Abstract: In view of the confusion in the understanding of tourism eco-compensation, this paper made a tentative analysis on the connotation of tourism eco-compensation. Firstly, based on the dual relationship between tourism industry and ecological compensation, two perspectives on the cognition of tourism eco-compensation, i.e., ‘theory of subject’ and ‘theory of pathway’, were put forward. Secondly, after analyzing the basic semanteme and category of tourism eco-compensation, a complete relation domain wherein stakeholders would interact was clarified, which included tri-compensation subjects and tri-compensation objects (nature and human, respectively), punishment for negative externality and encouragement for positive externality, and value-oriented compensation and material-oriented compensation. Finally, aiming at the confused usage of related concepts, the relationships of “eco-compensation of tourism resources”, “value compensation of tourism resources”, and “compensation for occupied land of tourism” with tourism eco-compensation were made clearly.

Key words: Tibetan antelope, habitat suitability, conservation efficacy, alpine desert, QinghaiTibet Plateau.