As the global population gets increasingly more affluent and our material standard of living rises, more and more people are choosing to go on exotic holidays all over the world.
China is a popular destination for tourists for quite a few reasons:
- Attitudes towards tourists
The Chinese government is well-aware of the potential revenue tourists can bring into a country and has come up with measures to make China more welcoming to visitors.
One such measure was hosting the Beijing Olympics. Their opening spectacle was one of , if not the grandest, in history. They pumped a lot of money into building new infrastructure and sports structures. All of this was done to attract more tourists into China.
The Chinese people, influenced by the government, are also welcoming of tourists since tourist revenue can be one of the largest sources of income, especially in rural scenic areas.
- Cheap yuan
The Chinese government is well-known for its control over its currency, the yuan. By keeping the value of the yuan low, tourists and trade would be attracted into China.
Compared to many other countries’ currencies, the Chinese yuan is cheaper. For Singapore, the yuan is about 5 times cheaper than the Singapore Dollar. This means that we would be able to buy about 5 times for the same amount of money if we were in China, making China an ideal tourist destination since it is not costly. This effect is more evident in rural areas, where the prices of goods are already low. In some cities, it is said that the price of a meal can go to less that 50 cents.
- China has amazing scenery and sights
China has beautiful scenery. Each province has its own specialities and culture. Its rich culture and heritage are also huge draws for tourists.
Thus, in recent years, the amount of tourists to China has risen drastically.
As one of their most enduring and endearing icons, pandas have also received more attention from tourists. One of Chengdu’s greatest draws is its panda base. The amount of people who go to the base to see and interact with the pandas each day is staggering!
While this increase in tourists means that there is more incentive to protect pandas, this has numerous negative effects on the pandas. Here are two of the main problems:
- Increase in trash
Where there are people, there will be trash, especially with the increase use of disposable packaging. This pollutes the habitat of the pandas and threatens their health as the pandas may ingest toxins or choke on plastic.
- Construction of tourist facilities
To accommodate the rise in number of tourists, more tourist facilities such as hotel and attractions have to be built. This would encroach on panda reserve land and cause panda habitats to shrink.
In addition, the rubbish and noise produced by construction may have adverse effects on the pandas.
In the past, tourists were also allowed to touch and play with the pandas, which was not good for them. However, this seems to have stopped. This shows that the panda bases are willing to consider the health of the pandas, rather than only consider profit.
