energy-saving and emission reduction measures are taken to control the growth of tourism carbon emissions. In this case, the economy is an “extensive” economy that entails high energy consumption.

We make some adjustments according to Formula ( 18 ). The setting of each influencing factor is as follows:

Industry scale. Collecting and sorting the annual numbers over the years considered, we find that the total output value of the tourism industry increased by 14.60% from 2015 to 2016 and the total output value of the tourism industry increased by 14.72% from 2016 to 2017. The “Thirteenth Five-Year” Tourism Development Plan is expected to have been completed in the tourism industry by 2020. The total output value is 7 trillion yuan, with an average annual growth rate of 11.18%. In addition, due to the present COVID-19 pandemic, the situation is difficult to estimate, and this study does not consider the impact of the pandemic at present. According to the “Thirteenth Five-Year” Tourism Development Plan, the benchmark case is that the annual growth rate of the total output value of the tourism industry is 11.2% from 2018 to 2020, 8.2% from 2021 to 2025, 5.3% from 2026 to 2030, and 2.6% from 2031 to 2040. The other two cases have a 1% change relative to the baseline case.

Energy intensity. The energy intensity setting refers to the “Thirteenth Five-Year Plan for Energy Emission Reduction (Energy Bureau 2017 ),” which proposes that by 2020, the national energy consumption per 10,000 yuan of GDP will have been reduced by 15% compared with that in 2015, an average annual reduction of 2.8%. Lin and Liu ( 2010 ) predicted that my country’s energy intensity will decline at an average annual rate of 3.1% from 2016 to 2020, and this result is similar to that in the tourism industry. Based on this, the benchmark scenario is that the energy intensity of the tourism industry will decrease by 2.8% annually from 2018 to 2020, by 2.4% annually from 2021 to 2025, by 2.1% annually from 2026 to 2030, and by 2.1% annually from 2031 to 2040. Energy intensity thus falls by an average of 1.9% annually. The other two cases exhibit a 0.5% difference from the baseline case.

Energy consumption carbon intensity. The energy consumption carbon intensity is set according to the “Energy Development Strategy Action Plan” (State Council 2014 ) and the “Energy Production and Consumption Revolution Strategy (National Development and Reform Commission and Energy Administration 2017 ).” In addition, Lin and Liu ( 2010 ) predicted that the average annual growth rate of China’s energy consumption carbon intensity from 2016 to 2020 would be −0.6%. With the development of technology and the use of clean energy, the marginal cost of reducing energy consumption carbon intensity is increasing. The larger the value, the slower the rate of reduction in the carbon intensity index of energy consumption. The baseline scenario is that the carbon intensity of energy consumption will be reduced by 0.8 per year from 2018 to 2020, 0.6 per year from 2021 to 2025, 0.4 per year from 2026 to 2030, and 0.3 per year from 2031 to 2040. The other two scenarios have a 0.15% change relative to the baseline scenario.

Monte Carlo simulation of CO2 emissions in the tourism industry

The scenario analysis assumes that the rate of change of each factor remains unchanged, but the actual situation is that these three variables all change dynamically. The Monte Carlo method overcomes the static limitations of scenario analysis and can dynamically predict changes in carbon dioxide emissions. The method of randomly taking values for each variable according to its own probability of occurrence and then combining these values with the random values of other variables is based on the Monte Carlo simulation method. For each stage of the tourism industry scale growth rate, energy intensity growth rate, and energy consumption carbon intensity growth rate, 5 discrete values and corresponding probabilities are set. The discrete values are based on the previous scenario analysis. The benchmark scenario value is assigned the highest probability, the other probability distributions are set symmetrically, and the probability of reaching the extreme minimum and maximum values is 5%. The probability distribution of each variable is shown in Table 3 .

Data source

The basic data used in this paper are from the China Tourism Statistical Yearbook and its analogues, China Transport Yearbook , China Statistical Yearbook , China Domestic Sampling Survey Data, Sampling Survey Data of Incoming Tourists, Analysis Report on Tourism Industry Development Trends and Investment Decision-making, and Annual Tourism Report from 2001 to 2018. Since the fixed asset investment in the statistical data is calculated at the current price in the current year, it is not comparable, so the data are transformed into constant prices based on the year 2000. The carbon emission factors of various modes of transportation, the proportion of tourists in passenger turnover, the carbon emission factors of each bed per night, and the carbon emission coefficients of tourism activities are derived from the existing research results both domestic and foreign.

Indicator selection instructions

Through the GDIM decomposition method, eight representative factors are selected from the three aspects of industry scale, energy consumption scale, and investment scale to analyze the carbon emissions of the tourism industry. First, in terms of the investment scale, due to the lack of statistical research on tourism, there are still no specific investment statistics for tourism. Tourist hotels, travel agencies, and tourist attractions, as the three core sectors of tourism, are the core carriers of inbound regional tourism and the key areas of tourism investment. Among them, investment in fixed assets is the most basic, and the original value of fixed assets in the three core sectors (referring to the total amount of money spent by an enterprise on the construction, purchase, installation, reconstruction, expansion, and technical transformation of a fixed asset) is used to represent the investment scale (Zha et al. 2019 ). Second, in terms of the industry scale factor, the added value of tourism is the added value generated by the tourism industry and other industries of the economy in response to domestic tourism consumption. Some domestic documents, when discussing the development of tourism, equate three indicators, namely, total income from tourism, foreign exchange earned via tourism, and value added of tourism, to illustrate the remarkable achievements in tourism development. Tang et al. ( 2017 ) used total tourism revenue to represent the scale of the tourism industry. Finally, in terms of energy consumption scale factors, energy consumption in the tourism production process is also an important indicator for measuring the impact factors of tourism carbon emissions, but the Energy Statistics Yearbook does not provide detailed statistics on energy consumption in tourism or related service industries. This paper adopts the calculation method for energy statistics in tourism by Shi and Wu ( 2011 ).

Results and discussion

Decomposition results of tourism carbon emission factors.

