Summary in Chinese. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1975. / Bibliography: leaves 110-112.

This thesis examines the similarities and differences between northern and southern Chinese markets (in this case, the Beijing and Guangdong markets) in relation to New Zealand's destination image, from both visitors' and tour guides' perspectives. Destination image issues focused on information source and cultural factors, as well as their interrelationships. The purpose of this research is to achieve a better understanding of the Chinese outbound market as well as the heterogeneous market characteristics in order to provide insight for the New Zealand tourism industry. This research involves both interviews with visitors and tour guides based on a grounded theory methodology. Analysis of the interviews was based on two research themes: factors influence New Zealand's destination image at different stages, as well as the Chinese regional market difference in relation to destination image. Interviews were also focused on two stages of destination image formation: pre-visit images and in-destination images. Difference between Beijing and Guangdong markets on the research themes during the different stages were explored and analyzed. Research findings showed that destination image is influenced by both the information source and the cultural factors for Chinese tourists. Moreover, regional difference existed in China in particular their perceptions about New Zealand, preferences and personal values. Most tourists consider pre-visit image is essential; however, New Zealand's image in China was not very impressive and effective. Before visitation, New Zealand's destination image is influenced heavily by information available in China. The way tourists search for information and the image they were attracted for coming to New Zealand between Beijing and Guangdong were different. During-visit impressions of New Zealand were considered by majority of the tourists to be better than their expectations. However, due to their different cultural backgrounds, Beijing and Guangdong tourists have different reactions to New Zealand's products, which can be reflected through different shopping behaviours, and different demands and satisfaction levels. Overall, segmenting the Chinese outbound market into regions is recommended for future marketing, in order to attract more visitors by providing more suitable products.

China is rising rapidly as a new major source of outbound tourists in the world. The market potential is enormous. For New Zealand, the visitor numbers will jump to almost 160,000 within the following five years, making China one of New Zealand's biggest markets. Chinese outbound travel agencies play dominate role in operating and organizing international travel in China as outbound travel is highly controlled by the government and outbound agencies are the only group who are authorized to do international travel businesses. Therefore, it is imperative for the New Zealand tourism industry to understand the nature of the Chinese outbound travel agencies and the distribution system as it helps successfully market New Zealand in the Chinese market.This thesis explores the structure of distribution channels linking China and New Zealand and examines the performance of Chinese outbound travel agencies in conducting outbound travel to New Zealand in the Chinese market. The research studies the inter-dependent relationships and partnerships between outbound travel agencies and various channel members. It identifies the functions of channel members from each level in the distribution system and provides behavioural explanations for their distribution decisions. It also discusses the characteristics of the Chinese outbound market and Chinese travel preferences indirectly from tourism suppliers' perspetive aiming at providing a better understanding of the behavioural characteristics of Chinese outbound travel agencies and why the industry functions the way it does in the Chinese market.The research used qualitative research method in order to obtain an in-depth understanding into a wide range of issues in relation to the topic. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted to study the functions and performance of the outbound travel agencies as well as other channel members at every level both at the market and the destination. By examining the entire distribution system across national boundaries, this thesis seeks to expose multiplicities involved in the Chinese outbound travel and provide a systematic and comprehensive study.The research findings show that Chinese outbound travel agencies are the most influential member in the entire distribution system. They act as a bridge linking the Chinese market and the destination. They work with Chinese travel retailers by introducing a variety of international tour products and providing up-to-date information. They are highly dependent on inbound travel agents at the destination in terms of obtaining information and providing ground services. Limited number of outbound travel agencies makes them well positioned along the distribution system and gives them the advantage over other channel members. However, the Chinese outbound travel industry is immature and very price oriented. Due to the lack of destination information, price is considered as the most critical factor to make purchasing decision for both travel industry and the market. This feature was taken advantage by some overseas tour operators since they have been involved in selling below cost tour packages and low value trips. Many countries were facing this problem from the Chinese market. Moreover, New Zealand inbound tour operators were more satisfied with large travel agencies in China since they have reasonably good destination knowledge and better understanding of conducting business while the rest of the market was considered lack of sufficient information about the New Zealand products. Education and training programme are required in the Chinese market in order to improve the image of the destination and increase market share.

This thesis explores what existing issue of the complex relationship between heritage conservation and popular tourism, and the related problems influenced by the development of tourism and economic. Currently, many problematic heritage conservation practices have occurred in China, such as heritage reconstruction, imitation of heritage, commercial packaging of heritage and losing the setting of heritage, etc. So, I supposed that there are deep socio-economic problems under those phenomena, and the value system of heritage conservation was occupied by the ideology of economic growth. Some local governments did some “big” so-called conservation projects for achieving revenue growth, and some government leaders even for their political achievements. Lack of the knowledge of heritage and conservation and dearth of talent in this area could still be obstacles to solve those problems. In Chapter 2, the authenticity of two different examples of heritage reconstructions are compared – Mo Chi Garden and Jianfu Gong Garden – through information sources based on charters and guidelines. In Chapter 3, I am focusing on the issue of commercial packaging, and using various cases to understand the motive and goal of doing problematic conservation from different angles such like local government, private sector, estate developer, tourists and residents. And another main issue of losing the setting of heritage and focusing on fragments is discussed in my fourth chapter. In my last chapter, I use an analysis of Yellow Crane Tower to state a effective of dual identity which cause a misunderstanding to heritage conservation in China as a conclusion. For those reconstruction buildings, we should be treating this as a reconstruction which happened time and again in the course of the history of man. And problems for those commercialized and setting-lost heritage structures and sites are not with whether they are cultural heritage or whether they compliant with the standards of being a cultural heritage, but the problem is on whether they keep the essence of history and preserve our culture. What makes something heritage, though, is that it records a long history and rich culture, which need inherit from us to the next generations. Today’s new building is tomorrow’s cultural heritage if we could give it meanings. / published_or_final_version / Conservation / Master / Master of Science in Conservation

