Comparison of ecotourism policies and implications for china’s ecotourism development

This study investigates the ecotourism policies in three East Asian countries—China, the Republic of Korea, and Japan. All three countries have recently issued their ecotourism policies and are in the initial stages of ecotourism policy development. This study explored the challenges and opportunities presented in each country's ecotourism policy as well as the areas that need to be further improved in order to strengthen its effects on ecotourism management. Implications to China's ecotourism are made based on comparisons of policy implementations in these three countries such as enhancing education and promotion of appropriate ecotourism, viewing ecotourism development as a scientific and systematic process, coordinating multiple governmental organizations that are involved in ecotourism, placing more emphasis on the preservation of natural environment, and establishing an operational description of a financial plan that will support the most needed areas for developing ecotourism.