The social and environmental impacts on local residents from tourist accommodation near protected areas

Tourism is often promoted as a strategy for offsetting the social impacts on the lives and livelihoods of people in nearby host communities from conservation actions and the establishment of protected areas and national parks. However, the presence of tourists also creates significant negative social and environmental impacts on local people and communities. We examine the impacts created by rural tourism operators (specifically boutique rural hotels and bed-and-breakfast enterprises) on the residents of Longweiba village in the Wulingyuan Historic and Scenic Area, Hunan Province, China. The management arrangements for this World Heritage Site mean that residents are regulated by different management regimes depending on whether they are inside or outside the high conservation zone, which has created inequity and conflict. Using an ethnographic approach and interviews with 30 local residents and one government official, our results reveal that, while tourism has contributed to local economic development and improved the living environment, it has also led to a range of concerns about: protected area management; various environmental issues; inequitable regulations; inconsistent governance policies; unfair building restrictions; sewage; odor pollution; water shortages; and a fear of involuntary resettlement. The poor planning of tourism, inequitable policies, and inconsistent enforcement of regulations have exacerbated these issues. We conclude that, while tourism has some benefits for host communities, better governance and environmental management, more inclusive community engagement, and clear consistent policies are needed to ensure that tourism development within or near protected areas is sustainable and equitable.