1

Destination Paper

Destination Paper – Beijing

Human Geography for Tourism (THMT-2205-18, THMT-2205-01, THMT-

2205-16)

November 2, 2021

  
 2
Destination Paper

TABLE OF CONTENT

1. Major physical features and climate………………………………………………………...3

2. Tradition and history of tourism…………………………………………………………….3

3. Major features of the tourism infrastructure……………………………………………….4

4. Major tourism assets………………………………………………………………………….5

5. Culture…………………………………………………………………………………………6

6. How globalization impacts the culture life?…………………………………………………7

7. Language and its impact……………………………………………………………………...8

8. Political issues and their impact……………………………………………………………...9

9. Environmental challenges…………………………………………………………………….9

10. The geographies of identity and the destination………………………………………….10

11. The nature of inbound and domestic tourists…………………………………………….12

12. Future issues and the solutions…………………………………………………………….13

References……………………………………………………………………………………….14

For this paper, both Zijun Ming and I, Linh Nguyen, participate in writing this paper. I

finish the first part of the paper, from point 1 to point 6 and proofread the paper while

Zijun Ming finish the other part, from point 7 to point 12.

We are all happy to divide the grade equally.

 3
Destination Paper

1. The major physical features and climate of Beijing:

Beijing, in Chinese, means “Northern Capital”, situated at the northern tip of the roughly

triangular North China Plain, which opens to the south and east of the city. The city is

surrounded by mountainous area, with 61% of the land’s area is mountains (topchinatravel.com,

retrieved October 29, 2021). The highest point of Beijing is Mount Dongling with its height is

7,555 feet, or more than 2,300 meters. Aside from this, Beijing also has multiple rivers flowing

through the city, for instance the Chaobai River and Yongding River (ThoughtCo., written in

September 2, 2019).

Due to this unique geography, with mountains covering the west, north and northeast of the city

and monsoon circulation affected, the climate in Beijing is considered to be continental, with

cold but sunny winters, and hot, sultry, rainy summers. Monsoon circulation is an interesting

climate factor that many cities in China have; cold currents dominate the climate in winter while

hot and humid tropical currents take their place in the summer. Spring and autumn are

transitional periods between these two seasons (Climates To Travel, retrieved October 29, 2021).

The coldest month in Beijing is January, with a monthly mean of 24OF (- 4oC), and the warmest

one is July with a mean of 79OF (26OC). July is also the rainiest month of the year, with an

average of 9 inches (230mm) (Britannica, retrieved October 29, 2021).

Aside from this, Beijing’s weather is frequently affected by violent dust storms caused by winds

from northwestern China’s deserts, significantly reducing visibility and health of local people in

this region.

2. The tradition and history of tourism in Beijing:

When the first economic liberalizations began in 1978, Beijing became the financial center of

China. Since then, the city started to thrive as a center of international activity and tourism. At
 4
Destination Paper

first, the city focused on landscape tours, with favorite destinations of visitors being Great Wall,

Forbidden City, Beihai Park, Summer Palace and other ancient architectures. The services

provided for this section in Beijing developed progressively, with new hotels, hostels and

infrastructures were built and old ones were restored to satisfy the increasing demand.

However, for Beijing to be truly reinnovated, a milestone must be mentioned: The 2008 Summer

Olympics. In addition to building facilities needed for the Games, the project has provided an

opportunity to the city’s infrastructures, specifically public transportation and tourism

accommodations. Excursions have evolved from traditional and cultural sightseeing tours to

contemporary city excursions, recreation and holiday tours, conference and business expo

groups, and high-end products for Beijing tourism.

Over time, tours that combine culture, sports, and modern activities slowly become the main

trend, while business travels also get its position in the tourism market of Beijing. 40% of total

income from foreign exchange in Beijing comes from this section, while 30% of domestic

tourism’s profit is provided from these types of tourists (topchinatravel.com, retrieved October

29, 2021). 

3. The major features of the tourism infrastructure in Beijing:

The city's structure now is essentially the same as it was throughout the Ming and Qing

dynasties. The city was covered in walls on all sides during the time, and it was divided into two

sections: the inner city and the outer city. While the inner city is square, the outer city

surrounding it is rectangular. The outer one encircled the inner one's southern flank; the inner

one surrounded the Imperial City; the Imperial City embraced the Forbidden City, and then the

whole structure was encircled by a deep and wide city moat to protect them from any strangers

and outsiders trying to get in (Agate Travel, retrieved October 29, 2021).
 5
Destination Paper

Beijing exhibits the tradition of Chinese architectural beauty better than any other current

metropolis. When the city was restored or modified under each dynasty in which it served as the

capital, great care was taken to preserve tradition. Few cities in the world can compete with

Beijing in terms of city planning, regularity and harmony.

