Objective This paper aimed at exploring the
characteristics of the life cycle of Karst cave tourist areas, analyzing the
factors affecting the life cycle and giving some suggestions about the development and management of
Karst-cave tourist areas. Methods Based on the yearly number of tourists visiting Yaolin Cave since 1980,and combined with the data of other domestic Karst caves, the
characteristics of the life cycle of Karst cave tourist areas were summarized. Results It was found that the life cycle of Karst cave tourist areas have the following characteristics: 1. After being developed, they were going to enter the development stage directly. The yearly number of tourists would reach the maximum after 3～4 years of opening. 2. From then on, they directly entered the decline stage, without experiencing a growth stage and a stagnation stage. 3. After a period of quick decline, the annual number of tourists tended to stabilize. Conclusions The life cycle of Karst cave tourist areas showed a up down stable mode.