China has introduced new guidelines aimed at integrating rural tourism more closely with national territorial planning as part of its 15th five-year plan (2026–2030), reflecting a strategic effort to balance environmental protection with expanding domestic travel. The policy, jointly issued this month by the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, encourages the development of activities such as camping, hiking, sightseeing, study tours, and “forest wellness” outside core protected zones in natural reserves.
Domestic tourism in China has experienced substantial growth, with over 3.46 billion trips recorded in the first half of 2026—a 5.4% increase compared to the previous year—and consumer spending reaching 3.21 trillion yuan (approximately HK$3.75 trillion), according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Beijing aims to raise annual trips to 8.3 billion and spending to 7.7 trillion yuan by 2030.
China currently protects about 18% of its land across more than 11,000 designated areas, including five national parks—Sanjiangyuan, Giant Panda, Northeast China Tiger and Leopard, Hainan Tropical Rainforest, and Wuyishan—covering roughly 230,000 square kilometers. The new guidelines seek to alleviate overcrowding in these parks by directing some tourist activities to buffer zones and rural areas, where demand for economic development and additional income sources remains high.
Experts have noted a dual focus in the policy. Benjamin Iaquinto, an associate professor of geography at the University of Hong Kong, observed that while easing visitor pressure in core nature reserves is a common global strategy, the policy also supports growth in under-visited rural regions. Chung-Shing Chan, assistant professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, emphasized the importance of preserving protection within core zones and using alternative trails and educational programs to distribute visitors more evenly, rather than simply increasing tourist numbers indiscriminately.
Dan Wang, a professor at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s School of Hotel and Tourism Management, highlighted the policy’s role in advancing supply-side reforms to meet rising interest from experience-oriented tourists seeking nature-based activities. However, she cautioned that poorly planned expansion could threaten sensitive habitats by extending human disturbance closer to vulnerable ecosystems.
From an ecological standpoint, Jianguo Liu, a distinguished professor at Michigan State University, views the guideline as a means to make tourism development in natural areas more orderly and flexible. Liu outlined two possible outcomes: one where informal tourism is replaced by managed access with controlled visitor flow, and another where so-called ecotourism could mask unchecked development that increases habitat disturbance. Although the policy explicitly prohibits villas, private estates, real estate projects, and golf courses, Liu warned that indirect impacts such as noise, traffic, waste, and water consumption remain difficult to control. He advocates for monitoring a wider zone—up to 20-50 kilometers around parks’ entrances and corridors—to capture indirect effects often overlooked by planners.
Xu Yuan, an associate professor at CUHK, framed the policy within President Xi Jinping’s “Two Mountains” doctrine, which promotes the idea that preserving natural environments can be economically beneficial. Xu pointed to examples in Yunnan province where rural households hold economic rights over forest and pasture lands, enabling them to generate income through tourism and sustainable harvesting, thereby reinforcing conservation efforts.
Nonetheless, experts urge caution in distinguishing between mere nature tourism and genuine ecotourism. Jim Chi Yung of the Education University of Hong Kong called for strict visitor limits aligned with carrying capacity, certified guides, ecosystem site grading, and dedicated conservation funding derived from tourism revenues. He praised the ban on golf courses and villas, noting the necessity of robust enforcement.
Implementation is expected to begin at four national parks—Sanjiangyuan, Giant Panda, Wuyishan, and Hainan Tropical Rainforest—where existing management structures and visitor interest provide a foundation. Success depends largely on local governments, which view tourism as a vital source of employment in regions where traditional development is constrained. Effective coordination among various agencies and deployment of digital reservation and real-time monitoring systems are seen as critical to preventing ecological degradation.
Ultimately, experts underscore that expanding rural tourism must be managed carefully to ensure that natural areas are not “loved to death.”