1、 外文翻译 原文 Assessing the Tourism Potential of Smaller Cultural and Heritage Attractions Material Source: EBSCO Author: Bob McKercher and Pamela S.Y. Ho This paper reports on the development and application of a mechanism to assess the tourism potential of cultural and heritage assets. The assessment t
2、ool considers cultural, physical, product and experiential values. It was tested on a sample of 16 secondary museums, historic sites and temples in Hong Kong that are currently being promoted by the local destination management organization. While their cultural and physical values were rated strong
3、ly, their tourism and experiential values were low. Indeed, a number of fatal flaws were identified that effectively precluded most of them from ever functioning as viable attractions. Remoteness, isolation from other attractions, small scale, a lack of uniqueness and poor setting exacerbated their
4、weaknesses. Keywords: attractions, cultural tourism, product, assessment Introduction Both over- and under-use pose threats to the sustainability of cultural tourism products. Over-use can degrade the physical fabric of the asset, damage tangible and intangible values and lead to a diminished visito
5、r experience (ICOMOS,2000; Shackley, 1998). Under-use can result in the insufficient generation of revenue for needed conservation work or a loss of local support for maintaining the attraction, especially if public resources are required to subsidise its operations (Getz, 1994; McKercher, 2001). Sh
6、ifting demand from over- to under-utilised attractions is a logical solution that should, in theory, resolve both problems. Excess demand from popular sites can be directed to less popular ones, and in doing so, a more balanced use of a destinations entire suite of cultural assets and a more sustain
7、able form of tourism can be achieved. The operationalization of such a strategy presupposes that tourists are willing to make such a shift, which in turn presupposes that alternative attractions have the potential to provide an experience of equal or higher quality to warrant a change in behaviour.
8、Whereas destinations tend to promote a wide array of cultural attractions, experience suggests that demand is still clustered in a small number of sites. A study of over 1100 cultural tourists in Hong Kong, for example, revealed that 70% of all person-visits were concentrated in the 10 most popular
9、places, while more than half of the nearly 100 other historic sites and museums promoted by the local destination marketing organization received no visits at all (McKercher et al., 2004). One reason may be that the alternative sites lack the necessary qualities needed to perform as viable products.
10、 However, to date, few mechanisms exist to assess tourism potential. This paper reports on the development of such a tourism potential audit tool. It was tested on a sample of 16 museums, historic sites and temples in Hong Kong. Assessing the Tourism Potential of Cultural Assets Attractions drive to
11、urism. Cultural and heritage assets are ideally suited to become tourist attractions, for as Copley and Robson (1996) suggest, they encompass the unique features of a place, are experiential in nature and help promote the rich tapestry of a destinations traditions, ethnic backgrounds and landscapes.
12、 Although much has been written about the nature of attractions (Lew, 1987; Pearce, 1991) and attractions systems (Leiper, 1990; Richards, 2002),somewhat surprisingly, the literature on what makes attractions successful is limited. The Tourism Council of Australia (1998) asserts that location, acces
13、sibility to the marketplace, and the ability to identify potential competitive advantages, among other factors, are key success considerations. Identifying a sustainable competitive advantage (SCA), is paramount. Many cultural assets are essentially similar, with most temples, historic buildings, fe
14、stivals and even indigenous performances looking, for most visitors, the same after a while. Judd (1995, cited in Caffyn McKercher, 2002; McKercher Richards, 2002; Silberberg, 1995). They visit for recreational and entertaining outcomes and not out of a deepabiding desire to learn about a destinatio
15、ns heritage. Museum curators suggest that offering an edutainment experience rather than a strict educational one will enhance visitation (McKercher et al., 2004). Likewise, theme park consultants Jones and Robinett (1998) advise their historic theme park clients to provide an entertaining experienc
16、e, which, according to them, makes the culture pill easier to swallow. du Cros (2001) comments on the need to consider the ability of an asset to withstand increased visitation and/or a change in visitor profile without causing undue damage to tangible and intangible values. If attractions can not w
17、ith stand either, then they are inherently unsustainable and tourism should not be pursued as a primary management option. The intrinsic value of an asset ,or its cultural significance, provides meaning to and significance for the local community. But tourists may value the asset more for its extrin
18、sic appeal as a product to be consumed, creating the potential for conflict between them and local stakeholders (McKercher et al., 2004). Interestingly, the growing body of literature on failed attractions offers many insights into the role that latent fatal flaws play in failure, regardless of othe