Based on the GDIM method, this paper uses R software to decompose the factors influencing China’s tourism carbon emissions from 2000 to 2017 and obtain the industry scale ( X 1 ), energy consumption scale ( X 3 ), investment scale ( X 5 ), tourism industry carbon intensity ( X 2 ), energy consumption carbon intensity ( X 4 ), investment carbon intensity ( X 6 ), investment efficiency ( X 7 ), and energy intensity ( X 8 ). To facilitate the analysis, the research period is divided into 4 stages, 2000–2004, 2005–2009, 2010–2014, and 2015–2017, and the factor decomposition result is calculated according to the formula. The detailed classification and impact effects are shown in Table 4 , and the contribution of carbon emissions is shown in Figure 1 .

The decomposition results of the staged factors of tourism carbon emissions

Analysis of industrial factors

Figure 1 shows that the industrial scale and energy consumption scale of the tourism industry from 2000 to 2017 almost always played a role in promoting growth. Tang et al. ( 2017 ) reached a similar conclusion: the scale of the industry is the main contributor to the increase in carbon emissions from China’s tourism industry. As shown in Fig. 1 , the industry scale is the factor that contributes the most to the increase in carbon emissions. The effect of promoting growth first strengthened and then weakened, leading to 7.10 million tons, 12.694 million tons, 31.906 million tons, and 12.3809 million tons of carbon emissions. The reason is that with the rapid development of China’s economy, the improvement of people’s living standards, and the increase of leisure time, tourism has gradually become a necessity in life. On the other hand, with the continuous improvement of tourist facilities, the transportation industry has also developed rapidly. For example, the number of private cars has increased from 6,253,300 in 2000 to 225,079,900 in 2019, which has brought great convenience to people’s travel. The combined effect of these two aspects has promoted the rapid increase in the added value of the tourism industry and has also brought about an increase in the tourism industry’s carbon emissions At present, China’s tourism industry is in a state of vigorous development, and resistance to emission reduction in the future will grow. Therefore, to account for the dual needs of economic development and carbon dioxide emission reduction, green tourism, technology tourism, and smart tourism should be vigorously implemented, and the tourism economy should be promoted to pursue the development track of innovation-driven and endogenous growth, which are inherent requirements for the low-carbon development of China’s tourism industry.

Overall, the tourism industry carbon intensity is a key factor in reducing carbon emissions and can allow the tourism industry to begin to reduce emissions. Emissions intensity increased from 1.6564 million tons in 2000–2004 to 3.30 million tons in 2005–2009, then increased to 15.3362 million tons in 2010–2014, and finally decreased to 4.3204 million tons in 2015–2017. This shows that China’s tourism industry has adjusted policies driving the development of the tourism industry in recent years, striving to achieve transformation and leapfrog development; efforts at reducing carbon emissions have been effective, and the tourism industry has been well developed. This conclusion is similar to that of Tomas Baležentis et al. ( 2012 ), who found that industrial carbon intensity is a key factor in reducing carbon emissions from rural tourism in the country. The emission-promoting effect of investment efficiency is second only to the tourism industry carbon intensity, which increased from 189,800 tons in 2000–2004 to 1,546,100 tons in 2005–2009, then increased to 7,525,600 tons in 2010–2014, and finally decreased to 3,444,900 tons in 2015–2017. This means that China has initiated effective sustainable tourism investment to reduce the negative impact of tourism on the environment and further promote the development of tourism. These investments could help the country use greener technologies, which could improve energy efficiency, increase renewable energy use, and effectively manage tourism activities.

Analysis of energy factors

The growth-promoting effect of the energy consumption scale also showed a trend of first strengthening and then weakening. It reached its maximum value in 2010–2014, which was 8.46 million tons. The development of long-distance transportation has lengthened people’s travel distances, leading to an increase in tourism energy consumption from 17,164,600 tons of standard coal in 2000 to 69,931,300 tons of standard coal in 2017. In addition, the improvement of living standards has increased people’s shopping and entertainment activities during travel and tends to consume with high carbon emissions, which has led to an increase in carbon emissions from the tourism industry. Then decreased to 6.661 million tons in 2015-2017, mainly due to China’s “Twelfth Five-Year Plan.” The plan’s outline advances the goals of controlling total energy consumption, promoting the efficient and clean conversion of energy, and deepening the reform of the energy system and mechanism. The tourism industry has also accordingly implemented controls on energy consumption intensity and total consumption.

The emissions-reducing effect of energy consumption carbon intensity was significantly enhanced from 2010 to 2014, and the reduction remained fairly similar in the other periods considered, remaining at 100,000 to 450,000 tons. This is a manifestation of the initial results of China’s energy structure adjustment and optimization. Energy intensity showed a weak positive effect on carbon emissions, which changed from 71,200 tons in 2000–2004 to 169,200 tons in 2005–2009. The largest contribution was 1,871,900 tons in 2010–2014, but the value then decreased to 371,000 tons. Energy intensity reflects the overall energy efficiency of economic activities, and there is considerable room for improvement in energy efficiency in the future. Some domestic and foreign studies have also confirmed the importance of energy intensity for carbon emission reduction, such as Ma et al. ( 2018 ) and Li et al. ( 2019 ).

Analysis of investment factors

The impact of the investment scale on carbon emissions has a dual effect. From 2000 to 2009, investment scale was positively associated with carbon emissions, and from 2010 to 2017, this association became negative. The reduction effect reached 4,474,200 tons in the intermediate time period. In the boosting effect, investment is used to expand tourist attractions and tourism services to attract more tourists. According to rebound effect theory (Berkhout et al. 2000 ), the energy efficiency improvement generated by technological progress will lead to additional energy use and carbon emissions. In the reduction effect, investment in green tourism-related infrastructure and effective tourism activity management can effectively reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Shao et al ( 2017 ) analyzed China’s manufacturing industry and concluded that the scale of investment is the primary factor increasing carbon emissions. The reason for this difference may be that the manufacturing sector is a labor- and resource-intensive sector. Since the beginning of the twenty-first century, the rapid development of the manufacturing sector has been accompanied by an extensive development model. Productive investment includes investment in fixed assets and foreign investment, which are used to create social wealth and expand the scale of production, resulting in considerable energy consumption, pollution, and carbon dioxide emissions. The tourism industry is a medium-tech sector, and investment will lead to a decline in environmental quality and an increase in carbon dioxide emissions. It will also bring new management models and advanced technologies to curb the increase in carbon dioxide emissions by improving energy efficiency and other means. The changes in investment carbon intensity are also more complicated. Only in 2005–2009 were carbon emissions reduced by 1,341,800 tons, and the other time periods all saw increases.

