| Author: | Liu, Xinru |
| Title: | Tourism and the alleviation of poverty : a study on rural community development in Fujian, China |
| Advisors: | Xiao, Honggen (SHTM) |
| Degree: | DHTM |
| Year: | 2021 |
| Subject: | Tourism -- China -- Fujian Sheng Poverty Hong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertations |
| Department: | School of Hotel and Tourism Management |
| Pages: | x, 260 pages : color illustrations |
| Language: | English |
| Abstract: | "End poverty in all its forms everywhere" by 2030 was set as the first sustainable development goal by the United Nations in 2017 as an ambitious statement. Tourism has been used not only as a mechanism to encourage domestic consumption but also as a tool for poverty alleviation. Although sufficient practices and studies have been done regarding poverty alleviation through tourism, limited attention has been given to gaining an in-depth understanding of the comprehensive effects of tourism on poor society as a whole system. In the context of tourism, this research reviewed the evolution of Shuiji Village, a rural community in Fujian Province in China, from 1979 to present, including production means, economic structure, lifestyle, social structure, and even the ecological environment. A "dual-track collaborative development model", which is driven by the endogenous self-motivation and development of rural community system and intervention from the government system, was proposed. It was found that the elite groups remain to be the dominant driving force for rural community development, but also the main cause of why the development is hindered and problematized. The government intervention maintains the stability of the rural community, balances the tangible and intangible resources within the community, eases structural differentiation, and guarantees benefits for disadvantaged groups. Tourism development has positive impact on villagers' material, lifestyle, capability, and attachment to the land. Different generations have different perceptions about their life. The community's development marks the differences among the disadvantaged and the advantaged groups while also deepening the rural system's class solidification. Shuiji is facing the problem of relative poverty. The young people tend to leave the village due to the growing disparity of power and lack of opportunity for personal development. Tourism development successfully lifted the village out of poverty but was unable to stop the trends of rural villages getting "hollow" with largely the aging/aged villagers staying behind. |
| Rights: | All rights reserved |
| Access: | restricted access |
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| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5751.pdf | For All Users (off-campus access for PolyU Staff & Students only) | 3.06 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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