Research on Regional Differences of Human Capital Investment to Tourism Industry Development in China

Human capital investment has become an important factor influencing the development of regional tourism in China.Taking tourism college student number as an alternative indicator of human capital,based on the panel data of China's 31provinces from 1999to 2011,the paper empirically researched the effect of human capital investment on the tourism development in different regions in China.The results show that higher education's role in the development of the tourism industry is significant,and the role of secondary education is not significant;effect of higher education to tourism development is not marked in provinces with developed higher education;the effect of higher education to tourism development is the most significant in provinces with poor higher education;and the effect of higher education to tourism development is ordinary in central provinces.The provinces with backward higher education should pay attention to the size and quality of tourism education,and the provinces with developed higher education should pay attention to the structure and level of tourism education.