Sustainable tourism in China: Visualization of low-carbon transitions at three tourist attractions across three occasions

The presence of tourists and the absence of scientific evidence exacerbate the silence of alarming destructions at China's minority tourist attractions. The yearly tourist arrival to resident ratio reaches 26.5 at minority attractions—the Miao-Dong Autonomous Prefecture in China, which is higher than 16.3 in Venice, Italy. Overtourism motivates us to develop a low-carbon transition evaluation system at three Dong culture attractions. Based on the Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response framework (DPSIR), we develop a low-carbon transition evaluation system and then, evaluate low-carbon transitions at three minority tourist attractions in 2010, 2012, and 2017. Our three-dimensional visualization reveals the changes (Liping and Tongdao upgrade from fair to average and good ratings over time) or the lack thereof (Sanjiang shows no improvement) in low-carbon transitions. This study provides a foundation and a step-by-step process to design, develop, and apply a tailor-made low-carbon transition evaluation system for minority tourist attractions in China. Our rigorous research methodology verifies the actual situations and demonstrates the first evidence of its validity. Visualization offers profound practical implications to scholars and practitioners in tourism research. Future scientists in socio-economic planning sciences may follow our approach, incorporate local rich characteristics, and replicate our visualization of low-carbon transitions in other locations, globally. Our methodology helps decision-makers identify and mitigate the most vulnerable sectors in the ecological and environmental niche and optimize sustainable tourism. We nudge government organizations and business enterprises in the tourism industry to strengthen environmental awareness, engage in systematic socio-economic planning and construction, and promote green tourism.