Chapter 9: From Sustainable to Regenerative Tourism: Study on Chinese Hospitality Industry

The hospitality industry has been debating the merits of sustainable tourism for some time, but more and more people are becoming interested in regenerative tourism. The concept of regenerative tourism goes beyond that of sustainable tourism in that it seeks to restore and regenerate both the natural environment and the communities in which it operates. The Chinese hospitality industry has been expanding at a rapid rate and has the potential to adopt practices that are associated with regenerative tourism. This chapter investigated the hospitality industry of China and the shift from sustainable tourism to regenerative tourism. Consumer expectations, government programmes, and AI are driving this shift from sustainable to regenerative tourism. Despite the challenges of transitioning tourism from sustainable to regenerative, many Chinese initiatives and programmes are helping the environment and communities.