A Corporate Social Responsibility Framework for China’s Integrated Rural Tourism Development

Abstract

This research aims to develop a CSR framework for China’s IRT development. CSR has been perceived as an innovative way to engage with emerging issues. Tourism enterprises have increasingly contributed to society through CSR. Although the application of CSR in the tourism field has been widely investigated, there is a significant lack of research exploring CSR in China’s tourism development, particularly in rural tourism. IRT connecting multiple stakeholders to integrate tourism development with localities is necessary for current China. The previous experience implies that tourism enterprises can facilitate IRT development through well-designed CSR. Therefore, this study discusses the potential of CSR in promoting China’s IRT development and its implementation by interviewing field experts. The findings demonstrate that enterprises can promote IRT by conducting the proposed CSR. Moreover, the study reveals that successful CSR adoption requires the collaboration of local government and residents. Theoretically, this research develops a CSR framework that suits China’s context and offers theoretical support for CSR practices. The proposed CSR framework offers stakeholders useful suggestions to engage in CSR, promoting IRT development effectively.