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Eco-efficiency and its determinants at a tourism destination: A case study of Huangshan National Park, China

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  • Peng, Hongsong
  • Zhang, Jinhe
  • Lu, Lin
  • Tang, Guorong
  • Yan, Bingjin
  • Xiao, Xiao
  • Han, Ya

Abstract

This study creates a comprehensive evaluation index system, including undesirable outputs and a Slacks-Based Measure-Data Envelopment Analysis model, to analyse the characteristics and evolution of eco-efficiency at an individual tourism destination. This study also empirically identifies the determinants of eco-efficiency. Huangshan National Park, one of the most iconic and highly visited national parks in China, was chosen as the study site. The study results indicate that eco-efficiency has improved continuously. Pure technical efficiency is higher than scale efficiency, while eco-efficiency is more relevant to scale efficiency than to pure technical efficiency. The evolution of eco-efficiency undergoes four stages: an initial inefficient stage, a rapid growth stage, a mature efficient stage and a downside risk stage. Moreover, tourism development, industrial structure and technical level have significantly positive impacts on eco-efficiency, but investment level displays the opposite trend. Environmental regulation emphasizing waste control does not effectively promote eco-efficiency. Finally, theoretical and practical contributions of the findings are discussed in the context of eco-efficiency at a tourism destination. For instance, an eco-efficiency analysis of a destination should treat the tourism destination as a macro-scale system with complex evolutionary rules and should combine this perspective with theory, such as the tourist area cycle of evolution proposed by Butler in 1980.

Suggested Citation

  • Peng, Hongsong & Zhang, Jinhe & Lu, Lin & Tang, Guorong & Yan, Bingjin & Xiao, Xiao & Han, Ya, 2017. "Eco-efficiency and its determinants at a tourism destination: A case study of Huangshan National Park, China," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 201-211.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:touman:v:60:y:2017:i:c:p:201-211
    DOI: 10.1016/j.tourman.2016.12.005
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