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New Opportunities from Old Foundations: 798 Art Zone a Case

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New Opportunities from Old Foundations: 798 Art Zone a Case New Opportunities from Old Foundations: 798 Art Zone a Case of Industrial Heritage Tourism by Puyu Xiong A thesis presented to the University of Waterloo in fulfilment of the thesis requirement for the degree of Master of Environmental Studies in Geography - Tourism Policy and Planning Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, 2009 © Puyu Xiong 2009 Author’s Declaration I hereby declare that I am the sole author of this thesis. This is a true copy of the thesis, including any required final revisions, as accepted by my examiners. I understand that my thesis may be made electronically available to the public. ii Abstract Industrial remains can be found in many regions that experienced industrialization. However, they are, in general, at risk of loss through destruction and abandonment. Promoting tourism can be a helpful tool for regional restructuring and economic development. The creative economy is also emerging as a powerful tool for reinvigorating economic growth, employment and social cohesion of those areas, which may affect the development of touristic activities and industries. However, little research has been done to link creative economy theory and industrial heritage tourism. This paper elaborates on and clarifies the link between industrial heritage tourism and creative economy, and illustrates the impact of creativity and the driving role of the creative class in industrial heritage tourism through a case study. The study site, 798 art zone, is a newly emerged tourism destination in China which developed based on an abandoned soviet-style factory. Through analyzing the initiation status of tourism development in the factory, the interests of visitors, the influences of tourism, and the role of artists, the research reveals the dramatic change under the impact of tourism and more recently added development boom that has taken place at the 798 art zone. The findings identify the characteristics of 798 art zone in different periods and the contributions of the artist community to the art zone. Unlike most industrial heritage tourism sites, the development of 798 art zone was bottom up owing to the creativity of artists. With their creative eyes, artists identified the special features of the abandoned factory (high ceilings, historic design, open spaces, and abundant natural light), and used their creativity to add artistic feelings to this area. When the factory was facing the fate of being razed, they pulled together. With their efforts, the factory was preserved and 798 art zone was iii acknowledged by the government. The results are in accord with the creative economy theory that creativity is the driving force of economic development and improve the understanding of how creativity and tourism interact. The development pattern of 798 art zone might not apply precisely to any other places in the world, but it provides an effective alternative model for revitalization of old industrial sites as well as other tourism sites. Some management related suggestions and concerns about 798 art zone and tourists profile are proposed. Both practical implications and academic insights are presented based on the major findings of this study. iv Acknowledgements The completion of this thesis is not only an outcome of my efforts, but a collaborative undertaking. Without the help and cooperation of many people who have contributed their time and talents in a variety of ways, this research would not have been possible. I would first like to express my gratitude to my supervisor, Dr. Paul Parker, for his consistent support, encouragement and insightful advice. I would also like to thank my committee member, Dr. Tara Vinodrai for provision of helpful comments and the participation in the thesis defence. Special thanks go to Dr. Geoff Wall, for introducing this interesting tourism destination to me and the participation in the thesis defence. In addition, I would like to acknowledge the administrative support provided by Ms. Lori McConnell. My appreciation goes to all people who have participated in the interviews and in the questionnaire survey. Without their consideration and patience in taking time to answer my questions and fill the questionnaire, my field research could not have been successful. Finally, my deepest gratitude goes to my family: my parents, my husband, Ke, and my cute dog, Naonao, for their unflagging love and support throughout my life. Their love, company, understanding and encouragement is more appreciated than words can describe. In addition, I would like to thank my dearest friends in Canada, in Germany and in China, who have kindly offered me their support throughout all the stages of the research. Their encouragement and inspiration gave me strength to work ahead. v Table of Contents LIST OF FIGURES ......................................................................................................................... ix LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................................. x CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................... 1 1.1 The Creative Economy and Tourism ............................................................................................ 1 1.2 Chinese Case Study .................................................................................................................... 3 1.3 Purpose Statement ..................................................................................................................... 9 1.4 Questions to Be Answered ........................................................................................................ 10 CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW .......................................................................................... 11 2.1 Heritage Tourism....................................................................................................................... 11 2.1.1 Heritage ............................................................................................................................. 11 2.1.2 Heritage Tourism ................................................................................................................ 15 2.1.3 Industrial Heritage Tourism ................................................................................................ 18 2.1.4 Industrial Heritage Tourism in China ................................................................................... 21 2.2 Creative Theory ........................................................................................................................ 23 2.2.1 Introduction of Creative Economy Theory .......................................................................... 23 2.2.2 Creative Industry ................................................................................................................ 26 2.2.3 Creative Class ..................................................................................................................... 30 2.2.4 Creative City ...................................................................................................................... 33 2.2.5 Creative Tourism ................................................................................................................ 34 2.2.6 Creative Economy Theory in China ..................................................................................... 35 2.3 Research about 798 Art Zone .................................................................................................... 39 2.4 Chapter Summary ..................................................................................................................... 40 CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURE ........................................................ 42 3.1 Field Research ........................................................................................................................... 42 3.2 Research Methods .................................................................................................................... 42 3.2.1 Questionnaire Survey ......................................................................................................... 43 3.2.2 Key-informant Interviews ................................................................................................... 44 3.2.3 Observation ....................................................................................................................... 47 3.3 Research Procedure .................................................................................................................. 47 vi 3.3.1 Pilot Test ............................................................................................................................ 47 3.3.2 Questionnaire Survey Operation ........................................................................................ 48 3.3.3 Interview Data Collection Procedures ................................................................................. 50 3.3.4 Data Analysis Methods ....................................................................................................... 50 3.4 Limitation ................................................................................................................................. 51 3.5 Chapter Summary ..................................................................................................................... 51 CHAPTER 4 RESEARCH RESULTS ...........................................................................................
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