19、r considerations. Teo and Yeoh (1997) showed that the loose use of culture for the purpose of selling places can create conflict with local stakeholders, especially when cultural and historic materials are promoted inappropriately by place marketers. Their study in Singapore also identified over-com
20、modification, resulting in a rewriting of a cultural landscape as providing an ultimately unsatisfactory tourism experience. Frosts (2003) study of failed attractions in southern Australia identifies a range of fatal flaws, including isolation from other attractions, poor location, settings some dis
21、tance from tourist flows, insufficient market appeal to overcome locational disadvantages, no complementarity with nearby attractions and unrealistic visitor projections made during the feasibility study phase. The latter resulted in the construction of larger, more expensive facilities than needed,
22、 burdening owners with unsustainable debt loads. Market appeal/robusticity model du Cros (2001) integrated the elements identified above to create a market appeal/robusticity assessment framework (Figure 1). Her audit procedure classifies cultural assets based on their likely appeal to tourists and
23、ability to cope with visitation. A grade assets have moderate to high market appeal and moderate to high robusticity. They are ideally suited for significant tourism activity. B grade assets have strong market appeal but are fragile. Tourism may compromise or damage heritage values and, as such, it
24、must be planned and managed carefully, or if the asset is deemed to be too fragile, an active management strategy to restrict tourism may be preferred. C grade assets are robust but have limited market appeal. D grade assets have low market appeal and are unlikely to attract significant visitation.
25、The du Cros model uses a 3 3 matrix, with each axis divided into low, medium and high sectors. The market appeal axis incorporates two dimensions: market appeal which assesses ambiance and setting, awareness levels, the ability to tell a good story and complementarity with other activities; and prod
26、uct design needs, which considers such factors as accessibility, proximity to other heritage attractions, amenities and whether it is open to the public. The robusticity axis also incorporates two dimensions: cultural significance, measuring aesthetic, historical, educational and social values; and
27、robustness that considers fragility, state of repair, management plans and the likely impact of increased visitation. Each has a number of variables or sub-criteria which are assessed individual lyon a five or six point scale. The sum of the scores in each dimension is then plotted to position the a
28、sset in the matrix. The strength of the framework lies in the identification of four key areas that must be considered when assessing sustainable tourism potential. Empirical tests(du Cros, 2000; Li hence the use of terms .such as Low and Moderate, instead of giving them a number rating. Finally, th
29、e framework needed to recognize the importance of fatal flaws. A problem-based learning (PBL) framework was adopted in this assignment. PBL forces the student to learn by doing. Working cooperatively in groups, the problem should engage their curiosity, initiate learning and stimulate critical think
30、ing. Careful planning is required to ensure the desired teaching 478 Journal of Sustainable Tourism and learning outcomes are met. In this case, the authors set the initial overall assignment and weekly tasks. They also advised students between classes and monitored progress made after each session.
31、 Two briefing sessions were run prior to commencement to explain the purpose of the project. It is acknowledged that students are not experts in the field, and as such, the risks of errors of omission or commission are also enhanced. However, this risk can be minimized through close management of th
32、e project. Application Sixteen smaller cultural or heritage attractions in Hong Kong were studied. A brief description of each is presented in Table 2. Students reviewed relevant background documentation from both tourism and cultural heritage management sources to and learning outcomes are met. In
33、this case, the authors set the initial overall assignment and weekly tasks. They also advised students between classes and monitored progress made after each session. Two briefing sessions were run prior to commencement to explain the purpose of the project. It is acknowledged that students are not
34、experts in the field, and as such, the risks of errors of omission or commission are also enhanced. However, this risk can be minimized through close management of the project. Application Sixteen smaller cultural or heritage attractions in Hong Kong were studied. A brief description of each is pres
35、ented in Table 2. Students reviewed relevant background documentation from both tourism and cultural heritage management sources to familiarise themselves with the site before conducting their inspections. Each place was assessed by at least two students, with the exception of Tung Chung Fort, which
36、 was evaluated by only one. They then wrote independent reports, enabling divergent views to be expressed. The findings are summarised in Table 3. For the most part, sites scored reasonably strongly on cultural and physical values, but moderately to poorly on product and experiential considerations.
