Partnerships in educational tourism in China: a power perspective

Quality education is one of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and tourism has been identified as an effective means of learning. However, few studies have explored tourism’s role in achieving the goal of quality education (SDG 4). The Chinese government’s practice of realizing quality education through educational tourism is a case worthy of investigation. Yet collaboration between the education and tourism sectors in this country comes with challenges, which can be addressed through effective partnerships (SDG 17). Interaction among stakeholders in educational tourism has developed under the impetus of administrative power; power-based operations thus affect how stakeholders work together. This paper accordingly introduces Foucault’s power theory to explore partnerships in educational tourism in China. Three partnerships are found to drive educational tourism development: horizontal intersectoral partnerships, vertical public-sector partnerships, and public–private partnerships. We further analyze how power operates within these categories, identifying the factors that influence partnership formation and the reasons behind power imbalances. Targeted suggestions and areas for improvement are also offered with the expectation that tourism is an effective means of advancing the goal of quality education.