A New Century

The Introduction contextualises Chinese tourism within the wider tourism studies literature. A more sophisticated understanding of Chinese tourism is critical for five main reasons, which are presented in this opening chapter. The chapter then outlines our distinctive approach which integrates geopolitical and economic changes over time with cultural understandings of Chinese communication strategies, trust and the importance of image and social standing, and how these factors shape the tourism experience and subsequently the tourism market and particular places that become tourist destinations. We point to how we go beyond large-scale exit surveys, to integrate qualitative research and small-scale quantitative research to present a more holistic perspective of the origins, processes and impacts of Chinese tourism and how this has changed over time.