Founded on ancient Chinese geomantic traditions, the urban layout was built around a single

straight line traced north and south through the heart of the Forbidden City, on which the city's

internal coherence was based. All of the city walls, major city gates, key avenues and streets,

religious structures, and daily retail markets were organized in relation to this central axis. Many

infrastructures could be found located on this line, including Bell Tower (Zhonglou), Jingshan

Park or the Forbidden City (Britannica, retrieved October 29, 2021). The city's symmetrical

arrangement, based on the traditions, to the east and west of this line is stunning.

4. The major tourism assets of Beijing:

Distinctive culture and ancient architecture are two factors that attract tourists to visit Beijing,

becoming its most valuable tourism assets.

Beijing is thought to have been populated by modern people for around 27,000 years, and since

then, Beijing's history has been characterized by conflicts between successive Chinese dynasties

that fought for control of the territory and utilized it. As the capital of China, Beijing became the

centre of traditional Chinese culture and learning since the Ming dynasty. Inside this city,

emperors and courtiers were avid patrons of the arts, particularly painting and calligraphy.

Priceless items from all over the empire and from other nations flowed into the capital.

Traditional culture life in Beijing was developed and nourished further throughout the history,

and even though it was disrupted by the Cultural Revolution, the government has made efforts to
 6
Destination Paper

restore and conserve the traditional works, reviving Beijing's leading role in the country’s

cultural life.

Beijing's architectural legacy is exhibited by both private homes and public structures. Since the

whole city was set out in a rectangular street layout symmetrically arrayed around the palace

courtyard, nearly every residence in the city is similarly rectangular in shape, facing the cardinal

directions. And while the style and architecture of individual residences are consistent, and

follow the traditions, many public buildings and temples are distinguished by a wide range of

forms and features across the city. Many new government and municipal buildings have been

built after 1949, mixing traditional and Western style, and a fast, developing pace of building

constructions after the mid-1990s only make the unique structures of these infrastructures in

Beijing flourish even more, attracting tourists to revisit this city over and over again.

5. The culture of Beijing:

People all across the world have always been captivated by ancient Oriental culture. As history

progressed, magnificent cities built and collapsed, some leaving no trace. However, in Northern

China, there is an old city that has retained all of its beauty. Beijing is rich in traditional culture,

including Beijing Opera, Chinese painting and calligraphy, seal-engraving, and jade carving, as

well as centuries-old Chinese characteristics such as Chinese silk, pottery, cloisonne, and

Chinese tea.

Beijing has a wide range of other performing forms, both traditional and contemporary. The city

has a symphony orchestra, as well as Western-style opera and ballet companies, and it welcomes

international orchestras and performers to come and participate in many shows. Traditional

Chinese and Western-style popular music concerts are also frequent. Every year, a variety of

plays by Chinese and Western dramatists are produced. The Capital, Youth Art, and Tianqiao
 7
Destination Paper

theatres have a good reputation. Aside from these, other types of performances including

acrobatic shows and musical revues are popular among local peoples and tourists too.

Beijing's visual arts, particularly calligraphy and Chinese-style painting, have had a significant

revival in the city, with numerous stores and galleries showcasing these works as well as

Western-style paintings. There is a burgeoning market for antiquities in Liulichang, near the

Qianmen site, and in the Panjiayuan neighborhood. In addition, the city also features a plethora

of well-stocked bookstores.

Today, Beijing's Chinese culture is a mash-up of old world customs with a westernized way of

life. The two coexist in the same way as the conventional Yin Yang balancing formula does. This

may be observed in the juxtaposition of towering skyscrapers and heritage buildings, the

juxtaposition of western fashion with traditional Chinese Qipao attire, and the people's

contradictory love of dim sum and McDonald's, making this city colorful, vibrant and active in

visitors' impression.

