Unravelling the Policy Outcomes of Sustainable Tourism: Driving Poverty Eradication and Economic Empowerment for the Bai Ethnic Minority in Yunnan, China

This study examines China’s policy initiatives aimed at poverty alleviation and job creation for the Bai ethnic minority in Yunnan Province, focussing on sustainable tourism promotion. Findings reveal that nearly one-third of ethnic minorities faced economic hardship between 2000 and 2002. However, targeted policies have since improved rural poverty rates; poverty in Yunnan decreased from 14.03% in 2015 to 5.39% in 2018, with 1.51 million people overcoming poverty. Our study reveals that despite this progress, many ethnic minorities like the Bai still face poverty due to limited income and employment opportunities. We observe that employment in rural areas remains notably lower than in urban centres, especially among ethnic minority groups such as the Bai. Our research identifies the absence of decent work opportunities as a primary factor perpetuating poverty in Yunnan’s Dali and Lijiang. We find that rural development policies prioritise industrial growth (75.2%), while cultural (52.8%), ecological (61.5%), and livelihood (62.5%) factors lag. Through rigorous policy analysis and case study analysis, informed by one-to-one communication with participants, we explore the role of sustainable tourism in enhancing the livelihoods of the marginalised Bai ethnic minority, aligning with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1 and 8.