Research on the Growth and Spillover Benefit of Tourism in... Town’s Resort – Cultural Legacy and Its Industrialization

Research on the Growth and Spillover Benefit of Tourism in Rural
Town’s Resort – Cultural Legacy and Its Industrialization
ZHU Tao xing, TAO Yu
Shijiazhuang Railway Institute. Shijiazhuang. 050043
[email protected]
Abstract: Development of Traditional Villages and Towns Resorts has been the heated problem
extensively concerned by the tourism scholars. What the key to the development of Traditional
Villages and Towns Resorts is to found out the appropriate coordination point of development and
protection. The paper proposes the development phase theory of traditional villages and towns, and
carries on that tourism cultural industrialization is the highest phase, it＇s also the effective ways of
sustainable development of Traditional Villages and Towns Resorts. The paper takes Zhouzhuang as an
example, analysis that driven by large-scale tourism enterprises or government organizations guide
mode tourism cultural industrialization can achieve the effective allocation of tourism elements, and
expands to other industries on the bases of the tourism resource with cultural background for content.
Key words: tourism cultural industrialization, the development phase theory of Traditional Village and
Town, industry-dominant relying on resource mode, Zhouzhuang ancient town
1 Introduction
In a certain period of historical time and under some special natural environment and cultural
background, people closely lived and worked together in a certain habitat, which later on became the
Chinese traditional villages and towns. With the rise of cultural tourism, traditional villages and towns
resorts are becoming increasingly popular with tourists.
Development of tourism industry has brought up the issue that it is difficult to co-ordinate the
relationship between the exploration and protection of traditional villages and towns[1]. By studying the
case of Edinburg, an old town of tourist heritage, Graham Parlett (1995) came up with an evaluation
method of economic impacts of ancient towns’ tourism, applicable to other ancient towns throughout the
world which have the same problems. In addition, he came up with a model of how to integrate
historical cultural ancient towns’ tourism with other economic elements[2]. Based on the case of Zanzibar
in Tanzania, Rafael Marks(1996) believed that with the increase of tourists interested in ancient towns,
great changes had taken place in those places, both socially and economically, including business
centers, rapid rise of housing price and rent, and the change of spatial patterns of houses. He also
pointed out that rebuilding in ancient towns caused by tourism was a double-edged sword, which had
preserved some architecture whilst had negative impact on the traditional economic and cultural
structure[3]. Morten Huse（1998）made a comparative study on villages and towns tourism in Norway and
believed that influence of tourism was coming form characteristics of tourist places, such as local
government, local history of tourism industry, characteristics of industrial developing style and so on[4].
Tian Xizhou (2003) analyzed how to explore and protect ancient towns, making the two aspects develop
in harmony[5]. Wu Wenzhi(2002) analyzed the current situation of resorts protection and exploration,
based on the case of ancient villages in South AnHui province, and came up with the common rules and
modes[6]. Liu Changxue (2003) believed that there were some negative factors in the development of
ancient villages in South Anhui province[7].
When it comes to the research of traditional villages and towns, scholars from domestic and abroad
usually focus on impacts of tourism industry on traditional villages and towns as well as the importance
of its protection. They seldom mention fundamental approaches how to deal with the contradiction
between development and protection of traditional villages and towns. This paper is trying to come up
with the theory of the developing process and different phases of traditional villages and towns. On top
of that, we believe that tourism cultural industrialization is one of the good approaches to traditional
villages and towns tourism development.
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Tourism industrialization is a compound concept. Firstly, it refers to the current situation of a
modernized, internationalized and marketized tourism industry. Secondly, it talks about the trend of a
relatively backward tourism developing towards a modern tourism industry, including a more
comprehensive development of tourism and its relevant industries. Modernization, internationalization
and marketization of tourism industry are the keys to that. The industrialization process includes a more
effective and efficient configuration of the tourism content, namely, catering, housing, lodging, traveling,
sightseeing, shopping and recreation. Meanwhile, it also involves the process of expanding and
spreading into other industries, based on the tourist resources with the idea of traditional villages and
towns cultural background.