6. How globalization impacts Beijing's culture life?

Economic prosperity has arrived in Beijing and other cities in China after four decades of

economic liberalization and global connection. Although starvation is no longer a concern in

most of these cities, the local people are not happier than they were previously. Instead, as they

amass riches, their worry level climbs. It does not only happen in China and Beijing only, but all

of the world's countries. Materialism is important, but it alone will not suffice: people also need

spirituality and culture. Right today, as many Chinese have achieved a certain level of comfort,

as well as riches, they start looking for spirituality to help them comprehend who they are, where

they came from, and where they all are headed. In that regard, Beijing people begin to take

interest in Buddhism, Daoism, various types of meditation, yoga, kung fu, tai chi, or to enjoy and
 8
Destination Paper

participate in traditional cultural activities - all of which are now fundamental components of

Beijing culture. The city is now different: it looks for spirituality, for its own values, things that

many other countries in the world may not think about at this time, all of this thanks to

globalization (chinadaily.com.cn, retrieved October 29, 2021).

7. Language and its impact on Beijing:

Today, the official international language is English, but not everyone can speak English, or

more accurately, scholars have found that not everyone wants to speak English, even though

English has become the world's first language after Mandarin Chinese. By 2019, the total

population of the world is approximately 7.53 billion, and the total population of China is

approximately 1.43 billion (Worldometers, 2019). About one-fifth in China. The world has a

large population, so the number of native speakers of Chinese is the largest. Chinese culture is

broad and profound, and Chinese is also broad and profound. In the context of globalization,

Chinese has a great influence on tourists who are destinations in China. One of them is the

complexity of the Chinese. Chinese characters have multiple meanings and polyphony, causing

difficulties in Chinese listening, speaking, reading and writing. The other is that Chinese is

bidirectional. Chinese senders and receivers should have enough communication and

understanding to reach a consensus on language understanding, so as to overcome the differences

in cultural background and language environment. At present, more and more people are willing

to learn Chinese. Whether they are international students or other foreigners, they are looking to

study or seek more opportunities in China. Chinese is an indispensable stepping stone. In

addition to China, reports indicate that the number of people studying Chinese in other countries

has exceeded 30 million. The establishment of Confucius Institutes and Confucius Classrooms is

necessary to meet the strong demand for Chinese. The weight of Chinese speakers in
 9
Destination Paper

international travel and the motivation of Chinese learners are the main hinges of the importance

of developing Chinese (Zheng, 2008).

8. Political issues and their impact in the Beijing, China

When it comes to political issues, the travel industry is a highly sensitive industry because

customers and companies react to events faster than other industries. 2021 is a turbulent month

for Chinese travel companies, as COVID-19 and some developments have shaken the industry.

From South Korea to Thailand, as the government turns its attention to the tourism industry,

changes are taking place. As growth continues to slow, seemingly isolated incidents can actually

be seen as part of a larger effort to promote domestic tourism. Due to increased tensions between

Taipei and Beijing, tourists from Taiwan have fallen by about 20% since June. These tensions

are due to President of Taiwan remarks rejecting the view that Taiwan and the mainland are two

parts of the same country. In this regard, four days before the National Day Golden Week, the

number of visitors from Taiwan to the mainland dropped by 56% year-on-year. This is due to the

evasion of Taiwanese tourists, but to a large extent it is also due to the implicit government

orders that mainland travel agencies have received to restrict mainland travel. A spokesperson

for the Mainland Affairs Commission also expressed similar views, saying that "the main reason

for the decline is the mainland's political interference and restrictions on tourist travel from

Taiwan." The nature of Chinese travel habits can easily affect Beijing because most of the rural

and middle class Tourists are all group tours arranged through tour companies. This gives

Beijing more control over the inbound tourism of tourists in accordance with its foreign policy.

Beijing is currently working hard to promote the local tourism industry, because many potential

Taiwanese tourists just like to choose to spend their holidays on the mainland.

9. Environmental challenges facing in the Beijing, China

 10
Destination Paper

In Beijing, China, in order to make a good impression on international tourists. Outdoor air

pollution is the biggest environmental challenge facing public health. The source of air pollution

in Beijing city has gradually changed from traditional coal-burning to a mixture of coal-burning

and motor vehicle emissions. In general, the current air pollution situation in Beijing, China is

similar to that of developed countries in the 1960s. Many studies have documented the adverse

health effects of outdoor air pollution in China, including an increase in respiratory symptoms,

hospitalizations, and premature deaths (Chen, 2004). Therefore, political air pollution in Beijing,

China is imminent. In China, especially in rural areas of Beijing, water pollution is another

serious health problem. The quality of surface water in northern China has deteriorated, while

that in the south has improved slightly. Among the major rivers near Beijing, 20% of the water

quality is lower than the worst grade V in China's national water quality standards; this grade of

water actually has no functional use (China Ministry of Environmental Protection 2009). As

Beijing is the capital of China, other important environmental health issues in China include

climate change, the disposal and treatment of e-waste, and heavy metal pollution in the soil.

