Page 120 - JCAU-7-2

Journal of Chinese
Architecture and Urbanism Heritage tourism: Personal and collective factors

(Cultural and Natural) Heritage. World Cultural Heritage the core of the tourism attraction, showcasing the local
sites, distinguished by their historical significance, cultural landscape, distinctive features, and historical
distinctiveness, and irreplaceability, have become major attributes. In addition, their perceptions of the place,
tourist attractions. These sites function as essential emotional attachments, and willingness to engage in tourism
platforms for cultural preservation and environmental development significantly influence visitor experience and
conservation while also contributing significantly to the progression of the local tourism sector. The active
job creation and national prestige (Zhang & Yang, participation of local residents in sustainable heritage
2022). The development of tourism at these heritage tourism is crucial to the conservation of World Heritage
sites has become a strategic goal, with cultural heritage sites, community development, and the rational utilization
tourism emerging as a crucial tool for shaping regional, of tourism resources. Empirical studies frequently use
national, and historical identities at an ideological level. analytical methods such as multiple regression analysis
Cultural heritage tourism fundamentally involves the (Nunkoo et al., 2020), structural equation modeling (Wang
perpetuation of cultural values, enabling the recognition et al., 2024), and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis
of the multifaceted significance and functions of cultural (Fan & Cheng, 2020) to explore these dynamics. These
heritage. It also integrates these resources into the investigations typically focus on the intrinsic characteristics
self-expression and daily lives of local communities of individuals and the features inherent in heritage sites
(Brooks et al., 2023). (Rojas-de-Gracia & Alarcón-Urbistondo, 2020). They
concentrate on socio-demographic indicators, site-level
China, with its 59 World Heritage sites – comprising cultural practices, political trust, and local attachment
four mixed cultural and natural heritage sites, 15 natural (Farhan et al., 2020). Furthermore, residents’ behavioral
heritage sites, and 40 cultural heritage sites – stands as one habits have attracted considerable academic attention,
of the leading nations in World Heritage representation with research primarily examining factors influencing
(Tan et al., 2023). The national promotion of heritage their attitudes and behaviors toward the development and
tourism, coupled with China’s cultural and tourism preservation of heritage sites (Askarizad & Safari, 2020).
integration policy, has positioned heritage tourism as a This line of research includes studies on their perceptions
crucial avenue for grassroots economic growth and the of the benefits and impacts of various tourism modalities
inventive transformation of the country’s rich traditional in heritage sites. Nevertheless, there remains a significant
culture. This initiative has emerged as a significant domain gap in understanding residents’ cognitive assessments of
of inquiry and application within the tourism sector in the fundamental value of heritage sites.
recent years. The development of cultural heritage tourism
has revealed intrinsic contradictions and conflicts, Residents’ favorable views toward tourism development
reflecting its growing diversity and complexity. Both at heritage sites are influenced by a complex interplay
cultural and natural heritage resources face challenges of factors, encompassing both personal perceptions of
related to development and protection, along with tensions tourism’s effects and the social structures and relationships
between residents and visitors. Cultural heritage sites that define their lives. The notion of social embeddedness
often struggle with issues of rehabilitation and utilization is especially significant, as it affects perceived value gains,
(Azzopardi et al., 2023). Balancing development with power dynamics, and interactions among individuals
preservation, as well as exploring methods to enhance within heritage site communities. This perspective offers
the value of cultural heritage, has become a pressing a new method to examine residents’ motivations and
concern within the academic community (Gražulevičiūtė, behaviors during the tourism development process at
2006). Scholarly research has increasingly shifted cultural heritage sites.
its focus from the conservation of “objects” to a Despite this, much of the current body of research has
“people-centered” paradigm, emphasizing community primarily concentrated on individual views and behaviors,
involvement and personal emotional investment. This with limited attention to the role of community group
paradigm shift underscores the importance of human- organizations. This oversight may hinder a comprehensive
centered conservation strategies that acknowledge the understanding of the broader social dynamics that can
contributions of local communities and visitors to the either support or impede tourism development initiatives.
sustainable maintenance and appreciation of cultural To fill this research gap, this study focuses on the villages
heritage assets (Li et al., 2020a). of Zhaoling and Changling, located within the Ming
Local residents play a dual role as pivotal stakeholders Tombs scenic area, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage
within the ecosystem of cultural heritage sites. Their site in China, as a case study. Using structural equation
activities, in conjunction with the heritage site itself, form modeling, this study examines the factors influencing

Volume 7 Issue 2 (2025) 2 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.5739