The evolving path of community participation in tourism in China

While there has been a plethora of research on community participation in tourism, most has relied upon a single survey or other form of data acquisition that lacks a dynamic component. Therefore, there is a need for longitudinal research to examine any changes in that participation. This article explores the evolution of participation in tourism in two communities, Nanshan and Tangfeng, in Hainan, China. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 villagers, and secondary data were collected to supplement the qualitative research. It postulates four stages of community involvement in sharing benefits and decision making: impactee, beneficiary, client, and owner. It is found that, in the cases under consideration, the evolution of participation has been slow, and the benefits to the communities from tourism and access to decision-making power are limited, with the power structure involved with tourism resorts being the main reason for this slow progress. Three suggestions are proposed to address this situation: capacity building, partnership, and institutional empowerment.