China is one of the countries most vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. Although

the Chinese government is very concerned about climate change, about 70% of the global e-

waste is processed in China, which poses a major risk to human health and the environment (Ni

& Zeng 2009). As China's political, economic, and tourist city, Beijing's environmental

governance has become the most important issue.

10. The geographies of identity in Beijing, China

Beijing is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is not only the political center of the

country, but also the center of culture, science, education, and education and an important

transportation hub. Beijing has been the capital of the country for more than 800 years. The city
 11
Destination Paper

has many historical sites, including the Forbidden City-the largest and best-preserved ancient

building complex in the world; the Temple of Heaven-a solemn ceremony held by the emperors

of the Ming and Qing dynasties for the harvest; the Summer Palace-the emperor's magnificent

gardens Rehabilitation; the Ming Tombs-the tombs of the thirteen emperors of the Ming

Dynasty; and the world-famous and truly inspiring Badaling section of the Great Wall. Since the

founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, large-scale construction has brought

tremendous changes to Beijing, adding more and more new attractions to this mysterious old

city. The city also has its own characteristics; there are courtyards, alleys, tricycles, boiled lamb,

handicrafts, roast duck and Peking opera.

Beijing is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is not only the political center of the

country, but also the center of culture, science, education, and education and an important

transportation hub. Beijing has been the capital of the country for more than 800 years. The city

has many historical sites, including the Forbidden City-the largest and best-preserved ancient

building complex in the world; the Temple of Heaven-a solemn ceremony held by the emperors

of the Ming and Qing dynasties for the harvest; the Summer Palace-the emperor's magnificent

gardens Rehabilitation; the Ming Tombs-the tombs of the thirteen emperors of the Ming

Dynasty; and the world-famous and truly inspiring Badaling section of the Great Wall. Since the

founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, large-scale construction has brought

tremendous changes to Beijing, adding more and more new attractions to this mysterious old

city. The city also has its own characteristics; there are courtyards, alleys, tricycles, boiled lamb,

handicrafts, roast duck and Peking opera. The tourism resources of all counties are also quite

rich. Yanqing County is the northwest gate of Beijing City. The world-famous Badaling Great

Wall is located in this county. Huairou County has famous attractions such as Hongluo Temple
 12
Destination Paper

and Mutianyu Great Wall. Beijing has abundant tourism resources, and tourists from all over the

world are welcome here.

11. The nature of inbound and domestic tourists in the Beijing, China

Beijing is an iconic city in China and has become one of the world's largest tourist city

destinations. The development of the tourism industry benefited from the hosting of the 2008

Summer Olympics, the addition of new infrastructure, the welcoming attitude of local residents,

and the promotion of the city’s transformation into an urban destination characterized by

“fashion and vitality” (Singh 2016). In 2017, tourism accounted for 7.5% of the city's GDP

(WTTC 2018). However, the pace of tourism development in Beijing has slowed recently, partly

due to more limited government-related business travel and the decline in the number of

international tourists. Therefore, the city government has adopted a number of measures to

encourage inbound tourism and attract more international tourists. The key to improving

destination competitiveness is to understand its importance and the impact of destination

attributes (Crouch 2011). Due to cultural factors, international tourists and domestic tourists may

perceive and evaluate destinations in different ways. For example, although both domestic and

international tourists are attracted by Beijing’s heritage/cultural features, domestic tourists

particularly appreciate the iconic features of political Beijing, while international tourists prefer

Beijing’s natural environment, Beijing. The natural environment, the built environment and the

local people are all used to help international tourists have a positive impression of Beijing. In

recent years, with the rapid development of the information technology field, more and more

studies have used online travel reviews as a test for tourist experience, destination attribute

evaluation, and satisfaction (Kladou 2015). These online reviews are considered to be true,

truthful and fair. Therefore, they are more likely to have a greater impact on the views and
 13
Destination Paper

decisions of other tourists (Pan 2011). Given that Beijing is building a new global brand image,

recent Ten years since the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, it is imperative to understand the

needs of inbound tourists. Beijing is gradually becoming a popular tourist destination in the

world. (Zhang, 2008)

12. Future issues with the potential to impact tourism and the solutions in

Beijing, China

As China's economy enters a new normal, some industries are facing surplus and slowing down,

but the tourism industry has maintained a positive development. China has become an important

force in the world tourism pattern. After forming the largest domestic tourism market, China has

become the world's largest source of outbound tourists. In addition, inbound tourism also

remains at the forefront of the world. At present, China's tourism industry is developing rapidly.

