Rural Tourism: Exploring Country Experiences Beyond Farming - Essay Sample

Introduction

Rural tourism is a country experience that includes activities and site attractions in rural and agricultural areas. It is characterized by direct natural experience, a low level of development of tourism, and big spaces (Chen et al., 2018). It shows that rural tourism is not about attraction from farming. Still, it also encompasses ethnic tourism, heritage tourism, arts, educational trips, hunting, health tourism, sports tourism, riding, climbing, walking, and farm-based holidays.

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In China, rural tourism is vital in regenerating and developing non-urban areas. It is a critical tool in reducing poverty and creating a foundation for development in these areas. Stakeholders must participate fully to ensure that the social and economic desires from rural desires are reached. As rural tourism continues to develop in China, it has become a massive hit for residents in urban areas seeking to tour the country (Zhu et al., 2020). It is easier to develop rural areas in China as there is more space, and the land is cheaper than the urban areas (Chen, 2017). Rural tourism, therefore, is a massive boost to the economy of China as it racks in much revenue, despite that it is still not fully exploited. Therefore, there is a need for research on the operational mechanism of sustainable development of rural tourism in China.

Research Questions

• What are the driving forces of rural tourism?
• What are the benefits of rural tourism?
• What are the operational mechanisms of sustainable development of rural tourism in China?

Research Objectives

• The research aims to show the driving forces of rural tourism in China.
• The study aims to reveal the advantages of rural tourism.
• The research projects to show the operational mechanisms of sustainable development of rural tourism in China.

Statement of the Problem

Tourism is continuously in a rise in China, and rural tourism is also thriving, given that a considerable percentage of people still live in the non-urban areas. Tourism, therefore, is a crucial pillar in the economy of rural areas. Rural tourism cannot cover all rural areas, but there are some key places where it can thrive. It, therefore, poses a need for the development of rural tourism in these areas to maximize their potential.

Literature Review

The driving forces in rural tourism include the urban areas factor, massive appetite for media, and environmental awareness. The main advantages of rural tourism include job retention and creation and youth empowerment. The operational mechanisms of sustainable development of rural tourism in China include the focus on agriculture, stakeholder participation, farmers' interests, and protective development.

Driving Forces

For rural tourism to thrive, some key factors drive its development. Urban areas can be exhausting to people because of the high rate of hustle and bustle (Li et al., 2020). Therefore, it brings a need to escape these activities to a quieter place, and rural areas come in handy. It enables people to relax and live a simple life as they visit attraction sites and have a view of nature. There is a huge appetite for media, and rural tourism is getting more attention as it is a less featured topic (Yang et al., 2018). It has led to more exposure to rural attraction areas and sites as tourism content is on-demand not only in China but across the globe (Li et al., 2016). Environmental awareness has become a huge topic in recent years across the globe, and it has attracted more attention to rural tourism because of the natural attraction areas (Guo & Sun, 2016). It offers more of a green experience than tourist attraction sites in urban areas.

Advantages of Rural Tourism

Rural tourism creates huge cash-flows; therefore, it enables organizations and businesses to sustain their operations and development, leading to higher job retention in relevant areas. The main focus in many countries, including China, is job creation, but job retention is highly essential in an economy (Gao & Wu, 2017). Rural tourism also creates jobs, especially for people like fishers and foresters. Industries that create jobs as a result of rural tourism include transport, hotel, and information. Rural tourism opens up for new businesses in rural areas as it attracts massive traffic of people, increasing the purchasing power in these areas (Gao et al., 2019). Such businesses include arts, recreational services, hospitality, and service stations. Rural tourism also gives the youth in rural areas more career options as they do not need to move to urban areas to get jobs (Wu & Wang, 2019). It enables them to utilize their creativity to get some revenue.

Operational Mechanisms of Sustainable Development of Rural Tourism in China

The operational mechanisms of sustainable development of rural tourism in China include the focus on agriculture, stakeholder participation, farmers' interests, and protective development. Farming is highly crucial in rural tourism in China as it employs many people, and it is part of the culture in rural areas (Su et al., 2019). China, therefore, regards agriculture highly as it is a massive asset in the economy and the culture of the people instead of prioritizing luxury establishments like theme parks or hotels. The government of China strives to involve both local and international stakeholders in the development of rural tourism (Wu et al., 2017).

Stakeholders include the residents and tourists. It means that everyone's interests are met, and it promotes sustainable development. In rural tourism, China puts the interests of the farmers first. The farmers are the first people to benefit from the revenue rush from rural tourism, and China is keen to make sure that they get the most (Chi et al., 2020). It is to ensure that they participate in the development of rural tourism, therefore, improving its quality. It means that China ignores the economic incentives from rural tourism to give the farmers priority. They are also given opportunities to showcase different products and arts and other artifacts of culture (Li et al., 2019). Rural areas in China are ecological and natural, and the country strives to maintain these conditions in the best way they can (Li et al., 2018). Apart from the environment, cultural factors like social norms and local customs are preserved.

Significance of the Study

China's rural tourism sector has been on the rise in recent years, and it has led to the growth of the rural areas together with agriculture and local industries. The study describes the operational mechanisms of sustainable development of rural tourism in China as the country strives to maintain rapid growth. It shows how China prioritizes the interests of the residents and farmers in the local areas as the country steps up its efforts to fight poverty.

Research Methodology

The research methodology in the study is a meta-analysis, and it is a form of qualitative analysis. It involves the collection and analysis of peer-reviewed journals to gather information about the research questions. Peer-reviewed journals are cost-effective and are easily accessible on the internet, and they are a stable source of information.

References

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Chen, X. (2017). A phenomenological explication of guanxi in rural tourism management: A case study of a village in China. Tourism Management, 63, 383-394. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2017.07.001

Chi, X., Lee, S. K., Ahn, Y., & Kiatkawsin, K. (2020). Tourist-perceived quality and loyalty intentions towards rural tourism in China. Sustainability, 12(9), 3614. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12093614

Gao, C., Cheng, L., Iqbal, J., & Cheng, D. (2019). An integrated rural development mode based on a tourism-oriented approach: Exploring the beautiful village project in China. Sustainability, 11(14), 3890. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11143890

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