2 The Inevitability of Traditional Villages and Towns Tourism Cultural
Industrialization
2.1 Traditional villages and towns tourism cultural industrialization is inevitable during the
process of tourism development
According to the current situation of traditional villages and towns resorts development, we can see
three different stages in terms of the level of development(Table 1). Firstly, it is the “resource unused”
stage, which refers to that the cultural tourism resource has neither been explored nor used yet. There is
no cultural tourism industry in the local community yet. Local economy still depends on agriculture and
handicraft industry. Secondly, it is the “fully resource dependence” stage. This stage refers to that
tourism development mainly depends on local tourism resource itself, such as ticket office income at
scenic spots. There are no relevant businesses, such as catering, lodging and traveling. Tourism related
products are poorly developed and should be more diversified. We can see problems like this in the
village of Xidi and Hongcun Thirdly, it is the “resource dependence & industry orientation” stage. It has
already been proved a successful traditional villages and towns resorts sustainable development mode
by domestic and international practice to develop cultural industry based on cultural tourism resources
in traditional villages and towns resorts. During the process, tourism resource is the most fundamental
factor. It is also necessary to choose a relevant industry as the dominant one[8]. Zhouzhuang is a typical
model in China among this kind of villages and towns. In comparison with the first two stages, the third
one is in pursuit of a harmonious development between benefit-maximization in the holistic industrial
system and the entire social-economic-ecological system. The whole process aims to develop other
industries, making use of tourism resources in traditional villages and towns and emphasizing the idea of
cultural background, which is exactly the primary characteristic of cultural tourism industrialization in
traditional villages and towns resorts.
Table 1
Tourism Development Stages and Characteristics of Traditional Villages and Towns Resorts
characteristics
stage
characteristics
tourist product structure
stage
1: cultural tourism resource unused yet; cultural tourism
――
not started yet; local economy depending on
resource
agriculture and handicraft industry;
unused
tourism development mainly depending on local
stage
2
tourism resource itself, such as ticket office income at cultural tourism scenic spots
fully
scenic spots; no relevant businesses, such as catering, cultural tourism experience,
resource
lodging and traveling, of tourism industry; lack of a such as recreation & traveling
dependence
variety of tourism related products
developing cultural tourism
products to another level, such
stage
3:
developing cultural industry based on cultural tourism
as business trip, conference
resource
resources in traditional villages and towns resorts;
travel, industrial sightseeing;
dependence
seriously developing relevant industries based on
cultural
tourism
scenic
& industry
tourism resources
attractions; cultural tourism
orientation
experience
－
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2.2 Tourism cultural industrialization of traditional villages and towns resorts is the result of
marketization.
Tourism cultural industrialization of traditional villages and towns resorts is the result of
marketization. First of all, with the growing of traditional villages and towns resorts market, tourists
require comfortable, convenient sightseeing and recreation form, as well as fine basic infrastructure.
Tourism industrialization plays a very important role in developing various relevant tourism products
and better meeting tourists’ requirements. Secondly, it is in favor of dealing with the issue of population
loss in traditional villages and towns. As a rule, under the influence of special cultural resource, there are
many obstacles to traditional villages and towns development, leading the result of population loss.
Tourism industrialization, through industry expansion and space usage re-configuration, could bring
more job opportunities to local communities so as to make local residents stay put, as well as happy and
satisfied. Thirdly, traditional villages and towns’ resorts development usually face the problem of capital
deficiency for protection. Tourism industrialization and development of relevant industries will be able
to push forward local economy, increase local government revenue, and provide various economic
approaches so as to make sure that protection approaches can be put into practice.
3 An Analysis on the Basic Industrialization Mode & Process of Traditional
Villages and Towns Resorts
Letting the essence of traditional culture play an important role in the new process of
industrialization can not only bring a revival of traditional culture, but also upgrade cultural cognition
and taste within a society by spreading and glorifying cultural spirits. In addition, it can also bring along
local economy and lead to a healthier developing cycle. The integration of cultural industry and
traditional villages and towns tourism industry is an intrinsic merge on a higher level. This kind of
integration requires innovation. The two aspects have to agree on some deep issues, such as objective
orientation, connotation components, presentational format and things like that on a higher level[9].
