Bihu Wu

Trends in China’s domestic tourism development at the turn of the century

China’s domestic tourism has developed quickly in the past 20 years. This article briefly reviews the scale of expansion in domestic tourism in China and summarizes three important factors contributing to that great change. In search of development trends, the article examines the main products of domestic tourism and government policy changes that influence tourism development. The conclusion is that China’s domestic tourism has shifted to the 3H (high input, high risk and high output) pattern. Besides intermediate‐long‐haul sightseeing and business tourism, domestic tourists frequently take medium‐short‐distance sightseeing trips and short‐distance weekend vacations, which forms ReBAM (Recreational belt around metropolis), a new tourist spatial pattern.

Tourism Knowledge Domains: A Keyword Analysis

This study examines author-selected keywords of research published in Annals of Tourism Research, Journal of Travel Research and Tourism Management. In total, 5,534 keywords from 2,504 articles form the basis of this analysis. Iterative coding results in 200 core keywords serving as descriptors of major research subjects, and 10 gene words indicating knowledge domains formed through cross-references and hybridization of core keywords. The emergence of core subject areas supports the knowledge domains carved out by the three journals; the analysis also facilitates discussion on knowledge mapping and subject linkages in tourism studies. The study concludes with reflections on implications, limitations and future research associated with knowledge development in tourism.

Where in the World? A Geographic Analysis of a Decade of Research in Tourism, Hospitality, and Leisure Journals:

This study examined research focus countries and regions in 4,654 articles published in 32 tourism, hospitality, and leisure academic journals from 2002 to 2011 inclusive. Applying a variety of analysis methods, the research showed the spatial distribution, co-occurrence relationships among countries, and the most popular topics of research focus and types of tourism by countries. There was a broad geographic focus of the research in tourism, hospitality, and leisure journals in the decade from 2002 to 2011 spanning 126 countries. It was found that a significant number (70) of countries were not covered in this 10-year snapshot of the academic journal research and require more attention from scholars in the future. Some major countries were underrepresented including France, Germany, and Russia. However, the predominance of the research focus on the Asia-Pacific region and particularly on China was a major finding in this analysis, as was the sparse coverage of South and Central America.

Wildlife tourism in China: a review of the Chinese research literature

China is rich in wildlife resources but no comprehensive review of the research literature in relation to the nexus between wildlife and tourism interests in China has been completed. This review considers research undertaken on both consumptive and non-consumptive wildlife tourism, and shows that wildlife tourism has gained much attention in China recently. A data set was created recording attributes including authors, article titles, publication years and sources, keywords and abstracts. A more detailed analysis of the research topics, methodologies and research regions was conducted and this was accompanied by recourse to the full texts to more fully identify key findings. The research has a predominant focus on captive, semi-captive and tourism experiences in the wild, with the giant panda and bird-watching as key subjects. Research articles have been published in a range of journals but only about 32% of these are considered as key journals in China. The analysis demonstrates a rising interest in wildlife tourism. Although topics include the development of wildlife tourism, studies of visitor attitudes, analysis of visitor impacts on destinations and aspects of environmental education for tourists, this research is in its infancy and there is scope for a comprehensive and extended wildlife tourism research agenda.

How Country Image Affects Tourists’ Destination Evaluations A Moderated Mediation Approach

Limited tourism research has as yet drawn attention to the differences and interactions between country image and destination image. Therefore, this research explored the relationships among country image, destination image, familiarity, and destination evaluation. Based on an empirical study of international tourists in Beijing, China, a model was proposed covering these four variables. Country image mainly affected international tourists’ evaluations of China as a destination in a conditional indirect way, mediated by destination image and especially by psychological image, and moderated by familiarity. Moreover, familiarity directly and positively influenced functional destination image and negatively moderated the relationship between country and psychological destination images.

Worth thousands of words? Visual content analysis and photo interpretation of an outdoor tourism spectacular performance in Yangshuo-Guilin, China

Abstract An outdoor tourism spectacular performance transforms the landscape into a stage and community residents portray their cultural traditions against a background of nature, using the script of a story or legend from local history. The research aim was to interpret the expression of local culture and traditions through such a tourism performance. Taking Impression Liu Sanjie in Yangshuo-Guilin as a visual combination, content analysis was applied to interpret 296 images based on 27 visual criteria. A factor analysis yielded seven factors expressed by the sampled photos, providing a method to identify the visual content of an outdoor tourism spectacular performance in China and other similar event formats.

