Comparisons Of Stakeholders' Perceptions Of Rural Tourism Impacts

It has been reported and proved that promoting tourism development is one of the effective means to cope with social economic transformation in rural areas and its consequent problems and challenges.In recently years,China(both in mainland and in Taiwan Province)has been making great efforts to promote rural tourism development and has achieved remarkable processes.Rural tourism,however,should not be regarded as a panacea for social economic improvement in rural areas.Some negative consequences from rural tourism development(in terms of its economic,socio-cultural and environmental impacts)can be seen in some previous reports and researches.The inharmony of tourism stakeholders' interests and the consequent difficulties for them to collaborate well can be regarded as one of the main factors accounting for the potential negative consequences.By conducting a case study of Shoufeng Township in Taiwan Province,this paper used questionnaire method to measure tourism stakeholders' perceptions of tourism impacts.Analyses of discrepancies among stakeholders(i.e.,residents,entrepreneurs,government official and tourists)perceptions and of its potential causes provided a way to identify the harmonious degree of interests among stakeholders.Main findings of this study are as follows(all the under-mentioned perceptions discrepancies were determined to be statistically significant based on one-way ANOVA test and Duncan's multiple range test at the 5% level):1.In terms of tourism economic impacts perceptions: as for the statements “promoting public welfare” and “improving living standard”,“government official and entrepreneurs” and “residents” show positive attitudes and negative attitude,respectively;as for the statement “reducing tourism-related employment”,residents and government official show positive attitude and negative attitude,respectively.2.In terms of tourism socio-cultural impacts perceptions: as for the statement “having opportunities to offer advices for tourism development”,government official and residents show positive attitude and negative attitude,respectively;as for the statement “promoting public infrastructure”,“government official and entrepreneurs” and “residents” show positive attitude and negative attitude,respectively;as for the statement “helping inherit traditional custom”,“entrepreneurs and tourists” and “residents and government official” show positive attitude and negative attitude,respectively;as for the statement “shocking traditional culture”,“residents and government official” and “tourists and entrepreneurs ” show positive attitude and negative attitude,respectively.3.In terms of tourism environmental impacts perceptions: as for the statement “having opportunities to participate environmental protection decision-making process”,government official and residents show positive attitude and negative attitude,respectively;as for the statement “helping improving ecological environment quality”,“entrepreneurs and tourists” and “government official and residents” show positive attitude and negative attitude,respectively;as for the statement “resulting in resources over-use”,“residents and government official” and “entrepreneurs and tourists” show positive attitude and negative attitude,respectively.Generally speaking,as for perceptions of tourism impacts on some fields(i.e.,commodity price,public transport,and public security),four stakeholders were in close agreement;while on other remaining fields(i.e,public welfare,public infrastructure construction,and resource utilization),statistically significant discrepancies existed among four stakeholders.Main reasons accounting for these discrepancies included divergences in standpoints,differences in abilities to participate in rural tourism development,and some other subjective and objective factors.This paper suggested that the existed discrepancies among four stakeholders' perceptions revealing the relatively low harmonious degree of interests among stakeholders,which partly accounted for the recent predicament of rural tourism development in Shoufeng Township.Given that some rural tourism destinations in mainland were reported to experience similar situations,this study results provide them with some enlightenment meanings to balance interests and resolve conflicts among stakeholders based on the administrator's point of view,and consequently,to further optimize and promote rural tourism sustainable development: Firstly,government official is recommended to provide more chances for residents to participate decision-making processes of rural tourism development,to help residents improving their abilities to earn interest in tourism industry,and to harmonize the relation between rural tourism development and environment and culture protection.Secondly,it is recommended to guide residents to enhance themselves with democratic participation sense,and to encourage residents to improve their own abilities to benefit from tourism development.Thirdly,it is recommended to deepen entrepreneurs' responsibilities consciousness in cultural inheritance and environmental protection,and to guide entrepreneurs to collaborate with residents with the aim to achieve a win-win situation.Lastly,it is recommended to guide tourists to respect and understand local culture and custom,and to urge tourists to restrain themselves and prevent blacklisted behaviors during the visit.