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Ecotourism and community development: case studies from Hainan, China
1Faculty of Environmental Studies, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada.
Environmental Management
|February 13, 2004
Summary
Ecotourism in Hainan, China, is in its early stages, offering limited socioeconomic benefits and conservation funding. Local communities support ecotourism, anticipating future benefits for parks and people.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Conservation Biology
- Tourism Studies
Background:
- Ecotourism is promoted for conservation funding and socioeconomic development.
- Protected areas are key destinations for ecotourism.
- Balancing economic growth and conservation is a key objective.
Purpose of the Study:
- Assess ecotourism status in two Hainan protected areas.
- Evaluate tourism-park-community relationships.
- Identify opportunities and constraints for ecotourism development.
Main Methods:
- Interviews
- Observations
- Secondary data analysis
Main Results:
- Ecotourism is in its nascent phase in both study sites.
- Limited socioeconomic benefits for local communities observed.
- No tourism revenues generated for conservation efforts to date.
Conclusions:
- Ecotourism requires strategic planning to enhance community and park benefits.
- Future planning can improve ecotourism's contribution to sustainable development.
- Findings offer transferable lessons for global ecotourism destinations.