China and Tourism, what is UNCG's role?

Questions and Answers with Dr. Yu-chin "Jerrie" Hsieh

You might say Dr. Yu-Chin "Jerrie" Hsieh is preeminently qualified to talk about tourism in China. An assistant professor in the Department of Recreation Tourism and Hospitality Management, she holds PhD and master’s degrees in hospitality and tourism from Purdue University, and has been published in numerous journals. She also has practical experience. A native of Taiwan, she worked in the hospitality industry there for years and also holds a degree from National Taiwan Normal University. This spring, she was part of UNCG delegation that visited several Chinese cities and universities including Peking University, Shanghai Fudan University and Wuhan University in Wuhan Province.

Considering the growth of China as an economic superpower – including its growing tourism market – we sat down to talk with Dr. Hsieh about China and tourism.

Q: We hear a lot about China’s growth as an economic power. How does the tourism industry reflect that?

A: According to the World Tourism Organization, in 2004, China was listed as the number four tourism destination in the world behind France, Spain and the U.S. By 2020, they predict China will be the number one tourism destination in the world.

Q: What is the attraction? What lures so many people to China?

A: Whatever city you visit in China, there is a rich, rich history. Because the country was closed to outside development for so long, there are lots of natural landscapes. And, finally, there are so many cultures there.

For businesses, it's a huge and relatively untapped market. The big hotel chains want to have a presence in China, because they realize it’s a huge market with huge potential. As long as they can establish a presence there, a relationship with the people and the government there, then they can really grow their businesses.

Q: What are some of the barriers to the growing tourism industry?

A: Some companies hesitate to move into China because of human rights issues or other policies. This isn't so much a problem for tourism, as long as you are there to be a tourist and not speak against the government.

There is some concern that not all the cities are as developed or have the infrastructure that the larger cities – Beijing or Shanghai – have. The other thing is service. It's not hard to find employees, because the population is so huge, but the problem is to find people who are well-trained in service and hospitality management.

Q: How can our own recreation, tourism and hospitality management program work with China?

A: Universities and hotels there are eager for trained personnel. If we, as a university, cooperate with the tourism industry there, and partner with the universities there, it could be very beneficial. The first step is to establish a relationship, and that's what we did traveling there this year. Then we have to follow up.

We have people here that could help them train their personnel and develop their tourism industry or consult in the development of the industry or destinations. They have places where our students could do internships or study abroad.

It's like it's a big piece of pie, and if we miss it, we'll regret it.