Our institute released the "Giant Panda Green Tourism Development Index Report"

On the morning of September 19, 2024, the "Giant Panda Green Tourism Development Index Release Conference" hosted by the China Tourism Academy was held in Beijing. Assistant Researcher Han Jinfang, head of green tourism research at the China Tourism Academy, released the "Giant Panda Green Tourism Development Index Report" on behalf of the research team and shared the main views and data:

1. From passive response to negative externalities to active governance and strategic upgrading

Since the mid-20th century, the global economy has gradually recovered and grown rapidly, industrialization and urbanization have gradually accelerated, the improvement of infrastructure and tourism facilities such as transportation, communications, and payment, and the rise of mass consumer culture have provided more convenience for tourism. The globalization of the tourism industry has accelerated and gradually become an important part of the global economy. Since the reform and opening up, especially since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, my country's tourism development has entered the fast lane. The tourism industry has grown from small to large and from weak to strong. It has increasingly become an emerging strategic pillar industry and a livelihood industry and happiness industry with significant characteristics of the times. The tourism industry is often regarded as a "smokeless industry" and "invisible trade". However, due to the fragmentation of the tourism industry value chain, excessive tourism and disorderly development have left deep environmental footprints, such as serious environmental pollution, a surge in energy consumption, the erosion of traditional culture by tourism commercialization, and the disruption of residents' daily lives.

At first, people only responded passively to solve the negative externalities brought by tourism. Some cities began to limit the number of tourists, especially during the peak tourist season, to reduce the influx of short-term tourists. Some cities have implemented tourist quotas in some ecologically fragile natural scenic spots and limited the number of tourists by raising ticket prices. Other cities have taken measures to limit the number of short-term rentals to control the rent increases and resident displacement caused by tourism. However, passive responses only treat the symptoms and not the root causes, and the people-oriented nature of tourism cannot be fully guaranteed. When people's living standards rise with economic development, society begins to think, and the tourism industry begins to explore a development model that suits itself.

We pay more attention to the environment, take the initiative to take responsibility, and take positive actions. International standards and conventions such as the Global Sustainable Tourism Standard, the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, the United Nations Paris Agreement, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals have been successively introduced. Xi Jinping's important conclusions on ecological civilization and green development concepts have provided theoretical compliance and ideological guidance for the development of green tourism in China in the new era.

2. From abstract concepts and strategies to vivid industrial practices

Green practices throughout the entire industry chain have proven that the development of green tourism is timely. Green diet is not only a sustainable consumption choice, but also a new selling point for tourist destinations to attract tourists and promote the concept of "farm-to-table" ecological diet. For example, when participating in the Puerto Rico Roots Tour, in addition to visiting the ecological corridor and learning about local flora and fauna, tourists can also participate in organic seasonal fruit and vegetable picking and experience green diet from farm to table. Environmentally friendly accommodation facilities will become a trend in the development of the hotel industry in the future, and green hotel certifications (such as LEED and EarthCheck) are gradually becoming an important reference standard for tourists to choose hotels. In 2022, Ctrip Group launched an assessment standard for low-carbon hotels, aiming to reduce carbon emissions by 47.5% by 2030. Currently, 1,500 hotels have been selected for this standard. Low-carbon transportation will be an important part of the future development of the tourism industry. Electric, public and intelligent transportation modes not only reduce the environmental burden, but also enhance the travel experience of tourists. In Hong Kong, Alipay explored the outbound Ant Forest energy collection for the first time. "One-Code Pass" users can take the subway, bus, and Dingding car conveniently, and at the same time earn Ant Forest green energy. They can earn 80g of energy by taking the bus and 52g of energy by taking the subway, and can accumulate up to 5 transactions of each type per day.

Green tourism projects that are highly interactive and closely integrated with nature can not only enhance tourists' environmental awareness, but also achieve long-term social benefits in education and entertainment. The forest bathing project in Sonian, Belgium is a relaxing journey to experience self and nature through meditation practice. The activity is slow-paced and emphasizes the senses and breathing. By enjoying simple details, such as the rustling of leaves, the ultimate goal is to restore a sense of balance and reduce anxiety. Green shopping is not just about buying goods, but more about cultural heritage and sustainable consumption. Tourists can support local environmental practices through purchases and enhance the economic capacity of the destination community. When visiting the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, East Africa, travel companies will actively educate tourists not to buy any wildlife products of questionable origin, and encourage tourists to buy handicrafts from local communities, such as straw baskets and beads. This approach not only protects wildlife, but also supports the economic development of local communities. Using natural resources for environmentally friendly entertainment, such as hot springs, outdoor sports and eco-tourism, can not only reduce the carbon footprint of the tourism industry, but also closely integrate natural landscapes with the entertainment industry to promote local economic development. Participating in the Wildlife Conservation Volunteer Program in South Africa, tourists can join the volunteer team in the reserve to help monitor wildlife, clean up the environment and participate in local conservation work. This entertainment method not only allows tourists to experience African wildlife, but also contribute to local conservation.

