Ecotourism Not a Quick Fix for Poverty, Study Indicates

Wynne Parry's avatar
By
published
in News

Research shows nature tourism isn't an automatic ticket out of poverty for people who transition from farming to tourism for economic improvement. Here, tourists watch pandas at China's Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP) in Wolo
Research shows nature tourism isn't an automatic ticket out of poverty for people who transition from farming to tourism for economic improvement. Here, tourists watch pandas at China's Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP) in Wolong Nature Reserve, May 2005.
(Image credit: Wei Liu, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University)

Truly impoverished people are less likely to benefit economically from nature-based tourism than those who already have access to resources, according to research that followed the effects of burgeoning tourism in Wolong, China, where pandas are the main attraction.

The study followed 220 Wolong families from 1999 to 2007 as the area's economic base shifted from agriculture to tourism. Results showed that those who were already educated, economically well off and had relationships with government officials had a much better chance of benefitting from the new industry than other individuals. [Butter Balls: Photos of Playful Pandas]

Latest Videos From
Wynne Parry
Wynne Parry
Wynne was a reporter at The Stamford Advocate. She has interned at Discover magazine and has freelanced for The New York Times and Scientific American's web site. She has a masters in journalism from Columbia University and a bachelor's degree in biology from the University of Utah.