Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Livelihood differentiation between two villages in Yesanpo Tourism District in China

  • Published:
Journal of Mountain Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The rapidly developing rural tourism industry in China has deeply influenced the livelihoods of rural households. This study compares the impact of rural tourism development in poor areas on the farmers’ livelihoods, based on the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework proposed by the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development. Gougezhuang, a tourist village, and Jiaojiekou, a non-tourist village, both located in Yesanpo Tourism District in the state-level povertystricken Laishui County, Hebei Province, were selected as case studies. The livelihood models of the two villages show great differentiation after 20 years of tourism development. Gougezhuang Village has been driven by the tourism industry and farmers are employed locally, enjoying a relatively higher-income life, with a developmental livelihood model. In contrast, farmers in Jiaojiekou Village earn their living mainly by leaving home to work in the city. They have a low income, with a survival livelihood model, supported by part-time business. Considering that the two villages are adjacent and have similar development backgrounds, the analysis results indicate that rural tourism has an apparent locationspecific effect on poverty alleviation and socioeconomic development, but the development of rural tourism is limited regarding large-scale poverty alleviation efforts in poor areas. To implement a propoor- tourism strategy and achieve sustainable development, it is necessary to implement comprehensive management measures to change the local conditions of rural settlements and make full use of the spillover effect of tourist consumption.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bebbington A (1999) Capitals and capabilities: A framework for analyzing peasant viability, rural livelihoods and poverty. World development 27: 2021–2044. https://doi.org/10.1016/ S0305-750X(99)00104-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chambers R, Conway G (1992) Sustainable Rural Livelihoods: Practical Concepts for the 21st Century. IDS Discussion Paper 296. Brighton: IDS. Clarke, J. (1997) A framework of approaches to sustainable tourism. Journal of Sustainable Tourism 5: 224–233. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669589708667287

    Google Scholar 

  • DFID, U.K. (1999) Sustainable Livelihoods Guidance Sheets. London: Department for International Development (DFID), pp 68–125.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellis, F (2000) Rural Livelihoods and Diversity in Developing Countries. NewYork: Oxford University Press. pp xiv+273. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-3878(02)00044-5

    Google Scholar 

  • He AL, Yang XJ, Chen J, et al. (2014) Impact of rural tourism development on farmer’s livelihoods—A case study of rural tourism destinations in northern slop of Qinling Mountains. Economic Geograph 34: 174–181. (In Chinese). https://doi.org/10.15957/j.cnki.jjdl.2014.12.026

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoefle SW (2016) Multi-functionality, juxtaposition and conflict in the Central Amazon: Will tourism contribute to rural livelihoods and save the rainforest? Journal of Rural Studies 44: 24–36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2015.12.009

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Iorio M, Corsale A (2010) Rural tourism and livelihood strategies in Romania. Journal of Rural Studies 26: 152–162. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2009.10.006

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Job H, Paesler F (2013) Links between nature-based tourism, protected areas, poverty alleviation and crises—the example of Wasini Island (Kenya). Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism 1: 18–28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jort.2013.04.004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Joseph E. Mbaiwa (2011) Changes on traditional livelihood activities and lifestyles caused by tourism development in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. Tourism Management 32:1050–1060. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2010.09.002

    Google Scholar 

  • Laishui County People's Government (2015) The national economic and social development statistical bulletin of Laishui County in 2014. Available on: http://www.laishui. gov.cn/xxgk/tjsj/2015/4/24/201542483233598.htm (Accessed 31 March (2015)

  • Lin Q, Dai WQ (2006) The interaction relationship between rural tourism and rural development. Economic Geography S2: 31–34. (In Chinese) https://doi.org/10.15957/j.cnki. jjdl.2006.s2.009

    Google Scholar 

  • Long HL, Liu YS, Zou J (2009) The rurality development type and its rurality assessment in coastal areas East China. Journal of Geographical Sciences 64: 426–434. (In Chinese) https://doi.org/10.11821/xb200904005

    Google Scholar 

  • Mbaiwa JE, Stronza AL (2010) The effects of tourism development on rural livelihoods in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. Journal of Sustainable Tourism 18: 635–656. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669581003653500

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Melita AW, Mendlinger S (2013) The impact of tourism revenue on the local communities’ livelihood: A case study of Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania. Journal of Service Science and Management 6: 117–126. https://doi.org/10.4236/jssm.2013.61012