During the past decade, China has shown unusual enthusiasm for gaining World Heritage status in anticipation of a substantial rise in tourism profits.However, World Heritage recognition is not always beneficial to heritage sites. Such recognition not only attracts tourist flows and creates potential development opportunities; it also poses threats for heritage conservation and increases the social contradictions and cleavages in such sites. This research examines the relationship between heritage conservation and tourism via the case study approach. The target case for analysis is the vernacular Hakka heritage tulou sites in the Chinese province of Fujian. Combined research methods comprising in-depth interviews and questionnaire surveys among representatives of key stakeholder groups were adopted to examine local tourism development from a variety of perspectives. On-site participant observations and secondary archival research collection were employed as supplementary methods. The stakeholder analysis framework was adopted and modified to examine stakeholder engagement in tulou heritage tourism. Three key stakeholder groups were the focus of investigation: the local government, local residents and domestic tourists. Exploration of their roles in tourism development revealed an imbalance in the partnership between the three groups, which may have consequences for sustainable such development. The investigation was then extended to such secondary stakeholder groups as the central government, tourism entrepreneurs, UNESCO, tourism planners and scholars, the mass media and inbound tourists. The involvement of each group is herein analysed to generate a stakeholder map of tulou tourism. The findings show that heritage tourism development is usually accompanied by tensions and conflicts among economic, cultural and political goals. The partnership between three key stakeholder groups is imbalanced, and consequently reforce the dominance of government over tulou residents and tourists in heritage tourism contexts. Only when this triangular partnership achieves balance can tulou heritage tourism achieve sustainable and healthy development. It is suggested that stakeholder collaboration is great need in order to achieve sustainable tourism development. In sum, this thesis applies stakeholder analysis into heritage tourism. The research findings herein contribute useful insights for future tourism development and have important policy implications for tourism management. Besides policy implications, this research has some theoretical contributions to heritage tourism literature as it modifies stakeholder framework for future tourism studies. / published_or_final_version / Geography / Master / Master of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Business / Master / Master of Philosophy

This thesis reviews the anthropological approaches to the study of the ethnic minorities in Southwest China. It sets out to demonstrate the limitations engendered by studies focusing on the process of ethnicity and the relative absence of 'ordinary local peasants' (villagers not involved in the dialogue of ethnicity) in anthropological research of villages in Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan. Furthermore, this paper reveals the need for in-depth local studies in order to understand the impact of ethnic tourism on local identity construction.

This thesis examines the similarities and differences between northern and southern Chinese markets (in this case, the Beijing and Guangdong markets) in relation to New Zealand's destination image, from both visitors' and tour guides' perspectives. Destination image issues focused on information source and cultural factors, as well as their interrelationships. The purpose of this research is to achieve a better understanding of the Chinese outbound market as well as the heterogeneous market characteristics in order to provide insight for the New Zealand tourism industry. This research involves both interviews with visitors and tour guides based on a grounded theory methodology. Analysis of the interviews was based on two research themes: factors influence New Zealand's destination image at different stages, as well as the Chinese regional market difference in relation to destination image. Interviews were also focused on two stages of destination image formation: pre-visit images and in-destination images. Difference between Beijing and Guangdong markets on the research themes during the different stages were explored and analyzed. Research findings showed that destination image is influenced by both the information source and the cultural factors for Chinese tourists. Moreover, regional difference existed in China in particular their perceptions about New Zealand, preferences and personal values. Most tourists consider pre-visit image is essential; however, New Zealand's image in China was not very impressive and effective. Before visitation, New Zealand's destination image is influenced heavily by information available in China. The way tourists search for information and the image they were attracted for coming to New Zealand between Beijing and Guangdong were different. During-visit impressions of New Zealand were considered by majority of the tourists to be better than their expectations. However, due to their different cultural backgrounds, Beijing and Guangdong tourists have different reactions to New Zealand's products, which can be reflected through different shopping behaviours, and different demands and satisfaction levels. Overall, segmenting the Chinese outbound market into regions is recommended for future marketing, in order to attract more visitors by providing more suitable products.

No description available.

The development of tourism may catalyse a vast array of impacts, social, cultural, socioeconomic, environmental or political. In ethnic minority communities and regions, impacts are potentially greater due to the pre-existing social, cultural and even sociopolitical constructs. Tourism, as a global phenomenon, is confined to operating within the local context. This is certainly the case in ethnic minority communities of China's southern peripheries. Tourism development is a differential process of formal and informal sector development. Formal sector development is generally capital intensive and relatively highly organised. In contrast, the informal sector involves many small vendors and family or community run businesses. The sectoral dichotomy may also be applied, in a general sense, to the types of tourists utilizing accommodation and services provided by these two distinct sectors. As the balance between the two sectors changes over time and across space, there is a commensurate shift in the type and scale of impacts generated by tourism in host communities. It is this that makes the sectoral paradigm so relevant to the role (or indeed lack of role) of ethnic minorities in tourism development in their local areas and communities. Apart from economic impacts, there are sociocultural and even socioenvironmental impacts on host communities. As with socioeconomic impacts, sociocultural impacts are also influenced by the differential development of the formal and informal sectors over time. Furthermore, particularly in ethnic minority areas, socioeconomic and sociocultural impacts are tightly integrated and one impact realm cannot adequately be considered in isolation.