There are two common basic modes
Table 2 Tourism Cultural Industrialization Mode Selection
in traditional villages and towns tourism
of Traditional Villages and Towns Resorts
cultural industrialization(Table 2). One is
Basic Mode
Characteristics
driven by large tourism corporate group,
More job opportunities in tourism
the other one being guided and managed
enterprises
by local government. Traditional villages
Led and driven by Large
Being able to influence many other
and towns resorts should take into account
tourism Group
fields
local situation and choose the right mode
Tourism enterprises being strong
and powerful
in order to acquire a better and healthier
professional development plan;
economic development in the resorts. Try
scale of tourism industry being
to create a better investment environment
Organized and guided by
rather large
by developing tourism, finding their local
government
good tourism service and good
predominance. .
benefits
Led by large tourism corporate group,
corporation or enterprise group hold the dominant place. Tourism development oriented, encourage the
participation of local residents and push forward economic development in the resorts, taking into
consideration the big six factors of tourism industry. Tourism group is required to play a very important
part and run on a higher level in this mode. It must have plenty of financial resource. It could make use
of local tourism resource, adopt advanced and new technology, and develop relevant industries. Find an
efficient and effective way in the cooperation and coordination of local tourism resource and human and
financial resource of the large tourism group.
Guided and managed by local government, development of tourism industry should be based on
local tourism resource, require collaboration and financial support from relevant industries. Meanwhile,
government guidance, coordination and regulation are indispensible as well. Local government should
play an important part actively building up local tourism brand, creating a better investment
environment, effectively dealing with the relationship between development and protection, squaring the
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benefits with justice among local residents and other stakeholders.
These two modes both require tourism resources from traditional villages and towns resorts as the
key. Therefore, it is necessary to update our ideology from economy-oriented development to
sustainable development, from “development first – protection second” mode to protection-first
development and assure protection during the process of development. Only by doing this, can we
achieve the goal of an efficient and effective tourism industrialization.
Tourism
resource
recognition
Special Cultural Tourism
Product
The formation of a stable
Cultural Tourism Market
Branding of Cultural Product
Product System
Industrial
Branding
of
Modernization
large Corporate Group
of
industrial Management
Organizations
developing in the direction of
Tourism
Related Product
Resorts Development
A Good Tourism Related
Quality Standardization
Tourist
Economy
Operation
getting more Regulated
Coordination
between
Tourism
and Cultural Industry
Beginning of Tourism Industry
Cultural
Tourism
Product Development
Formation of Cultural
Accomplishment of Cultural
Tourism Industry
Tourism Industrialization
Figure 1 Process of Tourism Cultural Industrialization
Traditional villages and towns resorts tourism industrialization has to successively go through the
process of rudimentary phase, cultural tourism product development, the formation of cultural tourism
industry, and the successful accomplishment of cultural tourism industrialization. (Figure 1)
During the process, eco-environment and cultural connotation is the key to a successful
industrialization. Consequently, we have to pay great attention to eco-environment protection and
cultural connotation preservation.
4 An Empirical Study on Tourism Cultural Industrialization in Zhouzhuang
4.1 A Brief Introduction of Tourism in Zhouzhuang
Zhouzhuang is located at the intersection of Lake Dianshan, Lake Cheng, Lake Baixian, South
Lake, which has all the characteristics of the “Fish and Rice” Culture. Ancient stone tools, wooden wells,
fusels of Paleozoic flora and fauna, and rice seeds, discovered in Liangzhu Cultural relic site, Taishitian,
one kilometer to the north of Zhouzhuang, are evidence that there were human beings living here 5,000
or 6,000 years ago. In 1,086 AD, Digonglang (a Chinese ancient official position originated from Song
Dynasty), Zhou, began to build up houses and started farming here. He also built up Quanfu Temple.
This was how Zhouzhuang got its name (The person’s family was Zhou), and still being used up to now.
Ever since 13th century, due to that Zhouzhuang is a place which is an important region for the
production of rice and cotton as well as fishing industry, it has become a major business center of
foodstuff, cotton cloths and handicrafts. Many rich people and businessmen immigrated here, building
up towns and markets by the river, which later on became a business town on both sides along the river
centered by Fu’an Bridge.
In the middle of 16th century, more people moved here, which made the west end of Zhongshi
Street the business center. Thus, Zhouzhuang began to get its modern look, and became an essential
town in the suburban Suzhou.
