Abstract
This research explores the perceptions of university students in relation to flagship species in Hainan, China, and its implications for sustainable tourism. The province has an enormous wealth of biodiversity with great development potential and value for tourism. However, there is little or no empirical evidence about Chinese students’ interest in flagship species, their conservation, or their contribution to sustainable tourism in general. The study utilized a mixed method approach through an explanatory sequential design, beginning with a self-administered survey among university students in Hainan, recruiting 531 participants, followed by individual interviews with 14 students. The results have implications for promoting flagship species in the province as a tourism destination while paying attention to the importance of educating students in the area. This study recommends focusing on university students’ understanding of flagship species and the significance of flagship species to Hainan’s sustainable tourism.
Recommended Citation
Huang, Tairan; Hu, Chuan; Xia, Minzhi; Liu, Ziyu; Zhou, Weishan; and Capistrano, Robert Charles
(2025)
"An Exploratory Study on University Students’ Perceptions of Flagship Species: Implications for Sustainable Tourism,"
Asia-Pacific Social Science Review: Vol. 25:
Iss.
2, Article 4.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.59588/2350-8329.1568
Available at:
https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/apssr/vol25/iss2/4
