Cultural Conservation and Tourism Development in the Consolidation Stage of the Tourism Area Life Cycle Model

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis study investigates the relationship between residents’ perceptions of the impacts of tourism and their attitudes about cultural conservation and tourism development in the consolidation stage of the Tourism Area Life Cycle model. The study site is Zhangjiajie city, one of China’s best known cultural tourist destinations, which previous researchers have shown has entered the consolidation stage. Questionnaire survey is conducted to the residents in this study area, and valid 317 samples are used for analysis. The study’s results show that residents’ positive perceptions of the impacts of tourism in Zhangjiajie influence their attitudes about conservation of cultural resources in the consolidation stage, such as attitudes about cultural conservation, cognition of cultural knowledge, behavior related to cultural conservation, and residents’ attitudes about tourism development. All results reflect the importance for cultural conservation of residents’ positive perceptions of the impacts of tourism.