Tourism migrant workers: The internal integration from urban to rural destinations

This article examines the unique phenomenon of tourism migrant workers (TMWs) who move from developed urban areas to less-developed rural destinations in China. It investigates the four dynamic dimensions of TMWs' integration process: economic adaptation, social integration, cultural acceptance and psychological integration. Three inhibiting factors of the integration process are identified from the socio-cultural context of Chinese society: TMWs' own social network, urban-rural differences, and sojourner mentality. This research was conducted in three stages and used both qualitative and quantitative research methods to examine TWMs' integration process from the perspectives of TMWs and local residents.     

Development of intangible cultural heritage as a sustainable tourism resource: the intangible cultural heritage practitioners’ perspectives

ABSTRACT

Authentic intangible cultural heritage (ICH) provides a community with a unique selling point in the globally competitive tourism industry. The process of commodification of ICH, however, has threatened its authenticity and thus sustainable tourism approaches are required to achieve successful transmission and promotion of ICH as a sustainable tourism resource. This paper explores the priorities of ICH practitioners in relation to the development of ICH as a sustainable tourism resource, by utilising South Korea as a case study. The results revealed that from the ICH practitioners’ perspectives, authenticity is a holistic notion integrating the transmitted customs, inherited meanings and the practitioners’ identities. ICH practitioners agree with the potential positive symbiotic relationship between transmission of authentic ICH and promotion of ICH as a tourism resource. To achieve the positive symbiotic relationship, locals’ awareness of ICH, ICH practitioner empowerment and parallel development between tourism development and transmission of ICH are necessary. To date, the practitioner approach to the authenticity of ICH and ICH as a sustainable tourism resource is little explored in the literature, thus this paper makes a valuable addition to the area of sustainable heritage tourism.     

Beyond authenticity and commodification

Authenticity and commodification are central to academic debates in tourism. Previous analyses suggest that the commercialization of local identities leads to negative consequences. Based on a long-term study in Eastern Indonesia, this paper examines authenticity from three perspectives: government, tourists, and villagers. While the former two reflect views highlighted in the literature, the villagers’ interpretation is different: tourism brings a sense of pride and identity and also a political resource to manipulate. Seen in this context, the debates about authenticity should examine how the notion is articulated, by whom and for what purposes, to reveal in what circumstances cultural tourism leads to positive responses and empowerment.     

Local arts agency participation in cultural tourism management

The tourism literature does not consider the role of the local arts agency in destination management. This paper explores the extent to which local arts agencies engage in programming and partnerships related to the development of tourism. It proposes that participation in cultural tourism management is determined by both organizational and environmental characteristics. Drawing on a national survey of local arts agencies, the analysis compares survey measures of these characteristics to estimate their influence on the likelihood that agencies are involved in cultural tourism programming. Two-thirds of subject local arts agencies report that their organization is currently working or partnering in programming aimed at cultural tourism. Smaller agencies with a range of programs are more likely to have adopted the innovation. Agencies responsible for management of a cultural facility develop audiences through cultivation of tourists.     

传统与复建历史文化街区文旅融合特征与路径——基于符号学视角

历史文化街区既是城市文化的重要地标,也是旅游发展的重要资源,由此成为新时期文旅融合的重要实践载体。本研究基于符号学视角,选取黄山市屯溪区毗邻的屯溪老街和黎阳in巷分别作为传统与复建历史文化街区代表,基于扎根理论构建历史文化街区文旅融合的符号学理论框架。实证分析表明：传统与复建两类历史文化街区均形成了主题定位、文旅功能、空间布局、物质载体、业态产品、旅游服务六方面的文化和旅游符号,前者以传统文化符号居多,后者以现代旅游符号居多;两类街区文化和旅游符号融合的独特性、凸显性、融合性和适应性等特征差异明显,前者偏向地域文化的独特性,后者偏向旅游介入的适应性。据此提出传统历史文化街区“旅游趋向”和复建历史文化街区“文化趋向”的文旅融合路径,两类街区在文化传承与旅游发展中应加强文化资源符号化、资源功能多元化、符号空间整合化、文化符号全景化,促进文化产品价值化、旅游服务品质化,以实现历史文化街区可持续发展。     

Conceptualizing volunteering in tourism in China

The current literature on volunteering in tourism is very Western-centric, and volunteering in different cultural contexts needs to be further explored. This study is devoted to exploring the local understanding of tourism-related issues in China so as to give critical tourism by engaging local epistemology. Through a qualitative design, this research explores how volunteering is conceptualized in the context of tourism in China. Findings identify that the highlight of voluntary spirit, serving others by giving time/skills/knowledge and mutual help are three dimensions of conceptualization. It indicates that there are different meanings of volunteering in the Chinese context. This research takes a further step and reflects the applicability of the Western conceptualization of volunteering in the Chinese tourism context. This research presents a contribution to the epistemological decolonisation of tourism knowledge production in Chinese context.     

