Study On The Relationship Between Environmental Protection, Increasing Farmers' Income And Ecotourism In The North Of Qinling Mountains

Tourism, as a modern service industry, is playing a more and more important role in the national economy. But, the mass tourism will also bring the following questions: firstly, it burdens natural resources; secondly, it causes environmental contamination; thirdly, it fails to take into consideration benefits of local people and adversely affects their life style and social structure to some extent. Eco-tourism is a new form of tourism after drawbacks of the mass tourism are fully exposed to the public. Premised on protecting the environment, it aims at receiving outside tourists by making the most use of ecological resources in tourism destinations, developing the local economy and benefiting local people with economic development outcomes. Taking the southern mountains located in Chang’an District, Xi’an City for example, this paper explores how to protect environment and increase local farmers’income by developing eco-tourism. Qinling Mountains extends about 400 to 500 kilometers in Shaanxi Province with a width of about 100 to 150 kilometers, covering a population of more than five million.Qinling Mountains features beautiful ecological environment and is know as "Lung of China". However, this area is mountainous and people living here are very poor. Development and practice of eco-tourism is a possible solution for this region to increase local people’s income without damaging the environment. Eco-tourism bears great importance and value for this region. However, Qinling region covers a large area. So, the southern mountains located in Chang’an District, Xi’an City is selected to be the research subject in this essay, which aims at how to development eco-tourism on the premise of environmental protections and increasing local people’s income. On other words, this essay studies the correlation among environmental protection, eco-tourism and increasing local people’s incomes with the hope that some valuable conclusions can be made from this research to give references for this region and other similar areas.In addition to the introduction, the main content of this essay is divided into the following four sections:Section I (the second part of this text) covers basic theories, including theoretical ecological carrying capacity, geographical division of labor theory and human capital theory. Theoretical ecological carrying capacity provides theoretical support for environmental protection. Geographical division of labor theory provides theoretical support for cooperation between Northern Area of Qinling Mountains and Xi’an City. While human capital theory can solve problems concerning development of northern area of Qinling Mountains.Section II (the third part of this essay) is empirical analysis on relations among eco-tourism, environmental protection and increasing of farmer’s income in northern areas of Qinling Mountains. First, data collected from Chang’an District was used to analyze effects of environmental protection on eco-tourism and increasing of farmer’s income. Then, data collected from Shangwang Village, Baolongyu Village and Taigoukou Village in northern areas of Qinling Mountains was used for empirical analysis. The conclusion is that environmental protection and increasing of farmer’s income has a positive impact on the development of eco-tourism. Finally, problems found and reasons were analyzed.Section III (the forth part of the essay) are suggestions and countermeasures. Based on conclusions from the empirical analysis, suggestions and countermeasures are put forward in this section to improve eco-tourism and promote environmental protection and increasing of farmer’s income in northern areas of Qinling Mountains, including: firstly, development of eco-tourism in this region requires effective coordination and management of local government, especially village-based government; secondly, great efforts shall be put on development of environmental protection technologies; thirdly, respect people’s status as the main player and provide them with training opportunities; fourthly, provide overall services for tourists.Section IV (the fifth part of the essay) is an overall conclusion and research expectation. A comprehensive conclusion was made on the whole essay first and then shortcomings and expected improvements on this essay in the future are put forward.There are three innovations in this essay:firstly, impacts from environmental protection and increasing of farmer’s income on the development of eco-tourism; secondly, in addition to the data collected from Chang’an District, three typical villages are included into the study; thirdly, suggestions and countermeasures were put forward for sound development of eco-tourism in northern areas of Qinling Mountains.