Summarizing the above industrial practices of green tourism, we found that green tourism has driven the innovation of tourism models. Traditional tourism is mainly based on consumption resources, but green tourism emphasizes the protection and rational use of resources, prompting companies to innovate in ecological protection, environmental protection facilities, low-carbon transportation, etc. More and more tourist destinations are introducing renewable energy, zero-emission vehicles and circular economy models, which not only meet the needs of tourists but also reduce the negative impact on the environment. This innovation provides companies with opportunities for differentiated competition and can enhance brand value. Handan Kunlewan International Tourism Resort, which is built with green technologies such as solar mirror fields and energy centers as the core, breaks the shackles of time with solar thermal energy, not only broadens the boundaries of "+ cultural tourism", but also makes all-region, all-season and all-weather possible.

Green tourism has given rise to emerging market demand. Consumers are paying more and more attention to health and environmental protection, making green tourism a popular choice. Tourists are more willing to participate in eco-friendly and cultural heritage tourism projects. This change in demand provides the industry with more room for innovation and drives companies to develop more sustainable and distinctive tourism products. The Supertree Grove in Singapore's Gardens by the Bay is 50 meters high. In addition to its aesthetic value, its main function is to support the use of green energy with integrated solar panels and rainwater collection systems. The garden also uses advanced climate control technology to regulate the temperature of the park through plant cooling towers to improve energy efficiency.

The deep integration of green tourism and technology is the key driving force for industrial innovation. The application of technologies such as smart tourism, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things not only enhances the experience of tourists, but also provides more efficient solutions for the management and operation of green tourism projects. This technology-driven green innovation will further accelerate the transformation of the tourism industry to sustainable development. Soneva Fushi Resort in Malaysia has partnered with Yingli Solar to install solar panels on the roof of the resort through a power purchase agreement (PPA). The special thing about this project is that the resort does not have to pay upfront capital expenditures, but instead purchases electricity at an agreed price that is 40% cheaper than traditional diesel generators. This not only reduces the resort's operating costs, but also reduces carbon emissions, demonstrating the potential for the application of innovative green energy solutions in the tourism industry.

3. From industrial practice to destination construction

Looking to the future, green tourism should not only be an industrial behavior, but also start from the top level; it should not only be a market behavior, but also the strategy, direction, brand and image of destination construction. The "Overall Plan for Chengdu to Build a Park City Demonstration Zone to Practice the New Development Concept", "Green Tourism Scenic Area Evaluation Requirements", Guiyang Local Standards, and "Northeast Tourism Development Plan" have been launched one after another, all of which are guided by the green tourism development concept, explore new models for tourism development, and practice the unity of ecological protection, green development and tourism development.

The core goal of developing green tourism is ecological experience and quality life. Looking to the future, green tourism should first do a good job of demand-side management. Destinations are also actively practicing around intelligent management and regulation, reducing the impact on the environment, culture and economy, providing high-quality experience, issuing policies and standards, and enhancing the public's awareness of green environmental protection. For example, depending on the season, many tourist destinations across the country implement off-season and peak season ticket prices, such as many scenic spots in Shanxi Province, many scenic spots in Guizhou, some scenic spots in Yangzhou, and many well-known 5A-level scenic spots such as the Forbidden City, the Potala Palace, Qinghai Lake, Huangshan, Mogao Grottoes, and Jiuzhaigou. For example, since April 2010, provincial star-rated hotels in Guangdong have implemented the policy of no longer delivering disposable daily necessities to each room, but only when guests need them. It is advocated that tourists bring their own daily necessities as much as possible when they check in, so as to promote the reduction and reuse of resources. Xitang, Zhejiang, took the lead in formulating the "Low-carbon Tourism Cell Standard" in the province, combining the characteristics of the tourism industry to create a low-carbon brand for homestays and restaurants, and guide homestays and restaurants to form green business methods, provide green service products, and create a green consumption environment.

Facing the future, green tourism should improve the product system construction on the supply side. Dujiangyan City takes mountains and rivers as the background, ecology as the feature, culture as the soul, health care as the carrier, and tourism as the link. Based on the ecological, Taoist culture, traditional Chinese medicine and other resources in the region, it promotes the deep integration and development of tourism and the big health industry, and attracts tourists who pursue physical and mental health to experience it. Dalian is working hard to promote the transformation of the cultural tourism industry to a green and low-carbon high-quality industry. Dalian has always been committed to building a forest city. As of 2022, the forest coverage rate of Dalian has reached 41.5%. Dalian has successively carried out urban and rural greenway projects and ecological forest park construction, and continuously enriched agricultural sightseeing, forest tourism, rural tourism and other formats. Facing the future, green tourism must also have the ability of sustainable development and a complete guarantee system.

Based on the above four dimensions, the research team constructed a green tourism development evaluation index system, carried out green tourism development evaluation on 45 sample cities, and released the "Preferred Destinations for Green Tourism Practice". The list is as follows: Hangzhou, Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing, Shanghai, Huzhou, Changsha, Guiyang, Dalian, and Guangzhou.

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