Institutional evolution in concessions management in national parks and the response of China

Abstract

A concession operation plays an important role in the scientific operation and sustainable utilization of national parks and it serves the public good. From the perspective of institutional evolution, this paper analyzes the development of concessions management in national parks of the United States, New Zealand and Canada, and indicates that the United States is featured by self-reinforcement and game equilibrium, New Zealand is featured by institutional equilibrium and stratified transformation and Canada is featured by path-locking and institutional digestion. Then this paper explains how to deal with the relationships between the open tendering and natural monopoly, the contract and unchecked rights, and the public interest and competition and motivation. Based on the above analysis, suggestions for the development of concessions management system for national parks of China are put forward.