The Great Halls of China? Meeting Planners’ Perceptions of Beijing as an International Convention Destination

This research focused on meeting planners’ perceptions about selecting Beijing as an international convention destination. Twenty-three convention destination site selection criteria organized into five categories were identified. It was found that, with respect to Beijing, the importance of site selection criteria has changed since the late 1990s, with meeting planners now attaching more weight to the quality of convention services, quality of convention planning assistance, and city image. The meeting planners who had previously held international conventions in Beijing attached greater importance to research and development cooperation opportunities and choice of accommodations than those who had not. They rated Beijings performance lower on the convenience of the application process (required by Chinese governments) and government support. It was concluded that Beijing needs to improve most on the quality of convention services and convention planning assistance, and by relaxing government policies related to the holding of international conventions.

Am I a Backpacker? Factors Indicating the Social Identity of Chinese Backpackers

The question of what constitutes backpacker identity has been one of the central topics of backpacking tourism research. With the economic boom in China, the last two decades witnessed the proliferation of Chinese backpackers. By adopting quantitative methods, this study provides a comprehensive understanding of what makes one a “backpacker” in China. Comparing results from t-tests, binomial logistic regression, and multiple linear regression, it is found that Chinese backpackers’ social identities are mostly associated with external-oriented motivation, work alienation, and detachment from home centers. Behavioral characteristics, which have up until now been widely used to define backpackers, have very limited relationship to their identities in China. This finding calls for future research to rethink what is a backpacker. The research makes an important contribution to the understanding of this growing market and its particular identity factors.

The Spatial Distribution and Clustering of Convention Facilities in Beijing, China

This research describes the spatial layout of convention facilities in Beijing through the application of ArcGIS analysis software. The minimum distance points index, kernel density estimation, and radius of gyration methods were used to visualize the distributions and relationships of convention facilities, tourism scenic spots, and commercial and service facilities. Convention facilities were found to have a spatial agglomeration pattern and an uneven distribution within Beijing. Convention facilities and tourism scenic spots were closely spatially related. Most of the distances between convention facilities and tourism scenic spots were within a half-an-hour walking distance or 20 minutes by public transport. Beijings convention venues and commercial and service facilities were even more closely clustered; most within less than 10 minutes on foot. This research contributes by applying geographic research methods to planning and problem solving in convention tourism. The spatial description of 192 convention facilities is also a contribution to learning about the general development situation in one of the worlds top convention destinations.

Heritage and tourism in East Asia's developing nations: Communist-socialist legacies and diverse cultural landscapes

Section 1: Heritage Issues and Challenges in Developing Regions 1. Introduction: Heritage Tourism and the Less-Developed World 2. Protecting the Past: Challenges and Opportunities 3. The Politics of Heritage 4. Heritage Tourism and Its Impacts Section Two: Heritage Issues and Challenges: Regional Perspectives 5. The Meanings, Marketing and Management of Heritage Tourism in South East Asia (Joan Henderson) 6. Heritage and Tourism in East Asias Developing Nations: Communist-Socialist Legacies and Diverse Cultural Landscapes (Dallen Timothy, Bihu Wu, and Oyunaa Luvsandavaajav) 7. Heritage Tourism in the Pacific: Modernity, Myth and Identity (Michael Hall) 8. South Asian Heritage Tourism: Conflict, Colonialism and Cooperation (Gyan Naupane and Megha Budruk) 9. Heritage Tourism in Southwest Asia and North Africa: Contested Pasts and Veiled Realities (Dallen Timothy and Rami Daher) 10. Tourism and Africas Tripartite Cultural Past (Victor Teye) 11. Heritage Management and Tourism in the Caribbean (Leslie-Ann Jordan and David Duval) 12. Heritage Tourism in Latin America: Can turbulent times be overcome? (Regina Schluter) 13. Heritage Tourism in Central and Eastern Europe (Duncan Light, Craig Young, and Mariusz Czepczynski) 14. Heritage tourism in the Developing World: Reflections and Ramifications