Comparative Analysis Of Tourism Ecological Footprint

Based on the ecological footprint model, combined with the ecological consumption and its structure character of tourists, this paper leads tourism ecological footprint model into the assessment of sustainable tourism. We have discussed the concept of ecological footprint,developing and improving the calculating models including transportation, shopping, food and beverage, accommodation and sight-seeing, waste and water. Taking Guilin as an example, we calculate and analyze the tourism ecological footprint of Guilin in 2005,compare travel ecological footprint of team tourists from different source markets, furthermore have further discussion of the tourist ecological footprint in Guilin based on a sample survey, then put forward some strategies for the sustainable development of tourism.On the basis of tourism ecological footprint theory and methods, and through qualitative analysis and quantitative study, this paper reaches the following conclusions:(a) Tourism team TEF of Guilin in 2005 is 364.5㎡ on average. team Per capita annual tourism ecological footprint of tourists in Guilin values of 416,351 h㎡. Tourism ecological footprint unit outputs value of 1,739 U.S. dollars per hour㎡, and units of domestic TEF value of 1,337 U.S. dollars, Hong Kong and Taiwan and overseas units TEF value of 4,441 U.S. dollars.(b) By comparing the ecological footprint of the team tourists from different sources, it is clear that although Hong Kong and Taiwan and overseas tourists ecological footprint occupied units of domestic tourists is 1.64 times, their ecological footprint unit output value is the domestic tourists 3.32 times. Further calculations show that the more developed regions of tourism, their ecological footprint occupiers more than the underdeveloped areas, however their ecological footprint unit value many times of the less developed regions. The conclusions agree with the conclusions based on traditional market analysis, however if introduce tourism ecological footprint but not just choose the relevant economic indicators for decision-making, the decision maybe more scientific and more perfect.(c) Ecological footprint unit of team tourists in Guilin outputs value of 1,739 dollars per hour㎡. Among this, efficiency of tourism traffic and accommodation is average; Tourism dining efficiency is low; Shopping, tour and entertainment are more efficient; Water as an indispensable element of tourism, its efficiency is also low.Based on the analysis, the author suggests: the policy-making authorities of Guilin tourism development would better introduce tourism ecological footprint indicators, from the perspective of the ecological footprint, strengthen tourism promotion of the developed destination and increase the environmental education of the underdeveloped areas.It is the key avenue to reduce tourism ecological footprint demand of Guilin, that using modern technology effectively and using transportation, lodging, food, entertainment and tour facilities sufficiently, also promote eco-tourism, village tourism and other resource-saving tourism mode. Meanwhile, we must actively promote sustainable consumption concept, develop tourists'habits of resources conservation, environmental protection, green eco-tourism consumption. Such are the innovations in this thesis:(a) The current calculation methods of tourism ecological footprint are usually whole to unit, it makes the result large error, or even can't have correlated calculations. In this paper, the method is unit to the whole. The author calculates the tourism traffic, accommodation, tour, tourism waste, water and other tourism ecological footprint through the new method.(b) The author considers that, the calculation of tourism ecological footprint should include not only the traditional six elements of tourism but also include tourism waste, waste water and other ecological footprint while traveling and serving.(c) This paper attempts to use a new philosophy -- hard and soft ecologic footprint associated ecological footprint in the tourism evaluation of the ecological footprint, in order to obtaining a better comparative analysis of the results.(d) When take Guilin tourism and the economic benefits from tourism to balance environmental analysis, Qualitative methods are used. The method of tourist ecological footprint may get some new insights.