The Chinese government incorporated tourism and urbanization as a key component for economic and social development in the FiveYear National Plan. This book starts with a general introduction to the concept of urbanization and tourism development in the global environment. This is followed by a discussion of urbanization in China and the Guangdong province. Chapter Two is a historical review, focusing on tourism and hotel development in China, particularly in the province of Gurangdong. China's hotel rating system and influence factors on hotel development are also discussed. In Chapter Three, the definition and measurement of urbanization are discussed through different disciplines and theories, and the related urbanization studies in China are also discussed. In Chapter Four, the relationship of urbanization and tourism development are elaborated, and the effect of urbanization on tourism and hotel development are identified in Chapter Five through a case study. Urbanization has been a remarkable social phenomenon in the world since the Nineteenth and Twentieth centuries. It transformed the spatial and social configurations of human societies. However, this issue has rarely been investigated in literature concerning tourism and hospitality. This book attempts to build the link between urbanization, tourism and hotel development at the provincial, regional and city levels, including the economy of midscale hotels and upscale hotels. This book provides insight to practitioners using macroeconomic factors in relation to tourism and hotel development.
