Socio‐economic impacts of domestic tourism in China: Case studies in Guilin, Suzhou and Beidaihe

Abstract

Since the early 1980s, China has witnessed a rapid growth in both international and domestic mass tourism. An analysis of the socio‐economic impact of this recent tourism boom in three tourism areas reveals that domestic tourism is more important to local economic development than is international tourism in China. Local communities were better able to respond promptly to the new opportunities that have been created by domestic tourism, resulting in more employment and income opportunities, an expanded private sector and increasing social mobility. To create a more sustainable form of tourism in China, domestic tourism issues need to have a higher profile in both local and national level policy development, and the Chinese people need urgently to address the formidable environmental consequences of domestic mass tourism development.