Therefore, when formulating specific emission reduction policies in the future, it is necessary not only to strengthen the negative effect on carbon emissions but also to pay attention to increases in the promotion effect. To more clearly reflect the dynamic effects of various factors on the evolution of carbon emissions from 2000 to 2017, this paper sets 2000 as the base period and obtains the cumulative contribution rate of various factors to carbon emissions, as shown in the figure below.

As shown in Fig. 2 , during the period 2001–2017, the industry scale was the primary factor in the increase in carbon emissions from the tourism industry. The carbon emissions increased from 1.246 million tons in 2001 to 13.08585 million tons in 2017. The average annual growth rate is 33.76%, and the contribution of industry scale to tourism carbon emissions has always been positive, with a contribution rate of 334.85% in 2017. The energy consumption scale is also an important factor that increases tourism carbon emissions. Its growth rate is relatively flat. Its average annual growth rate from 2001 to 2017 was 21.09%. By 2017, it had caused a total of 18.2606 million tons, with a contribution rate of 62.83%. The tourism industry carbon intensity is a key factor in promoting the reduction of carbon emissions, with an average annual growth rate of 14.36% and a contribution rate of 22.24% in 2017. The effect of the investment scale has fluctuated, the emissions-increasing effect of the investment scale increased at an average annual rate of 13.33% after 2010, and the cumulative contribution rate was 19.11% in 2017. Neither energy consumption carbon intensity nor energy intensity has a significant effect on reducing carbon emissions, and their contribution rates by 2017 were 4.64% and 0.97%, respectively. The above results show that the energy intensity and energy structure adjustments advocated by the tourism industry are far from the expected level of promoting carbon emission reduction, and there is still considerable room for improvement.

Cumulative contribution of factors influencing changes in tourism carbon emissions

The forecast of peak tourism carbon emissions

• Scenario analysis

According to the three scenarios previously established, the predicted trend in China’s tourism carbon emissions from 2018 to 2040 can be obtained as shown in Fig. 3 .

China’s tourism industry’s carbon emissions forecast in three scenarios from 2018 to 2040

In the baseline scenario, the peak of China’s tourism carbon emissions will be in 2030, at 267,718,400 tons. The average annual growth rate of carbon dioxide emissions from China’s tourism industry from 2031 to 2040 will be negative and will continue to grow from 2018 to 2030; then, the annual carbon dioxide emissions will decrease annually starting in 2031. This result shows that the government’s active emission reduction measures to promote energy conservation and green development in tourism can effectively control the rapid growth of tourism carbon emissions. China’s tourism industry may achieve the goal of reaching peak carbon in 2030.

Under the low-carbon scenario, peak carbon in China’s tourism industry is the same as in the baseline scenario. However, the peak is at 212.4011 million tons, which is 55.317 million fewer tons than the baseline scenario, which also shows the feasibility of the low-carbon scenario. From 2018 to 2030, the growth rate of carbon emissions in China’s tourism industry will slow significantly, with an average annual growth rate of 3.6%, and the average annual rate of reduction in carbon emissions from 2031 to 2040 is 2.5%. The low-carbon scenario can promote green recycling and low-carbon development, improve energy efficiency in the tourism industry, and reduce energy consumption.

Under the high-carbon scenario, it will be very challenging for China’s tourism industry to achieve carbon emission targets. As shown in Fig. 3 , as of 2040, China’s tourism carbon emissions will not yet have peaked. Under the high-carbon scenario, the expected carbon emissions of the tourism industry in the future will be at least 2 to 3 times those of the present, and China will not be able to achieve the goal of reaching peak carbon emissions in 2030. This result means that if the rapid economic growth rate and greater energy carbon intensity are maintained without the implementation of emission reduction policies, the carbon emissions generated by China’s tourism industry will continue to increase each year.

Monte Carlo dynamic simulation analysis

According to the data in Table 3 , Monte Carlo simulation was performed using MATLAB software, and 500,000 simulations were performed to generate random data, thereby obtaining tourism carbon emissions from 2025 to 2035, as shown in Fig. 4 .

Scatter plot of peak carbon in China’s tourism industry under unified consideration

The results obtained show the highest probability of peak carbon emissions in the tourism industry in 2030. The average carbon peak occurs in 2029, and the average value of the carbon peak is 246,444,600 tons. The scenario analysis and Monte Carlo dynamic simulation analysis results show that under the conditions of medium-speed economic development and medium-speed technological progress, tourism carbon emissions will peak at essentially the same time as those of the country as a whole. In addition, the carbon intensity value of China’s tourism industry in 2035 obtained by Monte Carlo simulation is very close to the national goal of achieving a 50% reduction in tourism industry carbon dioxide emissions by 2035 from 2005 levels, but the decline is not ideal. This shows that according to the current development path, energy saving, consumption reduction, and energy utilization technology, China still has work to do to meet the 2009 WTTC emission reduction target. In the future, China also needs to increase emission reduction efforts and strive to achieve the promised emission reduction targets.

Conclusions and policy implications

Conclusions.

