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Nature tourism and environmental protection : strategic analysis for an ethnic minority region, Southwest China | |
Author | Niu, Houngwei |
Call Number | AIT Thesis no. NR-94-26 |
Subject(s) | Ecotourism--China, Southwest |
Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Science, School of Environment, Resources and Development |
Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
Series Statement | Thesis ; no. NR-94-26 |
Abstract | In the poorer countries around the world, tourism to naturally or environmentally rich destinations , sometimes called nature tourism or ecotourism, is becoming increasingly popular. But the consequences of nature tourism, its potential social , economic and environmental impacts, are yet to be well understood. Mechanisms are not in place to c l early evaluate the impacts of this tourism, which are wide spread in the social, cultural, economic and environmental fabric of a society. The Lijiang Region, an ethnic minority people autonomous area in Yunnan Province, southwest Chin a, possessing unpolluted natural environments, beautiful highly and landscapes a nd distinctive ethnic cultures, is now promoting tourism, especially nature tourism, as one of the lead sectors for it's social-economic development. The provincial and county governments have favorable policies for tourism development , and several large tourism development projects are now being implemented. This is the beginning. Tourism, particularly nature tourism, is considered as an approach to sustainable re sources use, especially in the Lijiang Region . But, this tourism possesses both benefits and pitfalls at the same time. Its development depends on a high quality of the natural environment, but its uncontrolled a nd poorly planned development can destroy the natural environment it depends on. The findings of this research suggest that the present government's strategy and policies promoting tourism development in the Lijiang Region is not yet sophisticated or appropriate enough to develop tourism as sustainable tourism , nor inter alia to sustain its resource base . In order to obtain a better understanding of nature tourism' s impacts in the Lijiang Region, and its longer term implications , and in turn, provide the client of the research (the Lijiang Tourism Planning & Management Authority), with in sights for more informed policy, the study analyzes Lijiang Region 's environmental and cultural resource potential for nature tourism, and resident amenity migration, a nd formulates strategic policy implications for resources u se a nd protection. This ma inly through the use of a strategic analysis methodology. |
Year | 1994 |
Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Thesis ; no. NR-94-26 |
Type | Thesis |
School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
Department | Department of Development and Sustainability (DDS) |
Academic Program/FoS | Natural Resources Management (NRM) |
Chairperson(s) | Moss, Laurence A. G.; |
Examination Committee(s) | King, David J. ;Hertzberg, Ellen ;Kelkar, Govind ;Saeed, Khalid |
Scholarship Donor(s) | Winrock International Institute For Agricultural Development Ford Foundation; |
Degree | Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1994 |