Artigo

Resumo: This study aimed to examine the impact of China’s political openness index and foreign direct investment on its ecotourism index from 1985 to 2019. The findings revealed that a 1% rise in foreign direct investment had a long-term effect, increasing China’s sustainable tourism index by 0.01%. Furthermore, the political openness index played a significant role in boosting ecotourism in China over both short and long periods. A 1% increase in the political openness index corresponded to a 0.32 and 0.53% increase in China’s ecotourism index in the short and long term, respectively. Additionally, the financial openness index had a positive impact in the short and long term, with a 1% improvement resulting in approximately 0.24 and 0.23% increases in China’s ecotourism index. Key policies to advance eco-tourism in China include ensuring political stability, enhancing green financial markets through fintech and blockchain, and implementing poverty alleviation measures. © 2024, The Author(s).