With the local business development, the crisscross-shaped river routes started to become some
kind of cultural and humanistic attractions, such as water alleys, wharfs, stone balustrades, arch bridges,
corridors, pavilions, and courtyards. In addition, Zhouzhuang has a history and rich culture of nearly
1,000 years and presents the spirit and characteristic of “town of water”, which makes it look like a
gorgeous painting touching people’s heart. As time goes by, Zhouzhuang has been through the history
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and enters the 1980s. What is more, Zhouzhuang has been recognized by many Chinese artists like Yifei
Chen, and Guanzhong Wu. In 1997, under the direction of Professor Yisan Ruan, from Tongji University,
a book called Protection Plan Details of Ancient Town Zhouzhuang was published. In 1998, over one
million tourists visited Zhouzhuang, which went up to 1,250,000 in 1999 and 1,500,000 in 2000. In the
year 2001, over 2,080,000 visitors from all over the world came to Zhouzhuang and the tourist income
amounted to over 500 million RMB[10].
As a matter of fact, the tourism income of Zhouzhuang, has been approximately twenty times as
much as that of some traditional villages and towns resorts in Huizhou, mainly, Xidi, Hongcun, and
Yuliang. In 2002, there were only 19,900 travelers visited ancient town Yuliang, which was only 1% of
the number of visitors of Zhouzhuang.
4.2 Tourism Cultural Industrialization Process of Zhouzhuang Resorts
The operational system of Zhouzhuang tourism cultural industrialization development has not only
been financially supported voluntarily by local residents, but also, more importantly, led by Jiangsu
Water-Town Zhouzhuang Tourism Co., Ltd founded by local government. Zhouzhuang Toursim Co., Ltd
has taken the advantage of tourism corporate group and government guidance. It has made full use of
capital from outside and actively introduced business opportunities and investment to local area.
Consequently, many external factors have had great and positive impact on the quick development of
Zhouzhuang resorts. During the development of Zhouzhuang, relevant tourist infrastructure and relevant
enterprises have being coming to town, including the Japan-invested Guangming Golf Course, South
Lake Garden and Quanfu Temple and so on, as well as Star-Rated Hotels such as Yuanhai Resorts,
Shenjiang Hotel, and Chenghu Hotel. As a matter of fact, Shanghai Yunhai Group is the earliest as well
as
the
biggest
investor
of
Table 3 List of Major Industrial Projects introduced recently
Zhouzhuang(Table 3).
Total Investment (in
With the industrialization process
Projects
Functions
100 million RMB)
developing to a higher level, the
Living in South of Recreation
and
2.5
industrial structure in Zhouzhuang has
Yangtze River
Shopping Center
changed dramatically. One of the
Special Shopping
3.0
changes is that, firstly, the main Fugui Garden
Mall
emphasis of enterprises in town
Yunhai
Farmer’s
Resorts
1.0
changed from traditional agriculture to Resorts
manufacturing industry. Later on, in “5000-year history” Theme Park
3.0
1990s, with the rise of tourism, the theme park
emphasis
changed
from Zhouzhuang, Living Vacation Center
5.0
manufacturing to mainly tourism and on the Water
Amusement,
service sector. Meanwhile, tourism Malaysia
Recreation
and
0.3
industry has been pushing forward the Amusement Park
lodging
development of husbandry and
Recreation
and
20.0
manufacturing, becoming, what is Tianhuadang Project Vacation Center
now, the situation of paying equal
Amusement
&
Yacht Club
1.5
Recreation
attention to both high-tech industry
Applied
Technical
and cultural tourism industry. The
Education
and
2.8
current high-tech emphasizes on high School of Soochow Training
University
added value, high-tech and low
pollution, quite different from the industry in the past, characterized by low technology content and high
pollution. According to the table, ever since 1989, the percentage the first industry accounts for in GDP
grow has dropped due to tourism development. The percentage agriculture accounted for dropped firstly
and went up again in 1999. Nevertheless, contribution made by the tertiary industry, mainly tourism
industry increased linearly, and only decreased slightly in 1999. These figures, basically, have reflected
the general evolution of Zhouzhuang Community.