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morse S, McNamara N (2013) Sustainable Livelihood Approach: A Critique of Theory and Practice. Springer Science & Business Media, Berlin, Germany. pp 101–154. https://doi. org/10.1007/978-94-007-6268-8

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Nath TK, Inoue M, Pretty J (2010) Formation and function of social capital for forest resource management and the improved livelihoods of indigenous people in Bangladesh. Journal of Rural and Community Development 5: 104–122.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nyaupane GP, Poudel S (2011) Linkages among biodiversity, livelihood, and tourism. Annals of Tourism Research 38: 1344–1366. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2011.03.006

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qian C, Sasaki N, Jourdain D, et al. (2017) Local livelihood under different governances of tourism development in China–A case study of Huangshan mountain area. Tourism Management 61: 221–233. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman. 2017.01.006

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts MG, Yang GA (2003) The international progress of sustainable development research: A comparison of vulnerability analysis and the sustainable livelihoods approach. Progress in Geography 22: 11–21. https://doi.org/10.11820/dlkxjz.2003.01.002

    Google Scholar 

  • Shen F, Hughey KFD, Simmons DG (2008) Connecting the sustainable livelihoods approach and tourism: A review of the literature. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management 15: 19–31. https://doi.org/10.1375/jhtm.15.19

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tang Q (2015) Research progress and future key trends of sustainable livelihoods. Advances in Earth Science 30: 823–833. https://doi.org/10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2015.07.0823

    Google Scholar 

  • Tao TCH, Wall G (2009) Tourism as a sustainable livelihood strategy. Tourism Management 30: 90–98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2008.03.009

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang CC, Yang YS, Pang W (2017) A review of ecotourism impacts on livelihoods of indigenous community in foreign countries. Acta Ecologica Sinica 37(16): 1–9. (In Chinese). https://doi.org/10.5846/stxb201605200977

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang XG, Xi JC, Chen T (2017) Coupling coordination between livelihoods and land use change in local community: Case study of Jinshitan Resort, China. Tourism Tribune 32: 107–116. (In Chinese) https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1002-5006.2017.03.016

    Google Scholar 

  • Wu C, Zhang QL (2014) Rural tourism created income 2800 one hundred million yuan and directly benefited about 30000000 people in 2013. Available on: http://www.china.com.cn/travel/txt/2014-09/29/ content_33649980.htm (Accessed 29 September (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  • Xi JC, Wang XG, Kong QQ (2014) Micro-scale social spatial reconstruction of the tourist village in the past 25 years: A case study of Gouge village in Yesanpo, Hebei province. Geographical Research 33: 1928–1941. (In Chinese) https://doi.org/10.11821/dlyj201410013

    Google Scholar 

  • Xi JC, Wang XG, Kong QQ, et al. (2014) Spatial morphology evolution of rural settlements induced by tourism: A comparative study of three villages in Yesanpo tourism area. Acta Geographica sinica 69: 531–540. (In Chinese) https://doi.org/10.11821/dlxb201404009

    Google Scholar 

  • Yan JZ, Wu YY, Zhang YL, et al. (2009) Livelihood diversification of the farmers and herdsmen in the eastern Tibetan Plateau, Journal of Geographical Sciences 64: 221–233. https://doi.org/10.11821/xb200902009

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang HY, Yao J, Ma J (2013) Livelihood capital and participation in the tourism industry herdsmen and the livelihood relation strategy. Tourism Forum 6: 40–44. (In Chinese) https://doi.org/10.15962/j.cnki.tourismforum.2013. 04.012

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant no. 41671151), the National Social Science Foundation of China (Grant no. 17BGL123), the Key Project of China National Tourism Administration Research Foundation (Grant no. 16TAAK004) and the Tourism Young Expert Training Program of China National Tourism Administration (TYETP201527) The authors would like to thank participating colleagues and farmers for their assistance and cooperation during the survey.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Tourism Management, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China

    Tai Huang

  2. Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, 100101, China

    Tai Huang, Jian-chao Xi & Quan-sheng Ge

Authors
  1. Tai Huang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jian-chao Xi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Quan-sheng Ge
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jian-chao Xi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Huang, T., Xi, Jc. & Ge, Qs. Livelihood differentiation between two villages in Yesanpo Tourism District in China. J. Mt. Sci. 14, 2359–2372 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-017-4390-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-017-4390-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation