Tea tourism and rural revitalization: insights and evidence from Zhejiang, China

Abstract

A Rural revitalization has been paid great attention in China as a result of rapid socio-economic development, and officially established as a national strategy in recent years. The study aims to identify the potential of tea tourism, as a specific form of rural gastronomic tourism, could contribute to regional revitalization, on the strength of rich tea resources and authentic tea culture in China. From an actor-oriented perspective, the comparative case study in Zhejiang province shows that, the actual tea tourism practice in case areas is shaped by environmental and personal factors. Meanwhile, the potential of tea resources hasn’t been fully integrated in tourism activities, as practitioners’ operating capability restricted by conceptual issues and other self-limitations. Despite, the evolution of tea tourism becomes a channel to facilitate residents’ livelihood and life quality, turning the situation of rural residents’ outflow to inflow, achieved various aspects of rural revitalization. Finally, practical implications are also discussed to offer enlightenments to regional tea tourism practice.