The tourism and hospitality industry in China witnessed a dramatic increase from 1978 to 2015. The Chinese tourism industry has since become an important component of Chinas economy. The economic benefits of tourism were easily identified and justified when many developing countries started to embrace tourism as an option for development. However, tourism development is influenced by many factors such as regulation policy, labor/education level, urban structure and technological applications. Those factors are challenges in the worlds largest and fastest growing industry. This book makes a systematic analysis of the challenges and issues in tourism development in China. Particularly, this issue seldom appeared in tourism and hospitality literature. Therefore, this book enhances tourism literature by testing tourist-related issues in the 21st century. Furthermore, the government and/or practitioners can improve the management of the tourism sector using this book. This book is divided into two main parts. The first part consists of five chapters. The first chapter is an introduction to domestic tourism development in China. The second chapter is about outbound tourism development in China. The third chapter concerns the change of tourism policies. The fourth chapter is about the relationship between urbanisation and tourism development in China. The fifth chapter discusses the social impacts of tourism development. The second part consists of two cases. The first case delves into the impact of urbanisation on regional hotel development. The second case discusses the application of media strategies to improve Chinas destination image. The case study will provide a practical perspective on tourism development as well as the recent changes and the impacts of tourism development on society.

"From Political to Economic Success is a comprehensive guide to the development of the tourism industry in Mainland China following the end of the Cultural Revolution.

Examine China's impact on the world tourism market! Tourism in China is a comprehensive study of tourism and the travel industry in China--past, present, and future. Since joining many of its Asia-Pacific neighbors in identifying tourism as a vehicle for socioeconomic growth and poverty alleviation, China has become the leader in the Asian travel industry, surpassing all forecasts with high and constant growth in international and domestic tourism activity. In fact, the World Trade Organization predicts that by 2020, China will become the world's leading tourism destination, receiving 145 million visitors. This timely book examines the diverse opportunities and challenges the country's tourism industry faces in meeting those projections. A unique, interdisciplinary guide that appeals to practitioners and academics, Tourism in China has been called “probably the most in-depth analysis of China's tourism industry” by the World Trade Organization's Dr. Harsh Varma. The book presents a collection of articles--scholarly in nature, comprehensive in scope--that serves as a significant (and much-needed) reference on Chinese tourism, though not including minority or border tourism, or the Hong Kong or Taiwan markets. The industry's historical development, its impact on the Chinese economy and ecology, and its current and future markets are examined extensively. Tourism in China also examines: the impressions of Western travelers in China during the 19th century the tourism boom and its development since 1978 the development of ecotourism in China's nature reserves the effect of the tourism boom on the hotel industry the development of theme parks in China. With two-thirds of China's provincial governments committed to making tourism one of their pillar industries, it is essential that tourism professionals, academics, and students around the world have a thorough understanding of this leader in current and future world travel. Tourism in China provides a detailed look at how the country’s tourism industry was built and how it will continue to expand. Helpful tables and figures, as well as a glossary of relevant terms, make the information easy to access and understand.

Here is an insightful look into the great changes in the hospitality and tourism industry in China in recent years. The steady growth of the GDP in China, the increasing middle-income population, lifestyle changes of the Chinese people, and fast infrastructure development (speed trains, airports, highways, and seaports, linking many mega cities, mid-level cities, and townships) have all had a significant effect on the Chinese hospitality industry, which is booming in China. With much more money in their pockets, the Chinese are spending more than 60% of their disposable income on food and travel. International food and hotel chains have responded by increasing their presence in China, and in turn, new domestic restaurant and hotel chains have sprung up to compete for the business. With chapters by scholars from various universities in China and the United States, these issues and more are covered in this new volume. Readers will gain a true understanding of the current development of Chinese hospitality and tourism industry.

This book offers new approaches and insights into the relationships between heritage tourism and notions of modernity, identity building and sustainable development in China. It demonstrates that the role of the state, politics, institutional arrangements and tradition have a considerable impact on perceptions of these notions. The volume contributes to current debates on tradition and modernity; the study of heritage tourism; the negotiated power between stakeholders in tourism planning and policy-making and the study of China’s society. The approach and findings of the book are of value to those interested in the continuities and changes in Chinese society and to graduate students and researchers in tourism, cultural studies and China studies.

Examine the reasons for the rapid growth of China’s tourism industry Tourism and Hotel Development in China: From Political to Economic Success is a comprehensive guide to the development of the tourism industry in Mainland China following the end of the Cultural Revolution. Conceived as a textbook but equally valuable as a professional resource for consultants, researchers, and tourist organizations, this insightful book tracks the unique circumstances that sparked the growth of China’s tourism and hotel industry from a political, diplomatic activity to a burgeoning economic industry. The book includes background information on geography, culture, history, politics, and economics, and examines the evolution of tourism policies, inbound vs. outbound travel, hotel operations and trends, and the Chinese government’s role in developing tourism. China may be a latecomer to international tourism development, but visitors have made it one of the world’s top 10 travel destinations every year since 1994. Since historic policy shifts in 1978 opened China’s doors to the outside world, inbound tourism has played a significant role in building a national economy. And the increase in disposable income among China’s citizens has helped create a sizable market for domestic and outbound tourism as well. Tourism and Hotel Development in China looks at the major factors and characteristics of each type of tourism, international hotel development trends and their influence on China’s hotel industry, related human resources issues, travel services, the development of hotel chains in China, compensation and incentive management, and the future of China’s tourism and hotel industry. Topics examined in Tourism and Hotel Development in China include: travel and tourism, pre-and post-1949 the Asia market the intercontinental market international tourism in different regions of China popular urban tourist destinations in China approved outbound destinations outbound travel to Hong Kong challenges facing travel services local protectionism travel agencies hotel franchising foreign vs. local hotel chains outsourcing and much more! Tourism and Hotel Development in China: From Political to Economic Success follows the journey of China’s tourism industry from a public relations vehicle, restricted by the economy and controlled by the government, to an important source of commerce for a country whose national economy was nearly on the verge of collapse.

Many less developed countries are expanding their tourism industries and these are seen to be crucial to their economic development. Yet such activities can also create social, cultural and environmental problems.This book provides a review of many of the key issues involved in tourism in developing countries and presents a range of case studies. These are interpreted from a perspective of the sociology and anthropology of development. Case study chapters are presented from Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America and Oceania. The book provides essential reading for advanced students and researchers in tourism and development studies.