37、 In addition, many had multiple fatal flaws. Consequently, as a group, their tourism potential was felt to be limited, although some exceptions were noted. This findings for museums, historic buildings and temples are discussed below. Museums Each of the museums was housed in a declared historical m
38、onument that had been restored and adapted for visitation. The Hong Kong Railway Museum, for example, is located in an old railway station, while the many museums commemorating Hakka lifestyles are located in original Hakka houses and villages. These museums were, therefore, assessed as authentic, i
39、n a good state of repair and robust enough to withstand visitation. But, with few exceptions, the study teams determined that their tourism potential was limited. Most are located outside existing tourism nodes, with some in socially marginal public-housing estates and industrial parks. The small Sh
40、eung Yiu Folk Museum represents an extreme example of isolation. Located in a remote country park, a one way journey from downtown could take three hours and involve two subway lines, two buses and a 20 minute walk along a hiking trail. The signage at the start of the hiking trail is poor. The Hong
41、Kong Railway Museum is not quite as isolated, but the assessment determined that its location in the bedroom suburb of Tai Po represented a significant impediment to visitation. The Law UK Folk Museum is surrounded by high rise tenements and industrial buildings and its entry is obscured by parked t
42、rucks and minibuses. The Lei Chung UK Han Tomb is similarly situated in a light industrial and public housing area, although its immediate surroundings are a public park. Small size further limits product and experiential potential, and when combined with isolation, creates a fatal flaw. Law UK Folk
43、 Museum is a conserved 18th century Hakka farmhouse with a total floor area of less than 120 m2 divided among five small rooms. The static displays are roped off, further restricting the usable space. A visit can be completed in five minutes, which does not warrant the one hour travel time required
44、to reach it. Likewise, Lei Chung UK consists of a conserved Han tomb that is over 1800 years old and a two-room museum housing art facts unearthed when the tomb was discovered in the mid-1950s during hillside leveling a trip worthwhile. (Note: since this study was completed, Tai O has been identify-
45、and landscaped, but has been sealed to protect it. Tourists can look at its interior through a glassed enclosure at its entry. Photographs of the tomb in promotional literature lead the first-time visitor to believe he or she will be entering a large crypt, instead of the small burial chambers. The
46、experience prompted the authors of the Lonely Planet guide to comment while somewhat interesting, its kind of a long way to come for an anticlimactic peek through perspex (Harper & Storey, 1999). By contrast, the Sam Tung UK Museum, situated in an intact walled village, was deemed to have moderate t
47、o high tourism potential. The museum is the most readily accessible of the Hakka museums. At 2000 m2, it is the largest dedicated Hakka museum in the region, facilitating the provision of a wide variety of active and passive experiences. There is a photo corner where visitors can wear traditional cl
48、othing and have their picture taken. While, obviously, highly commodified, it nonetheless provides visitors with an opportunity to engage with the site and place their visit in a personal context. Its intactness also gives it a strong air of authenticity not found in other remnant walled villages wh
49、ere modern Spanish style villas have replaced original dwellings. Heritage structures Most of the historic structures studied were declared monuments. The two exceptions are the villages of Luk Keng and Tai O. All had moderate to strong cultural values that are evocative of the living cultural traditions and heritage of critical periods in the historical development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. They are also living buildings and communities. The assets were physically robust enough to withstand visitation without compromising their cultural value