This article uses a GDIM model to decompose carbon emissions factors in China’s tourism sector for the period 2000–2017. On this basis, the average annual change rate of the main influencing factors is set in combination with the relevant policy objectives formulated by the government. We use scenario analysis and Monte Carlo simulation to obtain static and dynamic predictions for peak carbon emissions in China’s tourism sector. The main research conclusions are as follows:

From the decomposition results of the GDIM, among the various emissions-promoting effects, the emissions-promoting effect of industry scale is the strongest, followed by the energy consumption scale. The investment scale first promotes the growth of carbon emissions and then restrains it. Tourism industry carbon intensity is the primary factor in reducing tourism carbon emissions, followed by investment efficiency. However, both energy consumption carbon intensity and energy intensity have no significant effect on carbon emissions. Therefore, they have considerable potential to reduce carbon emissions in the future. The impact of investment carbon intensity on carbon emissions can both promote and inhibit carbon emissions.

The results of the scenario analysis for forecasting tourism carbon emissions reveal that there are obvious differences in the potential evolution of carbon emissions under different scenarios. Under the baseline and low-carbon scenarios, tourism carbon emissions will continue to grow before 2030, and the average annual growth rate of carbon emissions from 2018 to 2030 will be 0.9% ~ 3.6% and 0.6% ~ 2.0%, respectively. However, the carbon peak corresponding to the high-carbon scenario will not appear until 2040.

The results of the Monte Carlo dynamic simulation analysis show that carbon use in the tourism industry will peak 2030, which is basically the same as the time as the national carbon peak. The year of peak carbon is basically the same as the results obtained in the scenario analysis, but the value corresponding to the carbon peak differs from the results obtained from the scenario analysis.

This study has measured the carbon emissions of China’s tourism industry and analyzed its driving factors and carbon peaks, but there are still shortcomings: Due to the difficulty of variable measurement, only the three key areas of tourism activities, tourism accommodation, and tourism transportation are estimated, and the carbon emissions of other tourism-related sectors are not estimated, so there is a deviation from the actual value to some extent. We will make efforts in the future to improve the accuracy of the measurement and provide a more scientific decision-making basis for the sustainable development of the tourism industry. In addition, future research expansion should mainly focus on the following: Are there differences in the influencing factors and carbon peak time in the provincial tourism industry? What impact do they have on the carbon emission intensity of domestic tourism and inbound tourism? Will they have a spillover effect on the carbon emissions of tourism in neighboring provinces and cities through the spatial transmission mechanism? These issues need to be further studied.

Policy implications

To achieve the emission reduction target of China’s tourism industry and further implement the green and low-carbon development strategy, the following suggestions are proposed based on the research conclusions of this article:

Industry scale has a significant positive effect on the changes in China’s tourism carbon emissions, which shows that the rapid development of the tourism economy will inevitably bring about a rapid increase in carbon emissions. Only by changing tourism development and gradually decoupling economic growth from carbon emissions in the tourism sector can the sustainable development of tourism be realized. In terms of transportation, the use of energy-saving and new energy vehicles should be advocated outside the scenic area to reduce carbon emissions from aviation and automobiles. In the scenic area, transportation methods such as walking and sharing bicycles are encouraged to replace motor vehicles. In terms of accommodation and catering, choose green and pollution-free food catering, avoid using plastic tableware, and choose low-carbon and environmentally friendly hotels. In terms of entertainment and shopping, tourists should be guided to participate in low-carbon and environmentally friendly amusement projects and buy green and low-carbon tourist souvenirs. During holidays, it is not only necessary to reasonably control the number of tourists, but also to tap the low-carbon potential of rural tourism and leisure tourism resources and apply low-carbon environmental protection technology to the construction of scenic spots. Use the low-carbon concept to create a green and pollution-free tourism model and low-carbon tourism products, and build a low-carbon tourism product system. Relevant departments should limit the number of businesses in the scenic area and the types of products they sell, so as to reduce the high-carbon consumption of tourists.

The scale effect of investment has a weak impact on the changes in carbon emissions in the Chinese tourism industry. It basically had a positive effect before 2010, which is far from China’s goal of promoting energy conservation and emission reduction. However, since 2010, the scale of investment has shown a negative effect that has been increasing each year. This shows that China’s investment in resource conservation, recycling, and efficient utilization has achieved certain results since 2010, but the impact is still relatively weak. On the one hand, the government should strengthen the macro-control of fixed asset investment, improve the structure of fixed asset investment, and reduce the proportion of investment in high-energy-consumption and high-pollution industries. On the other hand, investment is mostly used in green tourism-related infrastructure and effective management of tourism activities to encourage and support the development of green industries to improve the overall efficiency of green investment in the tourism industry, for example, formulating low-carbon tourism incentives and punishment policies. In terms of incentives, companies that vigorously promote low-carbon tourism awareness, adopt low-carbon technologies, and use new energy can be encouraged through preferential taxation, financial subsidies, and lower loan rates to promote the development of low-carbon tourism. For tourism companies that do not adopt low-carbon development methods, relevant fees can be levied to prompt them to change their development models. For example, in the process of developing scenic spots, companies that cause certain pollution to the environment due to some unreasonable behaviors, especially those behaviors that exceed carbon emissions, should be severely punished.

The research results of this paper show that the development of a high-carbon model entails a considerable risk of emission increase. In the future, we need to fully innovate low-carbon and energy-saving technologies. In the future, it is necessary to fully innovate low-carbon energy-saving technologies, practice low-carbon environmental protection development concepts, increase low-carbon tourism promotion efforts, and strengthen low-carbon tourism talent training strategies. The carbon emissions of tourism transportation accounted for 78.85% of the total carbon emissions of the tourism industry. In response to this phenomenon, the energy utilization efficiency of oil products can be improved, and the proportion of natural gas, electric energy, and methanol used in automobile energy can be increased. From the perspective of tourism production, scenic spots need to build low-carbon tourism projects; advocate the use of new energy sources such as wind, water, solar, and combustible ice; and extensively use energy-saving and emission-reduction technologies. The government and relevant departments must strengthen publicity in a targeted manner, such as using television, radio, WeChat, Weibo, news client, and other informatization methods to vigorously promote the importance and positive impact of low-carbon tourism. At the same time, a “National Low-Carbon Tourism Promotion Day” can be established to carry out a variety of public education and publicity activities. Implement the strategy of “strengthening tourism by talents and rejuvenating tourism through science and education,” and train management personnel, professional technical personnel, tour guides, and other personnel in the tourism industry from time to time. Particular attention is paid to raising awareness of low-carbon environmental protection and innovation capabilities of low-carbon technologies.

