A view of Erhai Lake

Tourism is playing an increasingly important role in the growth of local economies, job creation and cultural exchanges. Statistics show that since the 1950s, the global economy has experienced remarkable expansion as a result of the boom in tourism industry. Currently, the tourism sector has become one of the key pillars of growth in the global economy.  

The United Nations World Tourism Organization reported that in 2021, global tourism contributed $1.9 trillion in export earnings. The Chinese Government has underlined the prominence of this sector since the launch of the reform and opening-up policy in the late 1970s. The tourism sector has grown at a rapid pace and made a significant contribution to local development and poverty alleviation.  

Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture in southwest China’s Yunnan Province is a prime example of how tourism-led development has transformed one of the most impoverished areas of the country into a lively and prosperous prefecture. ChinAfrica visited Dali, now one of the top tourist destinations in the province as well as the country, to find out the interplay of tourism and economic development and the local government’s efforts to balance tourism with ecological preservation.    

An ideal destination  

With its abundant natural and cultural resources, tourism was identified as one of Dali’s strategic pillar industries. Since 1983, it has been a popular destination for both domestic and foreign tourists. It is ranked among one of China’s top 24 historical and cultural cities. This is testified by numerous industry awards including “China Excellent Tourism City,” “Best China Charming City,” “China Top 10 Leisure Tourist City,” and “International Cultural and Leisure Tourism Charming City.” Additionally, Dali is recognized as a key center along the South Silk Road.  

When in Dali, most visitors spend much of their time in the old town and the nearby tourists attractions such as the area around Erhai Lake. They can visit a number of historical locations, the majority of which are connected to the South Silk Road, which was once used to transport tea to other regions of China and to the neighboring countries to the south and the southwest. Historically, Dali was a major commercial hub in the region, located at the intersection of trade routes linking China and Southeast Asia.  

Despite the disruptions caused by the pandemic, Dali still received more than 39 million tourists in 2020, compared to more than 52 million in the pre-pandemic period of 2019. The influx of both foreign and domestic tourists into Dali has created numerous possibilities for the local people, most of whom belong to the Bai ethnic minority.  

Tourists experience local culture in the ancient town of Dali on March 3, 2021

Tourism has also greatly contributed to the increase of local incomes and improvement of the living standards of the lowest income earners in rural communities in the area. According to local people, their life was very different before the growth of the tourism industry.  

The local economy, infrastructure, and quality of life have all improved from the incomes generated by the arrival of a growing number of visitors. The tourism industry has also had an impact on the development of other sectors of the economy.  

Zeng Yuanli from the Dali Vocational and Technical College of Agriculture and Forestry believes that the “arrival of these tourists has been a huge boon to the economic development of Bai ethnic group.”  

Statistics from the Dali Bureau of Culture and Tourism show that the prefecture totally received 26.96 million tourists in the first half of 2022, with tourism revenue hitting 34.24 billion yuan ($5.01 billion).  

According to local government’s plan, the prefecture is expected to receive more than 56 million tourists in 2025 when its 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) ends, with tourism revenue totaling 100 billion yuan ($14.65 billion). 

“The enormous economic benefits go to all common people in Dali. The living standard of people has become higher; the surrounding areas have also become more developed; education, health care, and construction of public facilities are constantly improving; and the life of the Bai people in Dali is getting better and better,” she added. 

The local government has received a great deal of praise and recognition for promoting the tourism sector to generate employment and increase local income while also protecting both natural resources and distinctive cultural resources.   

Tourism and rural revitalization 

After the local government started a campaign to preserve the ecosystem of the Erhai Lake basin for ecological restoration in March 2017, the number of tourists in the area has in fact increased. All tourism and hospitality operations in the core area of the Erhai Lake conservation zone were suspended until the authorities made sure that all the related businesses had the necessary licenses and a sewage network running around the lake was installed. This ecological preservation, which is part of the Jointly Making Ecological Progress policy, has enabled Dali’s tourism sector to raise the quality of its contribution to the economic development.  

Zeng noted that these environmental protection initiatives support the rural revitalization strategy, which has the long-term objective of making decisive progress in rural revitalization by 2035 and “completely rejuvenating rural areas with a strong agriculture sector, a beautiful and revitalized countryside and prosperous farmers” by 2050. 

Experts believe that the plan of furthering ecological progress with the ultimate goal of creating a “beautiful China” is expected to gradually reduce the risk of major environmental deterioration in order to ensure the long-term stability of the Chinese economy. A lot more options are available now in Dali than there used to be, including rural excursions and spending time in the mountains, along the rivers and tranquil landscapes that the countryside has to offer. Businesses have also aligned their business strategies with objectives of sustainable development to attract visitors of all types, including those with higher spending capacity.