The Study Of Tourist-host Interaction In Historic Towns And Districts Tourism

Based on the analyses about the domestic and international researches of tourist-host interaction, and aiming at the weak part of actuality about the development of tourism in historic towns and districts and correlative research, this article proposes that it is very important and necessary to carry on research about tourist-host interaction in historic towns and districts. In addition, this article makes further analyses about the conception and connotation of historic towns and districts tourism. Based on this, the "guest" and "host" in historic towns and districts tourism were defined. Moreover, groups of categories of factors of tourist-host interaction, various types and models and consequential overall effect have been studied and analyzed in this article. Accordingly, these facets in Pingyao, a historic town in China, were measured.According to the study, the effect of tourist-host interaction is related with the models of tourist-host interaction to a certain extent. Because the historic towns and districts have their own particularity, tourist-host interaction in them is different from other travel destinations. The author studied the life style in the historic towns and summarized the models of the interaction between organized tourists, unorganized tourists and local residents. In addition, six well-chose indicators serving as factor-set were studied; it shows that different factors make different impacts on tourist-host interaction.In the empirical research, the exchange aspiration, the actual intercourse and the experience of tourist-host interaction were studied and analyzed. With three grades of effect, namely "significantly satisfactory", "generally satisfactory" and "dissatisfactory", as evaluation-set, the comprehensive effect of the destination was appraised. The results showed that both the tourists and the local residents had strong exchange aspiration. And they all had favorable impression to each other. It means that the overall effect of tourist-host interaction in Pingyao is positive. Reasons to explain the result were easy to be found out but hard to decide to what extent it contributed. Job opportunities and neighborhoods and other effect contributed largely to the good result. Moreover, the dominant types of tourist-local interaction in Pingyao were favorable and positive which also contributed its part.According to the correlative data offered by the relational departments, investigation and interviews made in the destination, social economic in Pingyao have taken great positive changes during the development of tourist industry. In other words, Economic development, social progress and promotion of local image that tourist industry brings to Pingyao are all quite prominent; these also are what hosts can perceive most.Finally, according to questions and disciplinarians found in the investigation, aiming at the main questions appeared in tourist-host interaction in the historic towns, especially the kindling factors and obstacle factors, the tendency of tourist-host interaction, and other factors which have influence on tourists travel experiences and feelings, this article proposed that effective measures should be taken to tackle the main obstacles and create good opportunities for better interactions. The relational departments should pay close attention to community welfare, hold market development and make a market orientation etc., make great efforts to create pleasant and positive environment for tourist-host interaction.