4.3 Contribution Zhouzhuang Tourism Cultural Industrialization has made to local Economy
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4.3.1 Cultural Industrialization and Economic Development
Zhouzhuang always holds the idea of “developing local community through tourism”. Develop
cultural industry by seizing the opportunity of tourism and based on the connotation of “Wu Culture” of
Zhouzhunag. In 2003, Zhouzhuang has received foreign investment 50,510,000 US dollars, through
business contracts, increased by 40.2% compared to last year, accomplishing 168.3% as much as the
annual plan. Zhouzhuang actually used foreign investment 19,665,000 US dollars, increased by 26%
compared to last year, accomplishing 196.6% as much as the annual plan. A great number of agricultural,
industrial and tourist projects have been brought to Zhouzhuang.
In 1986, GNP, government income and average farmer net income of Zhouzhuang respectively was
only 31,480,000 RMB, 2,190,000 RMB and 8,630,000, which was respectively increased to
780,000,000 RMB, 93,990,000 RMB and 59,000,000 RMB. The Tertiary industry has been developing
quickly in recent years, whose profit goes up increasingly fast. GDP of the tertiary industry increased
from 250 million RMB to 360 million RMB in 2000, with an annual increasing rate of 20%. See Table
4.
Year
1998
1999
2000
Table 4 GDP Growth in the Tertiary Industry from 1998 to 2000
GDP(in 10,000 GDP(in 10,000 RMB)
Proprietorship GDP
Annually increasing
RMB)
percentage (%)
rate by percentage (%)
25,204
17,561
69.6
20.6
30,553
21,175
69.3
21.2
35,841
23,898
66.7
17.3
4.3.2 Cultural Industrialization and Local Residents Employment
With various factors
Table 5 Employment in the Tertiary Industry in recent years
affecting the community
Employment in the
and the intervention of
Tertiary
Industry/
Proprietorship
tourism
industry,
Year
Employment Proprietorship
Total Labor Force
percentage
(%)
Zhouzhuang
has
(%)
experienced the process
1998 6,186
4,670
75.5
51.6
from
an
agricultural
1999 7,097
5,693
80.2
58
community to a cultural 2000 7,879
6,410
81.4
60
community, a tourist Information Source: Industrial Department of Zhouzhuang Government
community
and
an
industrial community. There is a trend that employment related to tourism industry has increased
continuously, see Table 5. The number of proprietorship in tourism industry increased from 1,882 in
1998 to 2,363 in 2000. In 2000, the number of tourism related employment approximated 10,000,
accounting for about 60% of total labor force in the local community. Tourism industry not only makes
contribution to local employment, but also brings job opportunities to peripheral areas.
4.3.3 Cultural Industrialization and Local Community Protection
Beginning from the 21st century, with the idea of “protection of the ancient town pushing forward
local economy, local economic development helping protection of the ancient town”, investment has
been laid out along the way to do protection work. The general blueprint of it has been compiled and
revised several times. 60 million RMB were spent in order to fix relics. In 2000, 36 million RMB were
invested in the sewage treatment and river purification project, setting up a satisfactory fire protection
system and some relevant infrastructure.
5 Conclusions & Discussions
5.1 During the entire process of the tourism development of traditional Chinese villages and towns
resorts, traditional culture should always be the most fundamental element. Traditional culture, without
doubt, is the essence of a sustainable tourism development. Tourism industrialization plays a very
important role in promoting the sustainable tourism development of traditional villages and towns
resorts as well as in coordinating and balancing the relationship between development and preservation
of those resorts.
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5.2 During the process of tourism cultural industrialization in traditional villages and towns resorts,
one of the keys is to have government and other relevant organizations involved so that local tourism
recourses and external help could be complementary, pushing forward local economy.
5.3 Tourism cultural industrialization is the right direction of traditional villages and towns tourism
development. Nevertheless, the industrialization process has negative impact on the delicate and
vulnerable traditional culture. For instance, the original “society-economy-nature” system has lost its
balance. Resources in local community have been re-integrated so as to find a new balance. Many
inevitable problems have occurred, such as how to better preserve traditional culture during the
industrialization process, how to make traditional culture able to update and better develop itself in a
brand-new social and economic environment as well as how to make traditional culture remain the way
it is originally, not devastating its variation and diversification.
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