Page 155 - JCAU-7-3

Journal of Chinese
Architecture and Urbanism Cultural tourism and lessons from China

dimension as “fair.” This rating suggests that while a dimensions examined in this study. A moderate positive
substantial part of the population acknowledges that correlation was found between the environmental dimension of
efforts have been made to preserve and protect the natural tourism development and cultural heritage (r=0.624, p<0.001).
environment within the context of tourism, they do not This result suggests that improvements in environmental
consider these measures to be exceptional or fully effective. aspects, such as the conservation of natural and landscape
A particularly concerning finding is that 49% of respondents resources, may influence residents’ perceptions of cultural
rated the social dimension of tourism development as “bad.” heritage valorization in Uchuraccay. These findings highlight
This assessment highlights significant concerns regarding the the need for environmental strategies that not only protect local
social impacts of tourism, potentially pointing to challenges ecosystems but also reinforce the region’s cultural identity.
in community well-being, interpersonal relationships, and In addition, a strong positive correlation was identified
social cohesion. In addition, 54% of respondents perceived between the social dimension of tourism development
the economic dimension of tourism development as “bad.” and tangible heritage (r=0.890, p<0.001). This indicates
This result suggests that a large proportion of the population that social interaction and community engagement –
does not consider that tourism is contributing positively such as residents’ active participation in cultural and
to local economic growth or improving livelihoods. Taken tourism activities – play a crucial role in the preservation
together, these results underscore the urgent need for a and promotion of tangible heritage. A similar trend was
thorough review and adjustments to tourism development observed between the social dimension and intangible
strategies in Uchuraccay. The lack of satisfaction across the heritage (r=0.795, p<0.001), reinforcing the idea that
environmental, social, and economic dimensions of tourism social and cultural ties are fundamental for maintaining
reflects pressing challenges that must be addressed to local traditions, rituals, and ancestral knowledge. These
achieve sustainable tourism development that truly benefits findings reinforce the study’s objective of highlighting the
the local community (Figure 3).
importance of community involvement as a key driver of
5.3. Correlation coefficient sustainable tourism development.

As shown in Table 1, Pearson’s correlation analysis provides However, the weaker correlation between the
valuable insights into the relationships between the different environmental dimension and intangible heritage (r=0.513,
p<0.001) highlights that, although both aspects are relevant
to tourism development, they do not directly influence each
other. This may indicate that environmental strategies, while
necessary, do not automatically translate into improvements
in the preservation of intangible cultural traditions and
practices. These findings suggest the need for targeted
interventions that specifically address both dimensions,
rather than assuming that environmental conservation
alone will enhance intangible heritage preservation.
Overall, the results of this analysis provide a solid
basis for designing comprehensive tourism development
Figure 2. Results of perceptions of cultural heritage policies in Uchuraccay. The strong correlations between the
Source: Graph by the authors. social dimension and both tangible and intangible heritage
emphasize the importance of community engagement
in the success of tourism initiatives. Furthermore,
the moderate correlation between the environmental
dimension and intangible heritage highlights the need for
additional efforts to develop strategies specifically aimed
at preserving intangible cultural traditions rather than
relying solely on environmental improvements.
It is essential that tourism development not be limited
to environmental conservation but instead foster a holistic
balance between environmental protection and cultural
preservation. This ensures that both aspects work in
Figure 3. Results of perceptions on tourism development synergy to achieve sustainable development that respects
Source: Graph by the authors. and strengthens local social and cultural dynamics.

Volume 7 Issue 3 (2025) 9 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.5862