|
|
|
| A PRELIMINARY STUDY ON THE EXPLORATION OF THE DYNAMIC PATTERNS BETWEEN URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND URBAN TOURISM |
| XU Hong-gang |
| Tourism Research and Planning Center, Zhongshan University, Guangzhou 510275, China |
|
|
|
|
Abstract Although many urban planners and policy makers have proposed urban tourism development as urban development and management tool, the effectiveness of theses urban tourism policies can be obtained without the understanding of the complex interactions between the tourism development and urban development. Tourism development and urban development are closely intertwined and interacting dynamically. In addition to that, both tourism development and urban development have demonstrated the non-linear development pattern. Therefore the various patterns demonstrating the non-linear behaviors between two have been observed in different geographical area or in different stage of tourism development and the effectiveness of the present urban tourism policies is questionable.
The study has summarized some patterns of urban tourism and urban development such as tourism urbanization, metropolitan tourism development, suburban tourism development and decay of tourism town etc. Although tourism is recognized as one of the major forces for urbanization in many underdevelopment areas, unmanaged urbanization reduces the attractiveness of the tourism attractions and therefore limits further urbanization through tourism. Tourism is also used as a quick fix to the problem of urban decline. Yet the commercialization of the urban heritage and competition to hold the large events not only drain the financial capacity of the city but also has negative impact on the cultural heritage.
It has been found out that tourism development and urban development not only reinforce each other but also constrain each other. The positive feedbacks which drives the growth of urban tourism and urban development and which provide supportive arguments to the tourism development polices are always constrained by the negative feedback loops brought out by the growth itself. Effective urban tourism polices have to target at taking proactive methods to eradiate the limiting structures and reinforce the positive feedback.
|
|
Received: 02 November 2003
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005, Vol. 20 
