Students and teachers from Beijing’s No.94 Middle School participate in a program launched by EcoAction, a Beijing-based ecotourism social enterprise, in Yinggeling Nature Reserve in Hainan Province (COURTESY OF ECOACTION)

On the heels of a landmark international climate agreement in Paris, there is an enormous amount of discussion about what can be done to transform economies dependent on fossil fuels. Chinese delegates, who have been widely reported as being key players in closing the deal during the final hours of negotiations in the French capital, have been transparent about China's interest in embracing a "green revolution." For China, the global warming challenge has become an opportunity to revamp the drive for modernization and reach for greater economic growth through low-carbon mandates.

However, meeting China's own goal of peaking its greenhouse gas emissions before 2030 will require tremendous effort on behalf of the Chinese Government and businesses, big and small. It will also require citizens and leaders from sectors far beyond the manufacturing and technology markets to achieve their goals.

While the service sector continues to play an increasingly large role in driving the Chinese economy, innovation in new and potentially green areas like tourism could give China a head start. The accomplishment of the government's twin aims of promoting green development and sustaining a medium-high growth rate will require new business insights into how to take advantage of situation. Ecotourism provides an example of how local businesses can adapt to the challenge.

More than a concept 

Ecotourism is defined as "responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and involves interpretation and education," according to The International Ecotourism Society.

Although 2009 was dubbed as China's Ecotourism Year, the country does not yet have a flourishing ecotourism sector, unlike India, Thailand and countries across Europe and the Americas.

But whether more time or additional marketing resources are needed to gain international and domestic recognition, the potential for ecotourism in China is enormous. Even now, sustainability entrepreneurs in China are already making headway in this field.

Over the past 15 years China has witnessed a tourism boom, in which a growing middle class with rising disposable incomes are traveling more at home and abroad. That is the reason that Chris Eberhardt, Marketing Manager of the Schoolhouse Hotels, credits to their hotels' ability to cater to a more domestic audience.

"We are shifting toward attracting and hosting more Chinese people and we are lucky that we can say that," Eberhardt told Beijing Review  during an interview at the Schoolhouse's signature eco-resort, the Brickyard, in Beijing's Huairou County, about a 90-minute drive from the city center. "As the economy continues to grow, more and more Chinese people are starting to travel."

Eberhardt explained that many guests come for the hotel's premier location next to one of the most famous parts of the Great Wall. However, one of the hotel's main attractions is their commitment to refurbishing old buildings, harvesting local food and giving back to the local community. Ecotourism projects such as these also demonstrate how villages can come back to life after the damaging effects of urbanization. The Schoolhouse also aims to make people more aware of their impact on the environment and how they can become responsible travelers.

Ecotourism in action 

Luo Peng, founding Director of EcoAction, an ecotourism social enterprise based in Beijing, shares this philosophy. EcoAction runs trips ranging from days to two-week-long adventures. Luo's team organizes a program that combines elements of environmental and wildlife science, conservation strategies, engagement with local communities as well as hiking and camping. Customers include foreigners, groups from schools around China, and an increasing number of Chinese families looking for a unique experience.

EcoAction is best known for its research-focused trips to Sichuan, Luo's home province and home to China's legendary giant panda population. "Our panda project is a good example of how we integrate learning and conservation work with the community, and also help to create long-term change," Luo told Beijing Review  during a recent interview.

She explained that participants work side-by-side with scientists to help with observations and understand the environmental threats pandas face in the wild. By observing the larger context in which panda habitats are threatened by human activity, EcoAction hopes that people can also understand the importance of conservation efforts.

"China's nature reserves are typically located in poor, rural areas dependent on nature," Luo stated, cautioning that "If, as a society, we decide to protect nature as part of our conservation efforts, then we also need to provide the locals with economic alternatives to bring income into the community without destroying the environment. That is the fundamental idea behind ecotourism--promoting responsibility and sustainability."

Leading by example 

The small but growing number of ecotourism outposts in China span the country, including the stunning scenery of Yunnan Province. In the fabled hills of Shangri-La and the mountains that mark the ancient trade route known as the Tea and Horse Road, Dakpa Kelden runs a series of small, eco-friendly boutique hotels. These beautifully designed hotels are replete with the spectacular views of temples and star-gazing terraces.

When asked why ecotourism is important to his community in an interview with Beijing Review , Dakpa answered, "All of the beauty surrounding us, from the forests, grasslands and flowers, are things we want to hand over to the next generation."

Dakpa's hotels, Lijiang Arro Khampa and Shangri-La Arro Khampa, are made from recycled adobe wall, wood and stone. The hotels not only offer guests environmentally friendly accommodation, but also the opportunity to see the lifeblood of the community. Villagers perform traditional songs and dances at the hotels, and the guesthouses serve local cuisine using fresh produce and meat. The establishments also organize trips for guests to hike along the Tea and Horse Road, using local guides and riding locally trained horses.

"This way, the vast majority of the profit goes directly in villagers' pockets to support their traditional way of life," Dakpa claimed proudly.

Dakpa and his team also run the Thangka Center, located in a charming old house tucked away in downtown Shangri-La, a community project directly supported by proceeds from guests staying at the Arro Khampa hotels. The center funds and trains fellows to learn the traditional style of Tibetan painting, which can take as long as two years to complete in individual pieces.

Similarly, the Schoolhouse's resort in Mutianyu runs a noodle shop in the village that appeals to Great Wall hikers, using a unique regional noodle-making method. The hotel also takes guests to visit local farmers and even the town's tofu maker in order to directly support the local economy.

Still, ecotourism has a long way to go before it is embraced by a larger section of China's population. When asked what is the biggest barrier to creating a culture of responsible tourism both in China and worldwide, Dakpa responded, "The biggest barrier is getting more desire from the consumers themselves."

"From the industry side, we need to create a model that is both environmentally and financially sustainable so that we can support communities and create a viable economic alternative," Luo said. "From the customer side, I hope that the demand for real ecotourism continues to increase in China and it is not just about seeing nature, but helping to protect it. We'll see where we are in three or five years, but hopefully we will become pioneers in this field, inspiring more entrepreneurs to follow in our footsteps."

Copyedited by Bryan Michael Galvan 

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