The Evolution and Status of Tourism Planning: Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China

Many governments in developing countries invest in tourism and participate in tourism planning from the national to the local level. This paper examines the evolution and current status of tourism planning in a developing region-Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China. Local tourism planning has focused on economic priorities with little concern about carrying capacities and negative impacts on local communities. Deficiencies in the planning approaches to tourism development include a shortage of human resources and funds for planning; lack of collaboration among government agencies, between the government and the private sector, between planning institutions and the tourism sector, and among tourism planners; political barriers; lack of community participation and limited input from various stakeholders; lack of effective monitoring, evaluation and supervision; and lack of understanding of the significance of tourism planning. These issues need to be addressed in order to achieve long-term successful tourism development. More efficient and effective planning should be undertaken to mitigate negative impacts and promote sustainable tourism development.