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This work was supported by the National Social Science Fund of China (grant numbers 19ZDA120).

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Xiaojun Ma, Miaomiao Han, Yanqi Song, Ruimin Chen & Xueying Sun

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All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Conceptualization: Xiaojun Ma. Formal analysis: Jian Luo. Writing—original draft: Miaomiao Han and Jian Luo. Writing—review and editing: Yanqi Song. Supervision: Xiaojun Ma. Software: Ruimin Chen. Investigation: Xueying Sun.

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Ma, ., Han, M., Luo, J. et al. The empirical decomposition and peak path of China’s tourism carbon emissions. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28 , 66448–66463 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-14956-6

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Outlook for China tourism 2023: Light at the end of the tunnel

China is now removing travel restrictions rapidly, both domestically and internationally. While the sudden opening may lead to uncertainty and hesitancy to travel in the short term, Chinese tourists still express a strong desire to travel. And the recent removal of quarantine requirements in January 2023 could usher in a renewed demand for trips abroad.

Domestically, there are already signs of strong travel recovery. The recent Chinese New Year holidays saw 308 million domestic trips, generating almost RMB 376 billion in tourism revenue. 1 China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism. This upswing indicates that domestic travel volume has recovered to 90 percent of 2019 figures, and spending has bounced back to around 70 percent of pre-pandemic levels. 2 McKinsey analysis based on China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism data.

This article paints a picture of Chinese travelers and their evolving spending behaviors and preferences—and suggests measures that tourism service providers and destinations could take to prepare for their imminent return. The analyses draw on the findings of McKinsey’s latest Survey of Chinese Tourist Attitudes, and compare the results across six waves of surveys conducted between April 2020 and November 2022, along with consumer sentiment research and recent travel data.

From pandemic to endemic

By January 8, 2023, cross-city travel restrictions, border closures, and quarantine requirements on international arrivals to China had been lifted. 3 “Graphics: China’s 20 new measures for optimizing COVID-19 response,” CGTN, November 15, 2022; “COVID-19 response further optimized with 10 new measures,” China Services Info, December 8, 2022; “China reopens borders in final farewell to zero-COVID,” Reuters, January 8, 2023. This rapid removal of domestic travel restrictions, and an increase in COVID-19 infection rates, likely knocked travel confidence for cross-city and within-city trips. Right after the first easing of measures, in-city transport saw a marked drop as people stayed home—either because they were ill, or to avoid exposure. Subway traffic in ten major cities in mainland China fell and then spiked during Chinese New Year in February. Hotel room bookings also peaked at this time.

Domestic airline seat capacity experienced a minor rebound as each set of restrictions was lifted—suggesting a rise in demand as airlines scheduled more flights. Domestic capacity fluctuated, possibly due to the accelerated COVID-19 infection rate and a temporary labor shortage. International seat capacity, however, continued to climb (Exhibit 1).

By Chinese new year, China was past its infection peak—and domestic tourism recovered strongly. For instance, Hainan drew 6.4 million visitors over Chinese New Year (up from 5.8 million in 2019) and visits to Shanghai reached 10 million (roughly double 2019 holiday figures). 4 China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Overall, revenue per available room (RevPAR) during this period recovered and surpassed pre-pandemic levels, at 120 percent of 2019 figures. 5 STR data. Outbound trips are still limited, but given the pent-up demand for international travel (and the upswing in domestic tourism) the tourism industry may need to prepare to welcome back Chinese tourists.

Tourism players should be ready for this; the time to act is now.

A demand boom is around the corner—Chinese tourists are returning soon

Before the pandemic, Chinese tourists were eager travelers. Mainland China had the largest outbound travel market in the world, both in number of trips and total spend. 6 World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Tourism dashboard, Outbound tourism ranking. In 2019, Mainland Chinese tourists took 155 million outbound trips, totaling $255 billion in travel spending. 7 China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism. These figures indicate total outbound trips, including to Hong Kong and Macau. China is also an important source market for some major destinations. For instance, Chinese travelers made up 28 percent of inbound tourism in Thailand, 30 percent in Japan, and 16 percent of non-EU visitors to Germany. 8 United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) database.

Leisure travel was the biggest driver of China’s outbound travel, representing 65 percent of travelers in 2019. In the same year, 29 percent of travelers ventured out for business, and 6 percent journeyed to visit friends and relatives. 9 Euromonitor International database.

Our most recent Survey of Chinese Tourist Attitudes, conducted in November 2022, shows that Chinese tourists have retained their keen desire to explore international destinations. About 40 percent of respondents reported that they expect to undertake outbound travel for their next leisure trip.

Where do these travelers want to go?

The results also indicate that the top three overseas travel destinations (beyond Hong Kong and Macau) are Australia/New Zealand, Southeast Asia, and Japan. Overall, respondents show less interest in travel to Europe than in previous years, down from 7 percent to 4 percent compared to wave 5 respondents. Desire to embark on long-haul international trips to Australia/New Zealand increased from 5 percent to 7 percent, and North American trips from 3 percent to 4 percent since the last survey. The wealthier segment (monthly household income over RMB 38,000) still shows a high interest in EU destinations (13 percent).

There are stumbling blocks on the road to recovery

While travel sentiment is strong, other factors may deter travelers from taking to the skies: fear of COVID-19; the need for COVID-19 testing which can be expensive; ticket prices; risk appetite of destination countries; and getting a passport or visa.

Chinese travelers may favor domestic trips, even if all outbound travel restrictions are removed, until they feel it is safe to travel internationally. A COVID-19-safe environment in destination countries will likely boost travelers’ confidence and encourage them to book trips again. 10 “Long-haul travel barometer,” European Travel Commission, February 1, 2023.