China's policy guidance and industrial reforms during the period have enabled China's tourism

industry to maintain sustained and stable development.(Pan, 2011). It is very important to

develop high-speed rail construction and improve the high-speed rail network. One of the

characteristics of tourism activities is the mobility of geographical location, and efficient and

comfortable transportation will enhance the experience of tourists. At the same time, good traffic

protection can promote the agglomeration and development of regional tourism, and indirectly

drive the development of tourism. While increasing the construction of transportation

infrastructure and extending the mileage of transportation, it is necessary to construct

transportation hubs according to local conditions, and to rationally plan the layout of railways,

highways, and routes, and unify transportation and infrastructure. In addition, It is of great

significance to create a sound policy environment for the tourism industry through the

establishment of a sound tourism legal system. (Koo, C. 2016). This is also crucial for
 14
Destination Paper

strengthening tourism cooperation with other countries and enhancing the international

competitiveness of China's tourism industry.

 15
Destination Paper

REFERENCES:
Beijing | Province, City, History, Map, & Facts. (n.d.). Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved

October 29, 2021, from https://www.britannica.com/place/Beijing

Culture of Beijing, Beijing Specialties Guide, Beijing Features, Beijing Culture. (n.d.). My

Beijing China. Retrieved October 29, 2021, from

https://www.mybeijingchina.com/travel-guide/culture-of-beijing/

Briney, A. (2019, September 2). 10 Facts on the Geography of Beijing China. ThoughtCo.

Retrieved October 29, 2021, from https://www.thoughtco.com/geography-of-beijing-

1434413

Beijing climate: weather by month, temperature, precipitation, when to go. (n.d.). Climates To

Travel. Retrieved October 29, 2021, from

https://www.climatestotravel.com/climate/china/beijing

Beijing Tourism, Tourism in Beijing China, Beijing Tourist Information. (n.d.). Top China Travel

- Since 1959! Retrieved October 29, 2021, from

https://www.topchinatravel.com/beijing/beijing-tourism.htm

Chinese Culture, Tradition, and Customs — Penn State University and Peking University. (n.d.).

PennState - Eberly College of Science. Retrieved October 29, 2021, from

http://elements.science.psu.edu/psu-pku/student-resources/resources-for-penn-state-

students/chinese-culture-tradition-and-customs

Brahm, L. (2019, January 9). Impacts of globalization on China’s cultural heritage and cultural

identity. Opinion - Chinadaily.Com.Cn. Retrieved October 29, 2021, from

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201901/09/WS5c354bfda31068606745f9e4.html
 16
Destination Paper

City Layout of Beijing, Hospitals. (n.d.). Agate Travel. Retrieved October 29, 2021, from

https://www.agatetravel.com/beijing-city-layout.html

Bian, Y.Z. (2019). A study on the role and influence of Chinese language international

education in international economic cooperation. Science & Technology Information,

17(1), 169-170.

Koo, C., Joun, Y., Han, H., & Chung, N. (2016). A structural model for destination travel

intention as a media exposure: Belief-desire-intention model perspective. International

Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management.

Zheng, D.O. (2008). Desiderata for promoting Chinese language World-Wide. Chinese

Language Learning, (3), 90-97.

Chen B, Hong C, Kan H. Exposures and health outcomes from outdoor air pollutants in

China. Toxicology. 2004;198(1–3):291–300.

China National Bureau of Statistics. Special Report No. 17: Achievement of Environmental

Protection of China [in Chinese] 2009.

Ni HG, Zeng EY. Law enforcement and global collaboration are the keys to containing e-waste

tsunami in China. Environ Sci Technol. 2009

Singh, N. and Zhou, H., 2016. Transformation of tourism in Beijing after the 2008 Summer

Olympics: An analysis of the impacts in 2014. International Journal of Tourism Research,

18(4), pp.277-285.
 17
Destination Paper

WTTC 2018. Beijing City Travel and Tourism Impact. Available from https://zh.wttc.org/

Crouch, G.I. and Ritchie, J.B., 1999. Tourism, competitiveness, and societal prosperity. Journal

of business research, 44(3), pp.137-152.

Kladou, S. and Mavragani, E., 2015. Assessing destination image: An online marketing

approach and the case of TripAdvisor. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management,

4(3), pp.187-193.

Pan, B. and Li, X.R., 2011. The long tail of destination image and online marketing. Annals of

Tourism Research, 38(1), pp.132-152.