Managing side effects of cultural tourism development: the case of Zhouzhuang

  • Authors:
  • Xu Honggang

  • Affiliations:
  • Tourism Development and Planning Center, Earth and Environmental School, Zhongshan University, 512075, Guangzhou, PR China

  • Venue:
  • Systems Analysis Modelling Simulation
  • Year:
  • 2003

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Abstract

Zhouzhuang has been quite successfully to attract mass tourists. Yet, from the experiences gained from other cases, potential risks have been already embodied in the way the tourism has been developed. The physical buildings have been well preserved and reconstructed to be able to get listed in the UNESCO World Heritage List, a good way to promote its tourism. Yet, the traditional way to water-town living style, the major attraction of Zhouzhuang, is giving its way to commodification. An easy and quick compensating measure is adopted to create a staged authentic traditional life style. Cautions should be made to prevent the site to turn into a thematic park and thus lose culture and social meaning for tourists.