Travel recovery is also dependent on airline capacity. Some international airlines might be slow to restore capacity as fleets were retired during COVID-19 and airlines face a shortage of crew, particularly pilots. Considering that at the time of writing, in April 2023, international airline seat capacity has only recovered to around 37 percent of pre-pandemic levels, travelers are likely to face elevated ticket prices in the coming months. For instance, ticket prices for travel in the upcoming holidays to popular overseas destinations such as Japan and Thailand are double what they were in 2019. 11 Based on Ctrip prices. Price-sensitive travelers might wait for ticket prices to level out before booking their overseas trips.

Chinese airlines, however, appear more ready to resume full service than their international counterparts —fewer pilots left the industry and aircraft are available. Chinese carriers’ widebody fleets are mostly in service or ready to be redeployed (Exhibit 2).

Moving forward, safety measures in destination countries will affect travel recovery. Most countries have dropped testing requirements on arrivals from mainland China, and Chinese outbound group travel has resumed but is still limited to selected countries.

Many Chinese travelers—maybe 20 percent—have had passports expire during the COVID-19 period, and China has not been renewing these passports. Renewals are now possible, but the backlog will slow travel’s rebound by a few months. 12 Steve Saxon, “ What to expect from China’s travel rebound ,” McKinsey, January 25, 2023. Furthermore, travel visas for destination countries can take some time to be processed and issued.

Taken together, these factors suggest that the returning wave of Chinese travelers may only gather momentum by the Summer of 2023 and that China’s travel recovery will likely lag Hong Kong’s by a few months.

Overall, China is opening up to travel, both inbound and outbound—all types of visas are being issued to foreign visitors, and locals are getting ready to travel abroad. 13 “China to resume issuing all types of visas for foreigners,” China Briefing, March 14, 2023.

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The returning chinese traveler is evolving.

Although Chinese travelers did not have opportunities to travel internationally over the past three years, they continued to travel domestically and explore new offerings. Annual domestic trips remained at around 50 percent of pre-pandemic levels, amounting to 8.7 billion domestic trips over the past three years. 14 China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism. During this time, the domestic market matured, and travelers became more sophisticated as they tried new leisure experiences such as beach resorts, skiing trips, and “staycations” in home cities. Chinese travelers became more experienced as thanks to periods of low COVID-19 infection rates domestically they explored China’s vast geography and diverse experiences on offer.

Consequently, the post-COVID-19 Chinese traveler is even more digitally savvy, has high expectations, and seeks novel experiences. These are some of the characteristics of a typical traveler:

• Experience-oriented: Wave 6 of the survey shows that the rebound tourist is planning their trip around experiences. Outdoor and scenic trips remain the most popular travel theme. In survey waves 1 to 3, sightseeing and “foodie” experiences were high on the list of preferences while traveling. From waves 4 to 6, culture and history, beaches and resorts, and health and wellness gained more attention—solidifying the trend for experience-driven travel. Additionally, possibly due to the hype of the Winter Olympics, skiing and snowboarding have become popular activities.
• Hyper-digitized: While digitization is a global trend, Chinese consumers are some of the most digitally savvy in the world; mobile technologies and social media are at the core of daily life. COVID-19 drove people to spend more time online—now short-form videos and livestreaming have become the top online entertainment options in China. In the first half of 2022, Chinese consumers spent 30 percent of their mobile internet time engaging with short videos. 15 “In the first half of the year, the number of mobile netizens increased, and short videos accounted for nearly 30% of the total time spent online,” Chinadaily.com, 27 July 2022.
• Exploration enthusiasts: Chinese travelers are also keen to explore the world and embark on novel experiences in unfamiliar destinations. Survey respondents were looking forward to visiting new attractions, even when travel policies limited their travel radius. Instead of revisiting destinations, 45 percent of respondents picked short trips to new sites as their number one choice, followed by long trips to new sites as their second choice.

Consumers are optimistic, and travel spending remains resilient

McKinsey’s 2022 research on Chinese consumer sentiment shows that although economic optimism is seeing a global decline, 49 percent of Chinese respondents reported that they are optimistic about their country’s economic recovery. Optimism had dropped by 6 percentage points since an earlier iteration of the survey, but Chinese consumers continue to be more optimistic than other surveyed countries, apart from India (80 percent optimistic) and Indonesia (73 percent optimistic) (Exhibit 3). 16 “ Survey: Chinese consumer sentiment during the coronavirus crisis ,” McKinsey, October 13, 2022.

Chinese consumers are still keen to spend on travel, and travel spending is expected to be resilient. Wave 6 of the tourist attitude survey saw 87 percent of respondents claiming that they will spend more or maintain their level of travel spending. Moreover, when consumers were asked “which categories do you intend to splurge/treat yourself to,” travel ranked second, with 29 percent of respondents preferring travel over other categories. 17 “ Survey: Chinese consumer sentiment during the coronavirus crisis ,” McKinsey, October 13, 2022.

Against this context of consumer optimism, the wave 6 tourist attitude survey results shed light on how travelers plan to spend, and which segments are likely to spend more than others:

• The wealthier segment and older age groups (age 45-65) show the most resilience in terms of travel spend. Around 45 to 50 percent of travelers in these two groups will spend more on their next leisure trip.
• The wealthier segment has shown the most interest in beach and resort trips (48 percent). Instead of celebrating Chinese New Year at home with family, 30 percent of Chinese travelers in the senior age group (age 55-65) expect to take their next leisure trip during this holiday—10 percent more than the total average. And the top three trip preferences for senior travelers are culture, sightseeing, and health-themed trips.
• When it comes to where travelers plan to spend their money on their next trip, entertainment activities, food, and shopping are the most popular categories. These are also the most flexible and variable spending categories, and there are opportunities to up-sell—attractions, food and beverage, and retail players are well positioned to create unique and unexpected offerings to stimulate spending in this area (Exhibit 4).