民族旅游语境中的地方性知识与红瑶妇女生计变迁——以广西龙胜县黄洛瑶寨为例

文章从文化人类学的研究视角出发,通过在广西壮族自治区龙胜县黄洛瑶寨的田野观察,审视红瑶的地方性知识在旅游语境中如何被转化为旅游产品,并影响妇女的生计变迁及其发展。文章阐述了生计变迁的主要表现,进一步分析了变迁发生的动因。研究表明,地方性知识在旅游语境中的再生产是少数民族文化调适于新的社会环境的路径之一,而案例地的红瑶妇女成功地实现了这种调适,由地方性知识转化而来的新生计手段为她们带来了更好的生活与发展。     

The politics of knowledge as a tourist attraction

The past ten years have seen an increasing interest in the politics of knowledge production in tourism studies. However, tourists’ hosts’ politics of knowledge, the ways in which tourists’ hosts can use local knowledge as both a tourist attraction and a way to negotiate power relationships, are yet to be explored. This article identifies the need for more analysis of the political uses of cultural knowledge as a tourist attraction, reporting on an ethnographic study of the politics of knowledge unfolded by an Aboriginal group of Western Australia in the context of their tour guiding activities. It will hopefully contribute to a better understanding of the political conditions, and potentials for, local cultural knowledge (re)production and utilization in tourism.     

Tourism culture: Nexus,characteristics, context and sustainability

This article makes the case for tourism culture; the new cultural expressions, practises and identities, influenced by hosts, guests and industry context, which may develop in destinations, as a useful perspective with which to draw together various conceptual narratives within the tourism studies literature. Research in three small islands finds evidence of a distinctive cultural landscape which emerges from the interaction of host and guest cultures, and the exchange, change and creativity that results. Tourism industry dynamics are found to facilitate or undermine this process, as in turn they may be influenced by. This tourism culture has implications for the continuation and evolution of indigenous culture, as it does for the absorption of elements of tourist cultures. The emergent fusion may be symptomatic of a richer cultural landscape and might be considered as an indicator of more sustainable communities and forms of tourism development.     

A Cross-cultural Analysis of Tourism and Quality of Life Perceptions

Models of sustainable tourism consider not only the aspects of the physical environment but also the dimensions of the social and cultural environment of destinations. During the past two decades a number of researchers have made the case that local residents must be involved in tourism development decisions if support for, and thereby sustainability of, the industry is to be maintained. Minority ethnic and racial groups, however, are often differentially influenced by tourism within a community. This study investigates the differences between Hispanic and Anglo residents with respect to their perceptions of tourism and quality of life framed with the context of ethnicity marginality theory.     

Integrating tea and tourism: a sustainable livelihoods approach

Abstract

As an agricultural product with strong social and cultural connotations, the production and consumption of tea have high potential to be integrated with tourism to enhance community livelihood sustainability. A sustainable livelihood approach is used in a tea tourism context in Hetu Town, Anhui Province, China, to examine critically the interactive relationships between tea and tourism. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with management officials, community leaders, tea industry representatives and village residents in four field investigations in 2015 and 2016. Improvement in community livelihood sustainability was identified through enhancement of livelihood diversity and choice. However, impacts on household livelihood sustainability varied as tourism participation is restricted by level of livelihood assets. The increase of the within-community income gap may generate social problems in the long run. The current level of tea and tourism integration is limited. The history, culture and traditions related with tea are not widely disseminated by local tea producers. Opportunities for in-depth and diversified tea tourism experiences are being recognized, which call for partnership with those involved in tourism. Practical implications are discussed to enhance tea and tourism integration, boost local participation, enhance local benefits, and particularly, to engage those with lower levels of livelihood assets.     

The Role of Food Tourism in Sustaining Regional Identity: A Case Study of Cornwall,South West England

This exploratory paper examines the role of food tourism in developing and sustaining regional identities within the context of rural regeneration, agricultural diversification and the creation of closer relationships between production and consumption in the countryside. It focuses on Cornwall, South West England, an area with rural development issues, increasing tourism impacts and contested issues of regional identity. A literature and policy analysis, and in-depth interviews with 12 restaurateurs, were undertaken in four popular tourist locations. Correlation was found between increased levels of food tourism interest and the retention and development of regional identity, the enhancement of environmental awareness and sustainability, an increase in social and cultural benefits celebrating the production of local food and the conservation of traditional heritage, skills and ways of life. The paper draws attention to three issues: the role of food tourism in increasing tourist spending, the potential role of food tourism in extending the tourist season, and the re-examination of food tourist typologies within a sustainability framework.     

