Page 129 - JCAU-7-2

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

This study diverges from previous research by although crucial for preservation, restrict tourist access
recognizing that residents’ sense of responsibility for and subsequently hinder local tourism. Moreover, the
cultural heritage preservation does not result in resistance villages surrounding these historical sites are also subject
or opposition to tourism development activities (Nunkoo to conservation policies that affect their development.
& Gursoy, 2012). This finding is particularly pertinent The master plan for the Ming Tombs scenic area imposes
to the Ming Tombs scenic area and its adjacent villages, constraints on construction scale, architectural style, and
which are in the early phases of tourism development. The color schemes within the settlements, thereby limiting
tourism sector in this region remains underdeveloped, local tourism development.
with most visitors being transient tourists en route to the During fieldwork, the majority of residents expressed
Badaling Great Wall. These visitors’ brief stays and limited concerns that tourism development at the Ming Tombs
spending generate only modest economic benefits for local lags behind other renowned attractions in Beijing. They
residents (Karl et al., 2020). advocate for enhanced governmental policies to support
The potential adverse impacts of tourism development their communities in diversifying tourism offerings to
on cultural heritage sites have not been prominently attract more visitors. In addition, they seek monetary
highlighted in this region. Instead, the community’s compensation from the government for the restrictions
perception of cultural heritage predominantly centers on imposed by cultural heritage protection plans, which they
leveraging it for economic gains through tourism. The perceive as limiting their rights to freely renovate and
research revealed that the descendants of the mausoleum construct their properties.
custodians maintain a familial sentiment toward the This study found that, alongside cognitive and
cultural heritage of the Ming Tombs, perceiving the emotional factors, residents’ relational embeddedness
protection of the emperors’ tombs as a hereditary duty within the heritage site community significantly influences
(Dragan et al., 2024). However, they also aspire to derive their value assessments and behavioral intent to engage in
economic benefits from tourism revenue while preserving tourism development. Cognitive embeddedness, relational
their heritage. While some descendants have inherited embeddedness, structural embeddedness, and institutional
their ancestors’ roles as tomb inspectors and receive embeddedness emerged as pivotal predictors of residents’
regular incomes, such positions are scarce, compelling the willingness to participate in tourism initiatives. These
majority to seek alternative livelihoods. findings indicate that enhancing community activities
Urbanization in Changping district, where the Ming and bolstering individuals’ embeddedness within their
Tombs scenic area is located, has further reduced the communities can stimulate greater resident involvement
proportion of descendants among the local population. in tourism development.
Many original residents have migrated to the urban areas, However, the study also observed that institutional
leasing their houses to others (Zang et al., 2020). These embeddedness had a negligible impact in the study area.
newer residents, lacking the familial mission and historical This is likely due to the urbanization process, which has
inheritance, are primarily focused on the economic contributed to the “aging” and “hollowing out” of villages
potential of the Ming Tombs as a World Heritage site. in Beijing (Ren et al., 2023). The outmigration of long-
They advocate for increasing accessibility to additional time residents has diminished the impact of institutional
mausoleums to attract more tourists and boost tourism- constraints within these villages. The two villages examined
related income. in this study exemplify this demographic transition: many
The research reveals significant community concerns younger residents have sought employment in nearby
regarding how government planning and policies shape counties or urban centers or relocated their families
the future of tourism development. In China, authorities to cities for better educational opportunities for their
responsible for cultural heritage conservation and urban children. This demographic shift has reduced reliance on
planning are entrusted with developing comprehensive village collective economies and organizational structures,
master plans, conservation strategies, and policies to resulting in a decline in emotional attachment to and
manage the growth of historical sites such as the Ming respect for traditional rural norms.
Tombs. These regulations encompass architectural Relational embeddedness was found to have a more
guidelines and landscape preservation measures aimed pronounced impact on residents’ willingness to participate
at safeguarding these sites while fostering sustainable in tourism development compared to cognitive and
tourism growth. However, some residents contend that structural embeddedness. This may stem from the study’s
the stringent regulations imposed by the National Cultural rural context, defined as a cohesive “acquaintance society”
Relics Protection Department for the Ming Tombs, (Zhang, 2022). In this setting, interactions among villagers

Volume 7 Issue 2 (2025) 11 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.5739