|
|
|
| EVALUATION OF INDUSTRIAL TOURISM DEVELOPMENT OF CHINA: FROM A WESTERN PERSPECTIVE |
| LI Lei-lei1, Dietrich Soyez2 |
1. Communication Department, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China;
2. Department of Geography, University of Cologne, Germany |
|
|
|
|
Abstract This paper is a cautious evaluation of recent industrial tourism development in China from a western, mainly German, perspective. China's industrial tourism development has been shaped by its particular political and economical transformation. The habit of politicians' visits to factories and enterprises had a long tradition already during the planning economy. Since the open door policy, business people and increasingly tourists visit factories.This has an important impact on China's industrial tourism development as supply and demand patterns influence each other in a more and more intense way. There are, however, several obvious differences between China and the western world with regard to industrial tourism development, in particular concerning value systems, forms of supply and demand, tourism organization, modes of co-operation between actors in the industry etc. The most evident difference is that the idea and the fact of "industrial heritage" and its tourism development potential has not been recognized in China, while this is now almost the most significant trend in western industrial tourism development.This is most easily explained by the fact of de-industrialization.The "Route of Industrial Heritage" (Route der Industriekultur)in Germany'Ruhr industrial area testifies to this. But also China has an important potential of industrial heritage tourism development, and an improved communication between academics and representatives of the tourism industry in China and the western would benefit all parties involved.
|
|
Received: 30 April 2003
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2003, Vol. 18 
