The impact of cultural and natural capital on Chinese outbound tourism demand

The tourism industry contributes greatly to economic growth according to research. The impact of different aspects of tourism on tourism demand, particularly the impact of cultural and natural capital, has however, received less attention. Most of the literature has focused on tourism modelling with determinants such as income level, distance, population and some local characteristics. In order to promote sustainable tourism and understand the importance of cultural and natural capital in tourists’ decision making process, this research examines whether tangible cultural and natural characteristics of the destination country affect Chinese tourists’ decisions when choosing their international travel destination. The main motivation of this research is to provide effective policy recommendations to the Australian tourism industry to ensure a healthy tourism demand and supply relationship that is sustainable between China and Australia. This study uses a panel data regression model to test whether natural and cultural capital influence Chinese outbound tourism. The main finding shows that natural capital, referred to as natural heritage sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List, may have little positive impact on Chinese outbound tourism demand, while cultural capital, referred to as cultural heritage sites listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, may have a more significant impact on Chinese outbound tourism than natural capital.