ECOTOURISM IN CHINA: WHAT IS IT?
Over the years, tourism in China has undergone a significant transformation: to keep pace with global sustainability trends and government policies pushing ever harder towards a green future, this sector too has begun to change its face, taking the name of ecotourism.
Ecotourism is a form of sustainable tourism focused on nature, culture and community development. It encourages travellers to gain a deeper understanding of cultures when visiting destinations and to be responsible towards nature.
Chinese tourists are therefore becoming more conscientious and respectful of the environment around them when travelling, both at home and abroad. This inclination towards sustainability and ecology has also pushed tourism businesses to adopt increasingly green practices to offer their guests a better experience.
For example, Villa Finder, a rental company managing thousands of private villas around the world, is committed to eco-friendly practices such as planting a tree for every booking and reducing its CO2 impact by equipping its villas with renewable, eco-conscious energy systems. Initiatives like this are especially common in Bali, a favourite destination for Chinese tourists.
Clearly, in recent years sustainability has become a priority for Chinese tourists, and the trend is even more evident in domestic travel, part of a market worth 2.92 trillion RMB (2021 figure).
Both before and after the pandemic, the government continued to invest in tourism, which is why many Chinese destinations now boast a range of sustainable solutions.
In 2021 Zhejiang province, responding to growing Chinese demand for ecotourism sites, shared an “ecotourism map” listing 21 green sites for travel within the province. The list included parks, forests, nature reserves, villages and cultural facilities in 11 different cities.
Shaanxi province later also published a list of government-promoted projects, including several nature trails highlighting the area’s features and explaining the local flora and fauna along the way.
Since China is home to some of the most beautiful mountains in the world, many of them steeped in history and culture, the government has found ways to showcase them by offering tourists activities that provide deeper knowledge of these areas.
One example is the many detailed information panels along the trail on the Yellow Mountain (Huangshan), describing the myths and legends surrounding it. So while hikers enjoy the view, they can also enjoy a lesson in Chinese mythology and learn about their country’s cultural traditions.
These developments in China’s growing ecotourism industry show that traditional culture and heritage are important factors in the country’s development. Tourists are attracted not only by natural landscapes but also by cultural heritage. One of the most popular sites remains Tianmen Mountain National Park, or Tianmenshan (天门山), in the city of Zhangjiajie, Hunan province. The mountain is famous for its natural beauty; it was named one of the Seven Wonders of China by the Chinese government in 2011, and the Zhangjiajie area was officially declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992.
Many tourism companies recognise that Chinese tourists are becoming more environmentally conscious in their travel 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 of and interested in being eco-conscious.
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