Towards sustainable cultural-tourism integration in China’s ethnic regions – models, challenges, and policy strategies

The integration of culture and tourism in China’s ethnic regions presents a unique opportunity for economic development and cultural preservation. Despite growing scholarly interest, existing models have proven insufficient in addressing the distinctive socio-cultural contexts and development challenges of ethnic regions. This study advances the discourse by examining six integration models organized in a novel 2 × 3 matrix framework: concept-based models (promotion and substitution) that focus on ideational frameworks; product-based models that transform tangible offerings; and market-based models that strategically target consumer segments. Through comparative analysis of diverse case studies from Naxi, Miao, Zhuang, She, Qiang, and Tibetan regions, we reveal how these models vary significantly in their applicability, integration pathways, effectiveness, and generalizability across different ethnic contexts. The study identifies key challenge to effective integration, including systemic challenges (limited industry openness and regulatory rigidity), resource limitations (restricted asset universality and underdeveloped innovation capacity), and market constraints (homogenized competition and fragmented industry structure). These challenges, when taken together, significantly impede the ability for sustainable integration. This is particularly evident in ethnic regions, given their distinct cultural sensitivity and developmental pathways. To address these challenges, we propose targeted policy strategies through innovation enhancement (leveraging digital technologies and creating immersive experiences), strategic industry restructuring (cultivating leading enterprises and establishing demonstration projects), cultural-economic balancing (implementing community-based protection mechanisms while enabling authentic commercialization), and institutional reform (creating specialized regulatory frameworks and multi-stakeholder governance models).