Ecotourism and Climate in Yunnan, South China

抄録

　This report first discusses the status of tourism in China as a whole and in Yunnan Province. In particular, it analyzes problems from the standpoint of ecotourism in relation to climatic conditions and year-to-year changes in them. Impacts of climate and weather are dealt with in terms of temperature, wetness/dryness, neve (glaciers and snow) landscapes and fine weather (sunshine or blue sky). Second, it describes numbers of tourists and revenue from tourism in Yunnan. An important point to note is that an abrupt change is clear in the total revenue from tourism for the province, but not in the numbers of international tourists since 1996. After 2004, they have increased with great growth rates. Third, influence of the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) in 2003 is analyzed. The number of tourists from abroad to China was decreased by 23.3% as compared with the preceding year. It decreased to 25%-60% of normal in May, June and July, but recovered after three months. The reduction in numbers of domestic tourists was particularly noticeable among travels using railway. Degree of impacts of SARS on tourism differed considerably from area to area in South Yunnan.