How Should We Manage China’s National Parks? A Comparative Analysis between National Parks in China and the US

Abstract

This paper analyses the differences between policies in Chinese and American national parks, including the role of communities, the permitting and reservation system, and camping. It also describes additional recommendations related to developing community-based tourism, the e-commerce market, and data statistics tools. What is the best way to support communities economically at the boundaries of national parks? The American experience shows that tourism and ecotourism can be an important economic opportunity for local communities in China. Communities can provide tourism services. They can bring in revenue by operating facilities like hotels, restaurants, groceries, gas, and transportation services. While establishing Chinese National Parks, the government will need to pay close attention to developing and supporting economic development in and near parks, with a special emphasis on building strong relationships with communities. By comparing case studies of American and Chinese national parks, this paper will explore how communities can drive economic development.