Challenges and prospects of sustainable tourism development in Jiuzhaigou, China

Jiuzhaigou, China’s first national nature reserve established for scenic landscape protection, was inscribed as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site in 1992. The aim of this study is to examine the key challenges to its sustainable tourism development under the pressure of rapid tourism growth and to propose effective solutions. Using a case study approach, the research reviews ecological and management issues that have emerged in recent years. Four major challenges are identified: environmental degradation, loss of aesthetic value, weak management systems, and limited stakeholder collaboration. In response, several strategies are proposed, including strengthening ecological protection and restoration, setting clear limits on visitor capacity, improving tourism products and service quality, enhancing environmental education and public participation, and establishing a more effective and collaborative management framework that engages multiple actors. The study also outlines directions for future research to ensure long-term sustainability, including conducting sustainable tourism evaluations, strengthening natural heritage conservation, broadening stakeholder participation and cross-sector collaboration, and applying smart technologies to improve scenic area management. The findings provide practical strategies to support the sustainable development of tourism in Jiuzhaigou and offer insights that may inform the management and conservation of other World Natural Heritage Sites facing similar pressures.