Development of the Nanshan Cultural Tourism Zone in Hainan, China: Achievements made and issues to be resolved | Développement de la zone de tourisme culturel de Nanshan en Chine: accomplissements et problèmes à résoudre

Abstract

This paper focuses on the development of the Nanshan Cultural Tourism Zone in Sanya, Hainan Province, China. The findings are based on a research in progress, which is mainly, but not exclusively, qualitative and aims at identifying the achievements made in the development process and the issues to be resolved for the future success of the Cultural Tourism Zone. The paper indicates that the zone has the potential to be a successful case of cultural tourism in China given its achievements made so far at the initial development stage. However, a series of issues regarding the zone's planning and management must be resolved to secure its future success. The paper concludes with the suggestion that a travel ecology approach be applied to the zone's future development. However, substantial limits to such a community participatory tourism approach may emerge in the application process which is worthy of an in-depth study to draw theoretical and practical implications for similar cases in China and in other developing countries.