Special interest tourism: A method for economic diversification and cultural preservation in rural Hebei Province, China

Since 1990, large folk festivals featuring exhibitions of martial arts organized by grassroots organizations have begun to attract small numbers of foreign tourists in Guangzong County in southeastern Hebei province, China. This thesis examines the effects of alternative tourism on the region and how careful planning for higher-volume sustainable tourism could bring both increased economic benefit and protection of cultural resources. Research consisted of library and field research. Field research in China (1997--1998) examined the impacts of tourism and the attitudes and perceptions of tourists, local people and government leaders on future development. It identified sociocultural traits which are susceptible to damage and those which may help or hinder tourism development. The work examined how the vertical links formed by lineages and the horizontal links formed by voluntary associations are constituent parts of the region's 'informal' social safety net. Identifying the function of the cultural institutions which attract tourists clearly establishes the importance of protecting these institutions and recommendations to this end are provided. The analysis of economic statistics shows the county's underdeveloped condition in relation to neighbouring counties and suggests that supplementary income provided by tourism could benefit the region. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)...