The Huzhou Index for Green Tourism Development, as China's first evaluation tool for green tourism development, was launched on Aug 11 in Huzhou, East China's Zhejiang province.

The index was jointly developed by the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Huzhou municipal bureau of culture, radio, television and tourism.

It aims to create a replicable and scalable framework to guide the green transformation of the tourism industry nationwide. Ning Zhizhong, chief planner at the institute, highlighted its role as a benchmark for green tourism practices.

Huzhou, known as the birthplace of the development concept of "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets", has led efforts to integrate culture and tourism with sustainable development.

The city has made significant strides in promoting green tourism by fostering new economic models amid its natural landscapes.

Previously, green tourism lacked standardized guidelines for resource conservation, carbon management, and green product supplies.

The "Huzhou Index" addresses this gap with a structured assessment across four dimensions — green foundation, supply, governance, and growth — comprising 13 modules and 43 indicators.

The index evaluates the integration of tourism projects into carbon benefit mechanisms and assesses green development awareness among tourism professionals, communities, and visitors. The measures aim to embed green values across stakeholders, emphasizing the importance of societal participation.

Huzhou plans to refine the index through field research and expert consultation, releasing annual reports to guide policy, investment, and community engagement in green tourism.