IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/ecanpo/v87y2025icp811-830.html

Boom from green: The potential policy effects of China’s national forest city construction on tourism

Author

Listed:
  • Tu, Bingqian
  • Yan, Ru
  • Dang, Jingqi

Abstract

Environmental policies are expected to increase destination appeal and shape visitor behaviors. However, their direct impact on tourism remains less explored. This study investigates the impact of China’s National Forest City Construction (NFCC) policy on tourism using city panel data from 2002 to 2019. Empirical findings from a staggered difference-in-differences (DID) specification reveal a significant 21.15 % increase in per capita tourist revenue and a 21.74 % rise in per capita tourist arrivals post-NFCC implementation. These gains stem from increased city reputation, enhanced ecological environment, and upgraded infrastructure and services, thus improving destination image and tourist experiences. Heterogeneous analyses underscore NFCC’s potential to narrow regional tourism economic disparities, and suggest that areas with limited green space face challenges in tapping into tourism consumption potential. We demonstrate how economic vitality and environmental protection can coexist in the tourism sector through well-designed environmental policies, providing valuable insights for integrating environmental protection into tourism management.

Suggested Citation

  • Tu, Bingqian & Yan, Ru & Dang, Jingqi, 2025. "Boom from green: The potential policy effects of China’s national forest city construction on tourism," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 811-830.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecanpo:v:87:y:2025:i:c:p:811-830
    DOI: 10.1016/j.eap.2025.06.034
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0313592625002619
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.eap.2025.06.034?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Francesco Ricci, 2007. "Channels of transmission of environmental policy to economic growth," Post-Print hal-03062228, HAL.
    2. Yoshihiro Hamaguchi, 2020. "Do pollution havens restrict tourism-led growth? Achieving sustainable tourism via a mix of environmental and tourism policies," Tourism Economics, , vol. 26(7), pages 1175-1196, November.
    3. Munasinghe, M., 1993. "Environmental Economics and Sustainable Development," Papers 3, World Bank - The World Bank Environment Paper.
    4. Kim, Jong-Hyeong, 2014. "The antecedents of memorable tourism experiences: The development of a scale to measure the destination attributes associated with memorable experiences," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 34-45.
    5. Zhang, Ning & Ren, Ran & Zhang, Qiong & Zhang, Tao, 2020. "Air pollution and tourism development: An interplay," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    6. Valero-Gil, Jesus & Surroca, Jordi A. & Tribo, Josep A. & Gutierrez, Leopoldo & Montiel, Ivan, 2023. "Innovation vs. standardization: The conjoint effects of eco-innovation and environmental management systems on environmental performance," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(4).
    7. Stylidis, Dimitrios & Biran, Avital & Sit, Jason & Szivas, Edith M., 2014. "Residents' support for tourism development: The role of residents' place image and perceived tourism impacts," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 260-274.
    8. Dale Fodness, 2017. "The problematic nature of sustainable tourism: some implications for planners and managers," Current Issues in Tourism, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(16), pages 1671-1683, December.
    9. Mark T. Buntaine & Michael Greenstone & Guojun He & Mengdi Liu & Shaoda Wang & Bing Zhang, 2024. "Does the Squeaky Wheel Get More Grease? The Direct and Indirect Effects of Citizen Participation on Environmental Governance in China," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 114(3), pages 815-850, March.
    10. Li Chang & Wenjing Li & Xiaoyan Lu, 2015. "Government Engagement, Environmental Policy, and Environmental Performance: Evidence from the Most Polluting Chinese Listed Firms," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(1), pages 1-19, January.
    11. Ricci, Francesco, 2007. "Channels of transmission of environmental policy to economic growth: A survey of the theory," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(4), pages 688-699, February.
    12. Li, Pei & Lu, Yi & Wang, Jin, 2016. "Does flattening government improve economic performance? Evidence from China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 18-37.
    13. Yunfeng Shang & Chunyu Bi & Xinyu Wei & Dayang Jiang & Farhad Taghizadeh-Hesary & Ehsan Rasoulinezhad, 2023. "Eco-tourism, climate change, and environmental policies: empirical evidence from developing economies," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-9, December.