旅游驱动乡村社会重构的特征与机制研究——以湖州顾渚村为例

乡村旅游是推动乡村重构的重要驱动力量,乡村社会重构是乡村重构研究的重要内容。本文以典型旅游村落湖州市顾渚村为案例地,从乡村居民视角出发,分析乡村社会重构的特征,并通过扎根理论方法构建了旅游驱动下乡村社会重构机制理论模型。结果表明：（1）乡村旅游发展改变了乡村居民的原有身份,乡村居民从农民、打工者转变为旅游经营者,实现了社会身份的重构。（2）乡村旅游发展带来了大量外来人员进入乡村,乡村社会关系格局逐渐从“差序格局”转变为“多元格局”,实现了社会关系的重构。（3）乡村旅游发展使乡村居民与乡村环境之间的关系发生改变,乡村从传统乡土社区转变为旅游服务社区,实现了社会空间的重构。（4）旅游要素的介入是旅游乡村社会重构最重要的驱动力量,乡村经济重构、乡村空间重构、资源环境驱动、旅游市场驱动、政策制度驱动、行为主体参与6个方面分别构成了乡村社会重构的空间载体、物质基础、支撑机制、引导机制、促进/约束机制和引擎机制,各作用机制之间相互影响、动态耦合共同推动了乡村社会的重构。     

THE POTENTIAL OF ARTS-BASED TRANSFORMATIVE RESEARCH

This paper contributes to tourism’s conceptual, methodological and ethical debates by discussing the potential offered by arts-based participatory approaches to enrich tourism knowledge and promote co-transformation at a number of levels. To demonstrate the value of this approach, we discuss how a group of Central and Eastern European (CEE) migrant women engaged with a research project and created artworks to represent their trajectories, mobilities, identities and tourism employment experiences. We outline the benefits and limitations of the methodology and explore how it impacts on: participant involvement and empowerment; voices, self-representation and public engagement; participant, researcher and community (co)transformation; data ownership and anonymity.     

Migrant workers: Challenges and opportunities in addressing tourism labour shortages

The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates the number of migrant workers at 105 million worldwide, and their share within the tourism industry, particularly the hotel and restaurant (HoReCa) sector, is growing rapidly. The focus of this paper is migration in OECD member countries, specifically on official government positions with respect to the integration of migrant workers into the host society. Most countries recognise that the structural challenges and seasonal fluctuations in tourism will continue to encourage operators to resort to cheaper migrant workers, particularly for entry level positions, both legally and illegally. Until now, most OECD member countries have largely ignored the challenges and (ab)use within the industry concerning migrant workers, but will not be able to continue to do so for much longer. It is urgent that countries improve their ability to measure migration patterns by country of origin to determine training needs and other assistance required and engage employers appropriately.     

文化和旅游融合:多层次关系内涵、挑战与践行路径

文化和旅游部的组建使"文旅融合"成为热词,对文化和旅游关系的历时性反思却比较缺乏,进而影响了对文化和旅游关系的完整理解。文章基于对文化和旅游关系演变的历时性梳理,分析了文化和旅游关系的起源、发展与提升及其相应阶段可能面临的挑战。研究认为:文化的身份意义和旅游者追求身份认同使文化具有吸引物属性,建构文化的身份认同与集体记忆增强其吸引物属性并使之成为旅游资源,是践行文旅融合的第一层次路径,但也可能会面临关于文化工具性的批判。通过文化的可参观性生产提升文化的展示水平,是增强旅游者文化旅游体验的重要方式,也是践行文旅融合的第二层次路径,但因此而引起的文化商品化往往被批判为旅游导致文化衰落。文化旅游产品的进一步商业化与产业链延伸是践行文旅融合的第三层次路径,但也可能导致过度商业化与文化体验失真的批判。     

An Integrative Approach to Tourism: Lessons from the Andes of Peru

This study compares the Andean communities of Taquile Island and Chiquian, Peru, which differ in their level of integration for their respective tourism sector. Integration was primarily defined by percentage of local people employed, type and degree of participation, decision-making power, and ownership in the local tourism sector. Principally social and economic aspects were measured and evaluated, recognising that considerable local support and participation in tourism decision making are linked to issues of ownership and control. It was found that higher levels of integration would lead to enhanced socioeconomic benefits for the community. A framework for community integration was developed that could help guide research, planning, development and evaluation of community-based tourism projects.     

Migrant relationships and tourism employment

This paper examines how tourism employment and workplace experiences influence migrant workers’ adaptation in the host society. It is argued that tourism employment provides access to multiple social networks, which subsequently supports the improvement of foreign workers’ social and cultural competencies. Such networks also help to compensate for the negative aspects of tourism work and migration. In addition, the paper considers how relationships among international workers inform chain migration and influence subsequent recruitment practices and migration experiences. The findings stem from a wider study of the experiences of Polish migrant workers employed in the UK tourism sector using qualitative and quantitative data.     

The role of local government and the private sector in China's tourism industry

For many less-developed regions in China, cultural and natural attractions are often used by local governments as regional economic drivers. However, the expectation is that income generated from the direct use of culture and nature will only provide the initial round of working capital to facilitate development of other industrial sectors. One strategy in recent years is to separate government from business operations in these attractions to improve the economic performance of businesses and better conserve cultural and natural resources. This paper examines the impact of these policies on resource-dependent tourism companies (RDTCs) for the period 2003–2012. Data on economic performance are derived from listed companies. It is shown that RDTCs have better performance than other tourism sectors because of their monopoly status on high-quality natural and cultural resources. Yet local governments still have a role in tourism operation. Their involvement tends to lead to the reduction of the economic effects of RDTCs and results in discernible overcrowding at sites, thus resulting in negative ecological consequences. The implications for policy and companies are discussed.