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Innovating Rural Tourism Targeting Poverty Alleviation through a Multi-Industries Integration Network: the Case of Zhuanshui Village, Anhui Province, China

Author

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  • Nanping Feng

    (School of Management, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
    Key Laboratory of Process Optimization and Intelligent Decision-making, Hefei University of Technology, Ministry of Education, Hefei 230009, China)

  • Fenfen Wei

    (School of Management, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China)

  • Kevin H. Zhang

    (Department of Economics, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790-4200, USA)

  • Dongxiao Gu

    (School of Management, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
    Key Laboratory of Process Optimization and Intelligent Decision-making, Hefei University of Technology, Ministry of Education, Hefei 230009, China)

Abstract

For an impoverished area to employ rural tourism (RT) as an avenue of poverty alleviation, there are two main challenges: building competitiveness with a very limited endowed resource base, and targeting the poor who generally lack financial capital or key capabilities as the main beneficiaries. With a case of Zhuanshui in China, an impoverished village without prominent tourism resource endowment, this paper has shown that the two challenges can be met through an innovation to construct a multi-industries integration network. This paper explores the development of the network, examines its characteristics, and analyzes its operation mechanisms. Results indicate that (1) the common objective of poverty alleviation and the same fundamental resource, combine RT and its extension industries tightly into an integration network; (2) sufficient evidence has been found for the embeddedness, endogeneity and empowerment of the network, but for empowerment, the poor’s participation is just the first stage to make appropriate decisions about the development due to their inadequate capabilities; and (3) vision developing, demonstration driving and centralized decentralization governance are three vital operational mechanisms to encourage the participation and collaboration of stakeholders. We also discussed the possible challenges for sustainability, being replicability of established competitive advantages, temporality of the major leader, and potential environmental degradation.

Suggested Citation

  • Nanping Feng & Fenfen Wei & Kevin H. Zhang & Dongxiao Gu, 2018. "Innovating Rural Tourism Targeting Poverty Alleviation through a Multi-Industries Integration Network: the Case of Zhuanshui Village, Anhui Province, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-18, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:7:p:2162-:d:154270
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Longjiao Wen & Zhenzhen Liu & Zhifeng Gao & Saeid Khanjari, 2022. "Evolutionary Path and Mechanism of Village Revitalization: A Case Study of Yuejin Village, Jiangsu, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-20, July.
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    5. Eugenia Panfiluk, 2023. "In Search of Innovation Barriers to Tourist Destinations—Indications for Organizations Managing Destinations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-22, January.

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