    14. Wang, Xuhui & Xi, Haonan, 2023. "Carbon mitigation policy and international tourism. Does the European Union Emissions Trading System hit international tourism from member states?," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    15. Zhang, Yingjie & Zhang, Tianzheng & Zeng, Yingxiang & Cheng, Baodong & Li, Hongxun, 2021. "Designating National Forest Cities in China: Does the policy improve the urban living environment?," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).
    16. Sharpley, Richard, 2014. "Host perceptions of tourism: A review of the research," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 37-49.
    17. Mehmood, Usman, 2021. "Contribution of renewable energy towards environmental quality: The role of education to achieve sustainable development goals in G11 countries," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 600-607.
    18. Dang, Jingqi & Wang, Jingru & Tu, Bingqian, 2025. "The impact of National Forest City Construction on local employment: Evidence from China," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    19. Woo, Eunju & Kim, Hyelin & Uysal, Muzaffer, 2015. "Life satisfaction and support for tourism development," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 84-97.
    20. Hussain, Rahim & Al Nasser, Amjad & Hussain, Yomna K., 2015. "Service quality and customer satisfaction of a UAE-based airline: An empirical investigation," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 167-175.
    21. Wim Kellens & Tijs Neutens & Pieter Deckers & Johan Reyns & Philippe Maeyer, 2012. "Coastal flood risks and seasonal tourism: analysing the effects of tourism dynamics on casualty calculations," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 60(3), pages 1211-1229, February.
    22. Manash Ranjan Gupta & Priya Brata Dutta, 2018. "Tourism development, environmental pollution and economic growth: A theoretical analysis," The Journal of International Trade & Economic Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(2), pages 125-144, February.
    23. He, Wenjian & Cheng, Yu & Lin, Ying & Zhang, Hongxiao, 2022. "Microeconomic effects of designating National Forest Cities: Evidence from China's publicly traded manufacturing companies," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    24. Scott, Daniel & Hall, C. Michael & Gössling, Stefan, 2019. "Global tourism vulnerability to climate change," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 49-61.
    25. Sakshi & Shashi & Roberto Cerchione & Harbhajan Bansal, 2020. "Measuring the impact of sustainability policy and practices in tourism and hospitality industry," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(3), pages 1109-1126, March.
    26. Kay Smith, Melanie & Diekmann, Anya, 2017. "Tourism and wellbeing," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 1-13.
    27. Cao, Jiarui & Xu, Yiqing & Zhang, Chuanchuan, 2022. "Clans and calamity: How social capital saved lives during China's Great Famine," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    28. Manfred Lenzen & Ya-Yen Sun & Futu Faturay & Yuan-Peng Ting & Arne Geschke & Arunima Malik, 2018. "Author Correction: The carbon footprint of global tourism," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 8(6), pages 544-544, June.
    29. Manfred Lenzen & Ya-Yen Sun & Futu Faturay & Yuan-Peng Ting & Arne Geschke & Arunima Malik, 2018. "The carbon footprint of global tourism," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 8(6), pages 522-528, June.
    30. Oueslati, Walid, 2015. "Growth and welfare effects of environmental tax reform and public spending policy," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 1-13.
    31. Yanyan Gao & Wei Su, 2023. "The long-run tourism effect of historical celebrities: Evidence from one of the most influential literatus in China," Tourism Economics, , vol. 29(6), pages 1461-1483, September.
    32. Uysal, Muzaffer & Sirgy, M. Joseph & Woo, Eunju & Kim, Hyelin (Lina), 2016. "Quality of life (QOL) and well-being research in tourism," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 244-261.
    33. Beyer, Anne & Cohen, Daniel A. & Lys, Thomas Z. & Walther, Beverly R., 2010. "The financial reporting environment: Review of the recent literature," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(2-3), pages 296-343, December.
    34. Yi Chen & Ziying Fan & Xiaomin Gu & Li-An Zhou, 2020. "Arrival of Young Talent: The Send-Down Movement and Rural Education in China," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 110(11), pages 3393-3430, November.
    35. Vlaeminck, Pieter & Jiang, Ting & Vranken, Liesbet, 2014. "Food labeling and eco-friendly consumption: Experimental evidence from a Belgian supermarket," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 180-190.
