Title: "Tao follows its own way" and tourists' behaviour ecologicalisation: philosophical enlightenment from Chinese Taoism

Authors: Wujia Zeng; Li Cheng; Liqun Ouyang

Addresses: School of Economics, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610064, China ' Tourism School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610064, China ' Regional Planning Institute, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610064, China

Abstract: As a new tourism mode, ecotourism has been widely practiced and researched. However, in practice, it is difficult for ecotourists to realise their original intention and promote sustainable development of the scenery in strict accordance with their fundamental principles and ways. This paper argues that the key cause of this phenomenon is that the value of tourists' behaviour has not completely become ecological. The Taoists who pursue joining Tao shall inevitably perform the ideal ecotourism behaviour. In attempting to incorporate some concepts of Taoism, which developed in China and has a long history of traditional religion, the paper points out that the Taoist thoughts on values and practices arising from "Tao follows its own way" provide a possible conscious approach to the strict ecological transformation of tourists' behaviour and also offer a new philosophical view for ecotourism development.

Keywords: tourist behaviour; ecotourism; philosophical enlightenment; Chinese Taoism; tourists; ecological behaviour; sustainable development; sustainability; tourism; Tao; China; Taoist values; Taoist practices.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTA.2013.054412

International Journal of Tourism Anthropology, 2013 Vol.3 No.1, pp.74 - 89

Received: 08 Jan 2013
Accepted: 11 Feb 2013
Published online: 12 Jul 2014 *

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