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Yunnan, China: Background, Economic Conditions, and Tourism

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Poverty Reduction, the Private Sector, and Tourism in Mainland Southeast Asia

Abstract

Yunnan province in China is often thought of as an area which can potentially connect the economy of China with the economies of Mainland SEA. While China has a history as a continuous civilization of over 2000 years, Yunnan has been considered for most of that time as a peripheral area where Chinese control and influence have waxed and waned. In the past, Yunnan was the home to a number of distinct civilizations and due to its location connecting East and SEA, it has been an incubator where new cultural identities have emerged. China has become a major economic player on the world stage through amazing economic growth and poverty reduction, although China remains on a per capita basis far below developed world standards and despite all the successes, millions of people in China still live in extreme poverty. Yunnan is one of the poorest regions of China and is also the home of many ethnic minorities. The tourism sector in the province is mostly based on exploiting the desire to experience the uniqueness and exoticism of the local cultures. The tourism industry has provided many livelihood opportunities for local people and has contributed to economic growth and reductions in poverty in regions actively engaged in the sector. Further and fairer development of the sector has the potential to even further reduce the number of people from ethnic minority communities living in poverty.

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  1. Webster University Thailand, Bangkok, Thailand

    Scott Hipsher

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Hipsher, S. (2017). Yunnan, China: Background, Economic Conditions, and Tourism. In: Poverty Reduction, the Private Sector, and Tourism in Mainland Southeast Asia. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-5948-3_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-5948-3_10

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