Independent accommodation is gaining popularity

Overall, Chinese consumers have high expectations for products and services. McKinsey’s 2023 consumer report found that local brands are on the rise and consumers are choosing local products for their quality, not just for their cheaper prices. Chinese consumers are becoming savvier, and tap into online resources and social media to educate themselves about the specific details and features of product offerings. 18 Daniel Zipser, Daniel Hui, Jia Zhou, and Cherie Zhang, 2023 McKinsey China Consumer Report , McKinsey, December 2022.

Furthermore, 49 percent of Chinese consumers believe that domestic brands are of “better quality” than foreign brands—only 23 percent believe the converse is true. Functionality extended its lead as the most important criterion influencing Chinese consumers, indicating that consumers are focusing more on the functional aspects of products, and less on emotional factors. Branding thus has less influence on purchasing decisions. 19 Daniel Zipser, Daniel Hui, Jia Zhou, and Cherie Zhang, 2023 McKinsey China Consumer Report , McKinsey, December 2022.

These broader consumer sentiments are echoed in the travel sector. Chinese travelers pay attention to cost, but do not simply seek out the lowest prices. While 17 percent of wave 6 respondents are concerned about low prices, 33 percent are on the hunt for value-for-money offerings, and 30 percent prefer good discounts and worthwhile deals.

And consumer sentiment regarding local brands holds true for travel preferences. Independent travel accommodation continues to be the preferred choice for most respondents, increasing in share against international chain brand hotels (Exhibit 5). Almost 60 percent of respondents prefer independent accommodation such as boutique hotels, B&Bs, and Airbnb—an 8 percentage-point increase since 2020.

Local chain brand hotels remain stable, the favored accommodation for 20 percent of respondents. These hotels are seen as a more standardized option, and as most are located in urban areas, they target the budget traveler segment.

Opting for independent accommodation is not considered a trade down; Chinese travelers expect a high level of service. In particular, respondents in the wealthier segment picked independent options (57 percent) over international premium brands (27 percent).

Premium independent options for the wealthier segment are abundant, specifically in leisure travel. Setting up a premium brand hotel requires long-term construction periods and heavy capital investment. Small-scale boutique hotels or B&Bs, on the other hand, are more agile solutions that can ramp up in the short term. This may explain the abundance of premium independent offerings. For instance, in destinations such as Lijiang and Yangshuo, between seven and nine of the top-ten premium hotels listed on Ctrip are independent boutique hotels.

Premium independent accommodation’s strength lies in quality guest experience with a genuine human touch. The service level at premium independent establishments can even surpass that of chain brand accommodation thanks to the high staff-to-room ratio, which easily reaches 3:1 or even 5:1. 20 “Strategic marketing analysis of boutique hotels,” Travel Daily , June 3, 2015. For hotels in Xiamen, Lijiang, and Yangshou, Ctrip service ratings of premium independent hotels are all above 4.7, outperforming international chain brand hotels.

Travelers are becoming smarter and more realistic during hotel selection, focusing on fundamental offerings such as local features and value for money. Across all types of hotels, local features are one of the most important factors influencing hotel selection—even for chain brand hotels which have a reputation for mastering the standardized offering. On average, 34 percent of respondents report that local features and cultural elements are the key considerations affecting their choice of hotel.

Outbound Chinese tourists are evolving rapidly, becoming increasingly diverse in their travel preferences, behaviors, and spending patterns. Chinese travelers are not homogeneous, and their needs and preferences continue to evolve. Therefore, serving each group of tourists may require different product offerings, sales channels, or marketing techniques.

The path toward eco-friendly travel in China

How international travel and tourism can attract outbound chinese travelers.

China’s lifting of travel restrictions may cause some uncertainty in the short term, but a promising recovery lies ahead. Chinese tourists have maintained a strong desire to travel internationally and are willing to pay for this experience. They are also discerning and looking for high-quality accommodation, offerings, and service. As boutique hotels are becoming more popular, international hotel brands hotels could, for example, aim to stand out by leveraging their experience in service excellence.

With renewed travel demand, now may be the time for international travel and tourism businesses to invest in polishing product offerings—on an infrastructural and service level. Tourism, food and beverage, retail, and entertainment providers can start preparing for the rebound by providing unique and innovative experiences that entice the adventurous Chinese traveler.

Craft an authentically local offering that appeals to experience-driven Chinese travelers

Chinese travelers have suspended overseas trips for three years, and are now looking to enjoy high-quality experiences in destinations they have been to before. They also want to do more than shopping and sightseeing, and have expressed willingness to spend on offerings geared towards entertainment and experience. This includes activities like theme parks, snow sports, water sports, shows, and cultural activities. Authentic experiences can satisfy their desire for an immersive foreign experience, but they often want the experience to be familiar and accessible.

Designing the right product means tapping into deep customer insights to craft offerings that are accessible for Chinese travelers, within a comfortable and familiar setting, yet are still authentic and exciting.

Travel and tourism providers may also have opportunities to up-sell or cross-sell experiences and entertainment offerings.

Social media is essential

Social media is emerging as one of the most important sources of inspiration for travel. Short video now is a major influence channel across all age groups and types of consumers.

Tourist destinations have begun to leverage social media, and short video campaigns, to maximize exposure. For example, Tourism Australia recently launched a video campaign with a kangaroo character on TikTok, and overall views soon reached around 1.67 billion.

The story of Ding Zhen, a young herder from a village in Sichuan province, illustrates the power of online video in China. In 2020, a seven-second video of Ding Zhen turned him into an overnight media sensation. Soon after, he was approached to become a tourism ambassador for Litang county in Sichuan—and local tourism flourished. 21 “Tibetan herder goes viral, draws attention to his hometown in SW China,” Xinhuanet, December 11, 2020. Another Sichuan local, the director of the Culture and Tourism Bureau in Ganzi, has drawn visitors to the region through his popular cosplay videos that generated 7 million reviews. Building on the strength of these influential celebrities, visitor numbers to the region were said to reach 35 million, more than two-and-a-half times 2016 volumes. 22 “Local official promoting Sichuan tourism goes viral on internet,” China Daily, June 17, 2022; “The Director of Culture and Tourism disguises himself as a “Swordsman” knight to promote Ganzi tourism,” Travel Daily , June 17, 2022.

