Ecotourism development and tour guide ecological awareness in Chinese national parks: Evidence from Wuyishan and Hainan Tropical Rainforest

China started a new national park system in 2021.However, there is a lack of empirical investigation into how the national park system has affected ecotourism implementation.The present study examines ecotourism development and ecological awareness of ecotour guides focusing on Wuyishan National Park and Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park.It combines qualitative and quantitative research methods, including interviews and questionnaires.The findings, based on cross-sectional survey data, indicate that guides and travel agency representatives perceive limited changes in ecotourism development and their professional roles after the introduction of the new national park system.The self-reported ecological awareness among tour guides remains at a moderate level, with no strong indication of perceived improvement attributed specifically to the new system.Travel agencies should focus on tour guide personnel management and environmental education, changes in the job responsibilities of tour guides, and the career development of tour guides.