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Livelihood Benefits from Post-Earthquake Nature-Based Tourism Development: A Survey of Local Residents in Rural China

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Listed:
  • Shuwen Liu

    (School of Arts and Social Sciences, The Open University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China)

  • Lewis T.O. Cheung

    (Department of Social Sciences, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China)

  • Alex Y. Lo

    (Department of Geography, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China)

  • Wei Fang

    (Department of Geography and Resources Management, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China)

Abstract

Large-scale tourism development after a natural disaster often leads to substantial changes in the living conditions of local residents. Few studies have examined how these changes are perceived by residents and related to their support to tourism development. We conducted a household survey in Wolong National Nature Reserve, which is a popular nature-based tourist location severely devastated by a catastrophic earthquake in 2008. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was employed to explore the association between residents’ expectation of tourism impacts and their willingness to support tourism development. Results indicated that they held high expectations about development and believed that it would be enhance Wolong’s economic progress and improve their personal living conditions. Expected economic benefits (EEB) had a significant and positive relationship with the expected improvement of their personal living conditions, but not with their support to tourism development. The latter two variables, however, were associated with each other, suggesting that expected improvement of living conditions mediated between expected benefits and stated support to tourism development. Similar results were not found for resistance and concerns about tourism development. Policy-makers and tourism planners should recognize that public support to tourism development is not necessarily driven directly by expected economic benefits.

Suggested Citation

  • Shuwen Liu & Lewis T.O. Cheung & Alex Y. Lo & Wei Fang, 2018. "Livelihood Benefits from Post-Earthquake Nature-Based Tourism Development: A Survey of Local Residents in Rural China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-19, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:3:p:699-:d:134732
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sifeng Nian & Jie Zhang & Honglei Zhang & Jinhe Zhang & Donghe Li & Ke Wu & Xue Chen & Lingling Yang, 2019. "Two Sides of a Coin: A Crisis Response Perspective on Tourist Community Participation in a Post-Disaster Environment," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(12), pages 1-19, June.
    2. Alex Y. Lo & Alice S. Y. Chow & Shuwen Liu & Lewis T. O. Cheung, 2019. "Community business resilience: adaptation practice of micro- and small enterprises around the Pearl River Estuary," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 157(3), pages 565-585, December.
    3. Despina Saghin & Luminița-Mirela Lăzărescu & Liliana Daniela Diacon & Maria Grosu, 2022. "Residents’ Perceptions of Tourism: A Decisive Variable in Stimulating Entrepreneurial Intentions and Activities in Tourism in the Mountainous Rural Area of the North-East Region of Romania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-30, August.
    4. Arik Prasetya & Yudha Prakasa & Lintang Edityastono, 2022. "Tourism development model post the Covid-19 pandemic: Government policy perspective," Technium Social Sciences Journal, Technium Science, vol. 31(1), pages 670-684, May.

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