A study on relationship of conservation and tourism demand of world heritage sites in China
中国世界遗产地保护与旅游需求关系

It has been recognized for long time that there exists conflict between heritage protection and tourism development, especially in those developing countries where local governments appealed more on economic benefits from heritage tourism. Since China adopted the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Culture and Natural Heritage in 1985, 21 cultural heritages, 3 natural heritages and 4 mixed heritages have been inscribed in the list. Considering the fast development of heritage tourism in China, academic research literature is still less than hoped. What readers could find in this paper is a special relationship between demands on tourism development and need to protect World Heritage Sites (WHSs) in the country. To observe the conflict between the two sides, a comprehensive investigation and study is done with technical support of GIS, quantitative geography and other geographical analysis methods. According to the results of the research, there are many forces that enhance heritage tourism development in this most rapidly growing country of Asia, including densely populated urban market versus limited number of WHSs; closer distance between population centers and WHSs (easy access from major tourism market to WHSs); being at a special stage of industrial transforming of the country (switching from secondary industry to tertiary industry and service-oriented industry); more preferences of potential domestic tourism market; and being in a shortage of financial resources for heritage protection. Therefore, tourism development of WHSs is a natural result in current economic and social situation. Meanwhile, findings of the analysis also demonstrate that heritage protection is the most important consideration while taking them as major tourism attractions, because heavy pressure of tourism development calls for more efforts to preserve those sites. Only a well-balanceddevelopment model could maintain a sustainable development of WHSs and secure the long-term benefits.