Agglomeration density and tourism development in China: An empirical research based on dynamic panel data model

To explain the significant disparity of tourism development across Chinese provinces, this paper conducts a dynamic panel data analysis of tourism development in China using statistical data of Chinese provincial tourism industry for the 2000–2009 periods. The estimated results provide empirical evidence on the relationship between the agglomeration and development of Chinese provincial tourism in firm level. The econometric analysis shows that the tourism density in agglomeration has a positive influence on local tourism development. It appears that the variance of tourism development across Chinese provinces can be explained by the differences in the density of tourism economic activities.     

Tourism,Marketing and Sustainable Development in the English National Parks: The Role of National Park Authorities

This paper examines the work of the English National Park Authorities (NPAs) in relation to aspects of the development of sustainable tourism. The NPAs have implicitly sought to achieve sustainable tourism development since the parks were first designated, striving to balance the needs of visitors and the environment within the context of living, working landscapes. Studies have revealed, however, that some NPAs are not fully championing sustainable tourism development. The paper examines the NPA's use of marketing and marketing perspectives in encouraging sustainable tourism, exploring attitudes, roles and activities. A diverse, piecemeal and sometimes underinformed approach is revealed. The paper concludes with ways forward for English NPAs and for other protected area management organisations.     

Psychographic segmentation of park visitor markets: evidence for the utility of sensation seeking

This paper examines whether a segmentation of a large sample (N=9495) of visitors to parks in Ontario, Canada in terms of the psychological push factor motive sensation seeking enables identification of differences between them in park-related attitudes and behaviours. A cluster analysis of individuals based on their attitudes to three dimensions of park experience identified in this study (active enjoyment of nature, escape stress, and sensation seeking) resulted in three clusters of visitors (1 group of higher, and 2 groups of lower, sensation seekers). The higher sensation seekers were found to differ from both groups of lower sensation seekers on a broad variety of attitudes and behaviours to do with parks. In particular, higher sensation seekers visit parks more often to camp than do lower sensation seekers, differ from lower sensation seekers regarding the kinds of things that are incentives for them to visit parks, and with respect to the sources of information about parks they are likely to use, are more likely than lower sensation seekers are to be involved in each of a broad range of activities during their park visits, and place higher importance on numerous facilities and services as well as being more satisfied with them. The implications of these results for park marketing and management are examined, and directions for further research on this topic, especially regarding risk management in parks, are also considered.     

中国“世界遗产”的可持续旅游发展研究

世界遗产是“人类智慧和人类杰作的突出样品” ,在新世纪的今天 ,“遗产旅游”作为一种世界现象 ,已成为人类求取与外部世界高度和谐的最有效形式之一 ,成为一种高质量回归自然、回归历史的必须性的社会生活组成部分 ,研究“遗产旅游”的可持续发展已成为当今的重大论题。本文首次对中国“世界遗产”的现状进行了全面综合的把握 ,揭示了遗产地采取可持续旅游发展战略的必然性以及目前存在的主要问题和矛盾 ,分析了发展“遗产旅游”中应正确处理的三大关系 ,提出遗产旅游可持续发展的内涵并寻求我国世界遗产地旅游可持续发展的建议与对策。     

Tourism agglomeration and urbanization: empirical evidence from China

Tourism-driven urbanization presents a new way of exploring the construction of a new-type of urbanization. Consequently, the relationship between urbanization and the frequent agglomeration of tourism activities has attracted much research attention in recent years. This paper empirically investigates the influence of tourism agglomeration on urbanization using China’s provincial panel data for years 1999–2012. A panel data model with a fixed effect model and a two-step system generalized method of moments estimation is constructed to explore that influence. Results show that tourism agglomeration positively influences urbanization, and there exists a U-shaped relationship between these two variables. After capturing the dynamic nature of urbanization, we estimate the long-term tourism agglomeration elasticity in China as 0.4566. This paper provides theoretical and practical implications on urbanization of China in view of tourism agglomeration.     

Carrying capacity and its implications in a Chinese ancient village: the case of Hongcun.

Hongcun, an ancient village in Anhui in China, is an UNESCO-gazetted village because of its Huizhou architecture. It attracts over 1.6 million visitors per annum. Based upon a simple spatial model, the results of this study indicate that its social carrying capacity is being vastly exceeded, and the consequences are discussed in terms of the impacts on village life using data derived from a survey of residents. In terms of addressing the issues of crowding, it is suggested that a number of future choices face the village, ranging from the imposition of quotas on visitation to sustain and protect its UNESCO status by significantly reducing overcrowding, or alternatively, to embrace mass tourism to become akin to a theme park that is based on Huizhou culture.     

Heritage protection and tourism development priorities in Hangzhou, China: A political economy and governance perspective

Government interventions can be important for determining priorities between heritage protection and tourism-related development at heritage sites. This paper uses a political economy approach to examine the government’s role in determining these priorities in China, for two heritage schemes at West Lake in the city of Hangzhou. The study considers policy making for heritage protection and tourism development in the context of broad economic and political circumstances, the power and influence of different actors in the schemes’ governance, strategic selectivity in the policy choices, and whether views about the policies exhibited a uniform hegemony among powerful and less influential groups. Consideration is given to how the relative priority for heritage protection and tourism development in policies reflected the state’s regulation of the economy and maintenance of its political legitimacy. A powerful policy community was found that was beginning to consider other actors’ views, but tourism development remained a prominent driver.     

Residents,their use of a tourist facility and contribution to tourist ambience: Narratives from a film tourism site in Beijing

Any tourist site open to local residents represents a point where residents and tourists become a back drop for the experiences of the other. This paper examines a specific Beijing film tourism attraction, Grand View Gardens, and the manner in which the site is used by local residents, the meanings attributed to it, and residents' role in creating an ambience for tourists. Residents have a daily connection with the site, and form audiences for events held at the Gardens. They often interact with tourists, becoming a source of information for tourists. The paper examines residents' motives for using such attractions, their attitudes towards tourists and suggests they possess a role in the creation of a sense of place that is valued by tourists. The paper fills a gap in an under-researched area, where, in the Chinese context, both residents and visitors form backdrops to each other's experience of place.