The UNWTO has opened two more Sustainable Tourism Observatories in China.
The new centres, located at the Kanas Lake Nature Reserve in the northwest region of Xinjiang, and the city of Chengdu in Sichuan province, are designed to monitor the environmental, social and economic impacts of tourism.
The Chengdu and Kanas Observatories join UNWTO’s network of tourism observatories which gather and report data to help policymakers to ensure more sustainable tourism growth.
“UNWTO’s Sustainable Tourism Observatories are providing decision-makers with the information they need to make more responsible tourism decisions,” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai. “The establishment of the Chengdu and Kanas Observatories will allow these destinations to better understand the impact of their many visitors, evaluate the impacts of existing sustainable tourism initiatives and ensure tourism benefits both the people and environment of the surrounding areas for years to come.”
The city of Chengdu receives tens of millions of tourists each year, while the Kanas Lake Nature Reserve receives close to one million domestic tourists, supporting jobs and income among the local population. UNWTO’s Sustainable Tourism Observatories in China are managed and monitored by the Sun Yet-Sen University in Guangzhou.
