The role of institutions in the production of space for tourism: National Forest Parks in China

Published Date
Forest Policy and Economics
September 2016, Vol.70:47–55, doi:10.1016/j.forpol.2016.05.021

Author 

Fen Luo ^a,b,,

Brent D. Moyle ^b,,

Jigang Bao ^c,

Yongde Zhong ^a,

aCollege of Tourism, Central South University of Forestry & Technology, 410004, e-no.498, Shaoshan South Road, Changsha, Hunan, China

bGriffith Institute for Tourism, Griffith University, Building (G27) Room 3.03, Parklands Drive, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia

cCentre for Tourism and Planning Research, No. 135, Xingang Xi Road, Guangzhou, Yat-sen University, 512007, China

Received 10 December 2015. Revised 26 May 2016. Accepted 26 May 2016. Available online 3 June 2016.

Highlights

• Explored the role of institutions in the production of space for tourism to National Forest Parks (NFPs) in China.
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  Demonstrates how institutional changes mirrored the dynamic role in NFPs played by the state, capital and society in China.
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  A three-phased conceptual triad depicting the shift in the state, capital and society in NFPs in China from 1982- 2014.
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  Future research should focus on the interaction between the state, capital and society at the local level.

Abstract 

Nature-based tourism is a global phenomenon, with traditional forms of use of natural areas, such as wood harvesting and agriculture, paving the way for ecotourism. However, there has been limited exploration of the role of institutions in driving this transition. Consequently, this paper sought to explore the role of institutions in producing space for tourism within National Forest Parks (NFPs) in China. To achieve this objective 68 national-level policy documents from 1949 to 2014 were collected and analyzed. Findings demonstrate a transformation in the role of NFPs, orchestrated by the state, capital and society for tourism. In particular, NFPs, as an ideological space in national development, were not only an outcome of economic, social, political, and ecological processes, but also balanced the power between the state, capital and society. Institutional changes mirrored the dynamic relationship between the state, capital and society in China. Future research should focus on the role of institutions in producing space for tourism for and within parks at the local level, especially in developing contexts.

Keywords

Tourism

Conservation

Spatiality

Institution

National Forest Parks

China

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  Corresponding author.
  
  

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