Assessing the conjunction of environmental sustainability and tourism development along Chinese waterways

Abstract

The complex interplay between tourism expansion and environmental conservation responsibilities necessitates the adoption of sustainable practices in aquatic ecosystems around the world. Still, existing scholarly investigations predominantly focus on the dynamics of individual rivers, resulting in considerable gaps in our comprehension of large river network systems. To redress these gaps, this study examines the potential effects of tourism development on the environmental sustainability of the Yangtze River and its tributaries in China. Furthermore, it evaluates government support and interventions aimed at strengthening environmental sustainability while proposing specific improvements. In 2023, a comprehensive survey involving 982 stakeholders provided invaluable insights into the multilayered nexus between tourism development and environmental sustainability. We analyzed carefully gathered data from a thoughtfully designed questionnaire using rigorous reliability assessments, correlation analyses, and regression techniques. Cronbach’s alpha coefficients ranging from 0.83 to 0.95 support the results, indicating robust reliability. The findings reveal predominantly positive correlations between governmental support and interventions and environmental sustainability, with visitor management showing the strongest correlation (r = 0.66**). Furthermore, regression analysis reveals that tourism development and governmental support and interventions contribute to both economic sustainability (R2 = 0.61 ∼ R2 = 0.77, ΔR2 = 16) and environmental conservation and management (R2 = 0.51 ∼ R2 = 0.62, ΔR2 = 11) in environmental sustainability. Thus, the study highlights the importance of governmental support and intervention in achieving environmental sustainability. Therefore, it advocates a coordinated approach to maximize policy formulation and implementation benefits. This study provides actionable insights for researchers, stakeholders, and policymakers alike to promote sustainable tourism practices.

Keywords

• Environmental assessment
• Ecotourism
• Tourism management
• Visitor management
• Natural environment
• Ecosystem and biodiversity