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Yangshuo sets itself apart from other tourism destinations in the region by a focus on English. In addition to the usual tourism hedonism, Yangshuo promises tourists a chance to interact with foreigners and to speak English. This fascinating ethnography provides an intriguing perspective on the role of language in Yangshuo’s quest for modernity situated within the overall rise of China and its rapid socio-economic transformation.

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Ingrid Piller, Macquarie University, Australia

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This book uses clear and informative descriptions to capture and analyze the complex language and processes of social change of West Street. It is well worth reading for anyone interested in globalization, sociolinguistics, semiology and Chinese history development, in addition to tourism.

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Jianhong Zhou, Hokkaido University, Japan, Journal of Tourism and Cultural Change, 2020

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Tourism and language learning are well-established as distinctive areas of investigation in sociolinguistics. What makes this book important is its identification of language learning tourism as an industry. Shuang Gao’s study of Yangshuo, China, provides important insights into the social dynamics between speakers, learners and business owners as they try to balance the goal of learning English with the desire to enjoy the region’s natural attractions.

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Lionel Wee, National University of Singapore, Singapore