The environmental and employment effects of tourism-oriented conservation policies: evidence from China’s National Scenic and Historic Interest Areas

A challenge in sustainable tourism development is whether tourism-oriented conservation policies can simultaneously achieve environmental protection and local employment transformation. This study provides causal evidence by leveraging the designation of China’s National Scenic and Historic Interest Areas (NSHIAs) as a quasi-natural experiment. Employing panel data for 195 Chinese cities from 2000 to 2022 and a multi-period difference-in-differences approach, we estimate the effects of NSHIA designation on environmental quality and employment transformation. The results show that the establishment of NSHIAs significantly improves environmental quality while increasing service-sector employment. Further analysis reveals significant spatial spillover effects, with improvements in environmental conditions and service-sector employment extending to neighbouring cities. Heterogeneity analysis indicates that these effects are more pronounced in cities with higher tourism dependence and in areas that are also designated as World Heritage sites. Overall, tourism-oriented conservation policies can simultaneously yield environmental and socioeconomic benefits, with implications for balancing conservation and development.