Online travel companies are also using social media to reach consumers. Early in the pandemic, Trip.com took advantage of the upward trend in livestreaming. The company’s co-founder and chairman of the board, James Liang, hosted weekly livestreams where he dressed up in costume or chatted to guests at various destinations. Between March and October 2020, Liang’s livestreams sold around $294 million’s worth of travel packages and hotel room reservations. 23 “Travel companies adapt to a livestreaming trend that may outlast the pandemic,” Skift, October 26, 2020.

Livestreaming is being used by tourism boards, too. For instance, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) collaborated with Trip.com to launch a new campaign to attract Chinese tourists to Thailand as cross-border travel resumed. The broadcast, joined by TAT Governor Mr Yuthasak Supasorn, recorded sales of more than 20,000 room nights amounting to a gross merchandise value of over RMB 40 million. 24 “Trip.com Group sees border reopening surge in travel bookings boosted by Lunar New Year demand,” Trip.com, January 13, 2023.

International tourism providers looking to engage Chinese travelers should keep an eye on social media channels and fully leverage key opinion leaders.

Scale with the right channel partners

Travel distribution in China has evolved into a complex, fragmented, and Chinese-dominated ecosystem, making scaling an increasingly difficult task. Travel companies need to understand the key characteristics of each channel type, including online travel agencies (OTAs), online travel portals (OTPs), and traditional travel agencies as each target different customer segments, and offer different levels of control to brands. It also takes different sets of capabilities to manage each type of distribution channel.

Travel companies can prioritize the channels they wish to use and set clear roles for each. One challenge when choosing the right channel partner is to avoid ultra-low prices that may encourage volume, but could ultimately damage a brand.

Meanwhile, given the evolution of the postCOVID-19 industry landscape and rapid shifts in consumer demand, travel companies should consider direct-to-consumer (D2C) channels. The first step would be selecting the appropriate D2C positioning and strategy, according to the company’s needs. In China, D2C is a complicated market involving both public domains (such as social media and OTA platforms) and private domains (such as official brand platforms). To make the most of D2C, travel companies need a clear value proposition for their D2C strategy, whether it be focused on branding or on commercial/sales.

Create a seamless travel experience for the digitally savvy Chinese tourist

China has one of the most digitally advanced lifestyles on the planet. Chinese travelers are mobile-driven, wallet-less, and impatient—and frequently feel “digitally homesick” while abroad. Overseas destinations and tourism service providers could “spoil” tech-savvy Chinese travelers with digitally enhanced service.

China’s internet giants can provide a shortcut to getting digital services off the ground. Rather than building digital capabilities from scratch, foreign tourism providers could engage Chinese travelers through a platform that is already being used daily. For example, Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport provides a WeChat Mini Program with four modules: duty-free shopping, flight inquiry, information transfer, and travel planning. This contains information about all aspects of the airport, including ground transportation and tax refund procedures.

Alibaba’s Alipay, a third-party mobile and online payment platform, is also innovating in this space. The service provider has cooperated with various tax refund agencies, such as Global Blue, to enable a seamless digitized tax refund experience. Travelers scan completed tax refund forms at automated kiosks in the airport, and within a few hours, the refunded amount is transferred directly to their Alipay accounts. 25 “Alipay and Global Blue to make tax refunds easy for Chinese tourists,” Alizila, June 23, 2014.

Such digital applications are likely to be the norm going forward, not a differentiator, so travel companies that do not invest in this area may be left behind.

Chinese travelers are on the cusp of returning in full force, and tourism providers can start preparing now

With China’s quarantine requirements falling away at the start of 2023, travelers are planning trips, renewing passports and visas, and readying themselves for a comeback. Chinese tourists have not lost their appetite for travel, and a boom in travel demand can be expected soon. Though airlines are slow to restore capacity, and some destination countries are more risk averse when welcoming Chinese travelers, there are still options for Chinese tourists to explore destinations abroad.

Tourism providers can expect to welcome travelers with diverse interests who are willing to spend money on travel, who are seeking out exciting experiences, and who are choosing high-quality products and services. The returning Chinese traveler is digitally savvy and favors functionality over branding—trends suggest that providers who can craft authentic, seamless, and unique offerings could be well positioned to capture this market.

Guang Chen and Jackey Yu are partners in McKinsey’s Hong Kong office, Zi Chen is a capabilities and insights specialist in the Shanghai office, and Steve Saxon is a partner in the Shenzhen office.

The authors wish to thank Cherie Zhang, Glenn Leibowitz, Na Lei, and Monique Wu for their contributions to this article.

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The Center for Chinese Studies presents a talk with Li Yanqin on the development of ecotourism (shengtai lüyou) in China.

Tourism in China has become an integral part of world tourism. According to estimates by the World Tourism Organization (WTO), by the year 2020 China will become the world’s largest host country and the fourth largest in terms of sending tourists abroad. Given these trends, ecotourism is sure to play an increasingly important role in assuring the sustainable development of the Chinese tourism. The year 1999 was designated as the “Chinese Year of Ecotourism.” A decade later, the China National Tourism Administration has once again named 2009 as the “China Year of Ecotourism,” indicating that the Chinese government is paying more attention to ecotourism (called shengtai lüyou in Chinese). But some critics charge that it is still too early to talk about real ecotourism in China. How has ecotourism been developed in China during the past ten years? How has ecotourism development been affected by Chinese culture, which is significantly different from western culture? Does shengtai luyou reflect the indigenization of ecotourism, or is it simply a cultural analogue of ecotourism? This presentation will introduce differences in ecotourism between China and the West in terms of cultural background, scale, destination, and the characteristics of the average ecotourist. It will also present some success stories in Chinese ecotourism.

About the Presenter

Li Yanqin , Ph.D., Associate professor at Minzu University of China, and visiting scholar at UHM

Please note: This talk will be delivered in Chinese, with slides and visuals in English.

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