Developing regional tourism in China(11)

中国区域旅游发展

J.Jackson/TourismManagement27(2006)695–706

705

themediumterm,withanindustrystilldominatedbyverticallyconstructedstate,nationallyandinternation-allyownedbusinesses.Thistensionbetweensocialism,withthestateasthedominantformofbusinessownership,operatinginacompetitivecapitalist-stylemarketsystemmotivatedbyeconomicobjectiveshasalsobeennotedbySo eldandLi(1998).

Apossiblesolutiontothedisinterestatindividualbusinesslevelmaybeprovidedbylocalgovernmentof cialswhohaveoftenbeenthedrivingforcesbehindlocaleconomicdevelopment(Christerson&Lever-Tracy,1997,p.573).Theseof cialscouldplayavitalpartinactivatinglocaltourismclustersinfosteringlocalcollectives,suchasthosebasedonethnicminoritygrouphandcraftsinUrumqi(So eld&Li,1998,p.374)andalsoprivatelyownedtourismSMEs.Additionally,theyhavearoleinidentifyinganddrawingoutadynamicprivatesectorleadership,ininstitutionalisingconcepts,relationshipsandlinkagesbysupportingthestrengthen-ingoflocaltourismtradeassociationsandensuringawideinvolvementofclusterparticipantsandassociatedinstitutions.

Thereisalsoaroleintheactivationoftourismbusinessclustersfornationalgovernment,CNTA,provincialgovernmentsandprovincialgovernmentauthorities,suchastheSichuanProvincialTourismBureau,whichbetweenthemcouldprovidetheappro-priatecontextincludingcoordinationandtransporta-tion,information,communication,legal,educationalandeconomicinfrastructurefortourismclusterdevel-opment.Additionally,assistancecouldbeprovidedininstitutionalisingthelinkagesandrelationshipsthatwillensurethelonger-termsurvivalofthecluster.

Whileitisimportantthattheemergingclustersarenotoverlyin uencedintheirdirectionbytherepresen-tativesofacademicinstitutions,thepresenceinthewestofanumberofuniversitiessuchasSichuanandYunnanUniversities,activelyteachingandresearchinginthe eldsoftourismandhospitality,providesnecessaryeducationalinfrastructuretotheclusters.Academiacouldalsobecomeinvolvedbyprovidingguidanceonappropriatestructuresforindustryorganisationsandgovernmentagenciesandassistancewithgatheringandinterpretingeconomicandstatisticalinformationinadditiontoensuringawell-educatedworkforce.

6.Conclusion

Inrecognitionoftheimportanceoftourismactivitytoregionaleconomicdevelopment,theexistingregionalinequalitiesandchangingbusinessclimateinChina,thispapersetouttoexploretheapplicabilityofamodelofregionalandlocallybasedtourismclustersbasedonPorter’s(1998)work.Additionally,inthelightofthemovementawayfromacentralgovernment-controlled

tourismindustrytheneedforalternativemodelsforregionaltourismdevelopmentinChinawasidenti ed.ItwasproposedthatbusinessclustersmightbeasuitablemeansoffosteringastructurewithinwhichrelatedandsupportingindustriescaninteractwhichisappropriatefortheemergingintersectionofeconomicparadigmsinChinaanditsdistinctivesocialandculturalheritage.

Throughbusinessclusterinitiativeslocalcommunitiescanbeenabledtocontributetotheirowndevelopment,ratherthanrelyingongovernmentlargesseanddirec-tion.Amoreself-suf cient‘bottom-up’approachtoregionaldevelopmentwithhorizontallinkagesincorpor-atingprivate/publicsectorpartnershipsandpartner-shipsbetweeninternational,nationalandlocallyownedbusinessesseemsdesirableindevelopingregionaltour-ism.ThedevelopmentofbusinessclusterscouldsupportlinkagesbetweenrelatedandsupportingindustriesinthecontextofChina’scultureandpoliticaleconomyanditsshifttowardsa‘socialistmarketeconomy’,giventhepresenceoftheadvantageousfactorendowmentanddemandconditions.

Porter’smodelappearstobeidealandthereseemstobestrongsupportforsuchamodelatanindustryleadershipandacademiclevel.However,atthemicro-businesslevel,withade ciencyofsmallcollectiveorprivateenterprisesoutsidestateplans,thereisagooddealmoreworktobedonebeforelocaltourismbusinessclusterscanbeactivatedtoassistintheconversionofconsiderablecomparativeadvantagestocompetitiveadvantage.

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