    36. Hyun Kim & David Marcouiller, 2015. "Considering disaster vulnerability and resiliency: the case of hurricane effects on tourism-based economies," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 54(3), pages 945-971, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Boto-García, David & Albert, Juan Francisco & Gómez-Fernández, Nerea, 2024. "Carbon price shocks and tourism demand," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    2. Adeola, Ogechi & Evans, Olaniyi & Hilson, Ebo, 2018. "Tourism and economic wellbeing in Africa," MPRA Paper 93685, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Taya Robert & Ana Isabel Renda & Patrícia Pinto, 2022. "Residents' Perceptions on Tourism Impacts and Quality of Life: The Case of Faro," Journal of Tourism, Sustainability and Well-being, CinTurs - Research Centre for Tourism, Sustainability and Well-being, University of Algarve, vol. 10(1), pages 39-57.
    4. Salvatore Bimonte & Antonella D’Agostino, 2021. "Tourism development and residents’ well-being: Comparing two seaside destinations in Italy," Tourism Economics, , vol. 27(7), pages 1508-1525, November.
    5. Natalia Porto & Matías Ciaschi, 2021. "Reformulating the tourism-extended environmental Kuznets curve: A quantile regression analysis under environmental legal conditions," Tourism Economics, , vol. 27(5), pages 991-1014, August.
    6. Cathrine Linnes & Jerome Agrusa & Giulio Ronzoni & Joseph Lema, 2022. "What Tourists Want, a Sustainable Paradise," Tourism and Hospitality, MDPI, vol. 3(1), pages 1-20, February.
    7. José F. Perles & Martín Sevilla & Ana B. Ramón-Rodríguez & María Jesús Such & Patricia Aranda, 2024. "Carry-over effects of tourism on traditional activities," Tourism Economics, , vol. 30(5), pages 1237-1256, August.
    8. Bimonte, Salvatore & Faralla, Valeria, 2016. "Does residents' perceived life satisfaction vary with tourist season? A two-step survey in a Mediterranean destination," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 199-208.
    9. Emil Juvan & Miha Lesjak & Eva Podovšovnik & Jasmina Jurgec, 2021. "A Destination’s Social Sustainability: Linking Tourism Development to Residents’ Quality of Life," Academica Turistica - Tourism and Innovation Journal, University of Primorska Press, vol. 14(1), pages 39-52.
    10. Nicholas Apergis & Konstantinos Gavriilidis & Rangan Gupta, 2023. "Does climate policy uncertainty affect tourism demand? Evidence from time-varying causality tests," Tourism Economics, , vol. 29(6), pages 1484-1498, September.
    11. Ivlevs, Artjoms, 2016. "Happy Hosts? International Tourist Arrivals and Residents' Subjective Well-being in Europe," IZA Discussion Papers 10087, IZA Network @ LISER.
    12. Weimin Gong & Chengxin Wang & Dan Men & Ming Zhang & Aixia Xu, 2024. "The Synergistic Evolution Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Tourism Economy and Urban Green Development Efficiency in the Yellow River Basin," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-22, September.
    13. María Ángeles Plaza-Mejía & Nuria Porras-Bueno & David Flores-Ruiz, 2020. "The Jungle of Support: What Do We Really Mean When We Say “Residents’ Support”?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-27, September.
    14. Wang, Xuhui & Xi, Haonan, 2023. "Carbon mitigation policy and international tourism. Does the European Union Emissions Trading System hit international tourism from member states?," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    15. Adalberto Santos-Júnior & Fernando Almeida-García & Paulo Morgado & Luiz Mendes-Filho, 2020. "Residents’ Quality of Life in Smart Tourism Destinations: A Theoretical Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-24, October.
    16. Bui Hoang Ngoc, 2022. "Do Tourism Development and Globalization Reinforce Ecological Footprint? Evidence From RCEP Countries," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(4), pages 21582440221, December.
    17. Khan Zaibunnisa & Masood Fazeelat & Khan Mubashir Ali, 2021. "Tourism Impact Dimensions, Residents’ Quality of Life and Support for Tourism in Hunza Valley, Pakistan," European Journal of Tourism, Hospitality and Recreation, Sciendo, vol. 11(2), pages 195-209, December.
    18. Bahram Zikirya & Jieyu Wang & Chunshan Zhou, 2021. "The Relationship between CO 2 Emissions, Air Pollution, and Tourism Flows in China: A Panel Data Analysis of Chinese Provinces," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-17, October.
    19. Dalia Streimikiene & Biruta Svagzdiene & Edmundas Jasinskas & Arturas Simanavicius, 2021. "Sustainable tourism development and competitiveness: The systematic literature review," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(1), pages 259-271, January.
    20. Scott, Daniel & Gössling, Stefan, 2022. "A review of research into tourism and climate change - Launching the annals of tourism research curated collection on tourism and climate change," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:ecanpo:v:87:y:2025:i:c:p:811-830. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/economic-analysis-and-policy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.