Evaluating the sustainability of a tourism system based on emergy accounting and emergetic ternary diagrams: a case study of the Xinjiang Kanas tourism area

Xiumei Xu, Chao Feng (), Yongshan Du, Qimeng Wang, Gaige Zhang and Yicheng Huang
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Xiumei Xu: Macao Polytechnic Institute
Chao Feng: Chongqing University
Yongshan Du: China University of Petroleum (Beijing) at Karamay
Qimeng Wang: China University of Petroleum (Beijing) at Karamay
Gaige Zhang: China University of Petroleum (Beijing) at Karamay
Yicheng Huang: China University of Petroleum (Beijing) at Karamay

Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, 2022, vol. 24, issue 5, No 32, 6787 pages

Abstract: Abstract Sustainable tourism development has attracted attention worldwide. A system-based perspective and an interdisciplinary approach are indispensable for evaluating tourism sustainability. The aim of this study is to propose an emergy analysis framework for the Kanas tourism area in Xinjiang, China, by combining emergy accounting and emergetic ternary diagrams. Data from field surveys and literature analysis were used for the sustainability assessment of the Kanas tourism system. The results show the following: (1) the emergy utilization is not efficient according to the indicators of the social subsystem. (2) The emergy investment ratio, net emergy yield ratio, and emergy exchange ratio of tourism, three indicators belonging to the economic subsystem, indicate that the tourism economy in the study area has low efficiency from different perspectives. (3) The environmental loading ratio of tourism indicates that the environmental pressure on the tourism system is low. However, the values of the emergy yield of waste and the ratio of waste emergy to total renewable resources show that tourism waste adversely affects tourism sustainability due to the growing number of tourists. The results of the emergy sustainability indicator of tourism and the emergy indicator of sustainable development of tourism demonstrate that sustainable development may not be possible in the long run due to the low level of economic and social efficiency, although sustainability was achieved for a certain period. (4) The emergetic ternary diagrams of the indicators visualize the increasing ecological pressure and decreasing sustainability of the system, revealing that Kanas should focus on long-term sustainable development based on the sensitivity lines of renewable resources. Finally, suggestions were provided based on the conclusions.

Keywords: Emergy accounting; Emergetic ternary diagram; Sustainability evaluation; Tourism system; Kanas (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1007/s10668-021-01725-1

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