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System Construction, Tourism Empowerment, and Community Participation: The Sustainable Way of Rural Tourism Development

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  • Junhui Tong

    (Ningbo University-University of Angers Joint Institute, Yangtze River Delta Ecological Civilization Research Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China)

  • Yi Li

    (Ningbo University-University of Angers Joint Institute, Yangtze River Delta Ecological Civilization Research Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
    Tsinghua University-Younger Group Postdoctoral Workstation, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China)

  • Yongliang Yang

    (School of Economics and Management, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
    Silk and Fashion Culture Research Center of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China)

Abstract

The development of rural tourism serves as a crucial strategy for achieving rural revitalization and common prosperity in China. However, the uneven distribution of interests caused by the imperfect tourism destination system is common, and its economic and social impacts have become a major problem and obstacle to the sustainable development of rural tourism. Tourism empowerment and community participation are important for balancing community interests and promoting the sustainable development of tourism. Therefore, from the perspective of tourism empowerment and community participation, this paper takes the Wuzhen scenic area as a case study and considers tourism empowerment as a mediating variable between system construction and community participation, with participation ability serving as a moderating variable. Employing a structural equation model, this paper investigates the interactions among system construction, tourism empowerment, community participation, and participation ability in a rural destination context. The results indicate that system construction significantly benefits tourism empowerment and community participation. Tourism empowerment exerts a significant positive impact on community participation while also serving as a partial mediator between system construction and community participation. Additionally, participation ability positively moderates the impact of system construction on tourism empowerment. This study recommends the creation of an interest linkage mechanism grounded in the property rights of tourism attractions, the introduction of oversight mechanisms for rural tourism enterprises, and the fortification of community participation through educational and informational support as strategies to ensure the sustainable development of rural tourism destinations.

Suggested Citation

  • Junhui Tong & Yi Li & Yongliang Yang, 2024. "System Construction, Tourism Empowerment, and Community Participation: The Sustainable Way of Rural Tourism Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-20, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:1:p:422-:d:1312601
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Melphon A. Mayaka & Gary Lacey & Christian M. Rogerson, 2020. "Empowerment process in community-based tourism: Friend relationship perspective," Development Southern Africa, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(5), pages 791-808, September.
    2. Boley, B. Bynum & McGehee, Nancy G. & Perdue, Richard R. & Long, Patrick, 2014. "Empowerment and resident attitudes toward tourism: Strengthening the theoretical foundation through a Weberian lens," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 33-50.
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