Evaluating Rural Tourism Operators' Satisfaction
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論文 総合観光学会誌『総合観光研究』第 19 号 2021 年 3 月 Japanese Journal of Tourism Studies,No.19 March 2021 Evaluating Rural Tourism Operators’ Satisfaction: Evidence from Taining, Fujian Province, China Ruying WANG Kumar BHATTA Yasuo OHE Abstract: Although rural tourism (RT) can contribute to reducing the rural-urban economic gap by providing additional opportunities for income, literature on the topic is limited, particularly in developing economies. Thus, firstly we investigated this issue by a fixed-effects model of panel data at the semi-micro level focusing on eight districts of Fujian province, China. Results revealed that when the GDP of tourism increased in rural areas, the rural- urban income gap became smaller. Secondly, by a binary logit model applied at the micro-level from our surveyed data in Taining county, Fujian province, we investigated the factors contributing to operators’ satisfaction and incomes. The results showed that those RT operators who have RT income from 10% to 30% of their total have repeat visitors and are more satisfied. Operators with only a primary school education are less satisfied with their RT operation. Operators who desire to improve service quality, have their own business and have easily accessed farms derive more income from RT. At the same time, it is important for operators to balance tourism activities with other farm activities due to constraints on managerial resources. Keywords: rural tourism, fixed effect model, income gap, operator’s satisfaction, China 1. Introduction popular throughout the country in the 1990s. Rural tourism (RT) has many advantages not Considering that the income gap between urban only in monetary terms but also by providing and rural areas has become increasingly larger other benefits to rural areas and its residents. in China (Lu and Chen, 2004), the current study For instance, Su (2011) reported that RT had a has two objectives. Firstly, it aims to verify positive effect on increasing farmers’ revenue by whether tourism has the effect of reducing providing a supplementary income. Further, income inequality between rural and urban Perales (2002) mentioned that RT played an regions, although it has been shown to be essential role in the development of rural areas effective in increasing rural people’s revenue that were economically and socially depressed. (Mahadevan and Suardi, 2019; Ohe, 2020; pp.4- However, quantitative studies on the economic 6). To investigate this question from a semi- impact of RT are still limited despite a growing micro perspective in Fujian province, China, we number of case studies. used a set of panel data. Rural areas of Fujian In China RT is called Nongjiale, which province have an accumulation of RT operators literally means “happy farmers’ home” (Park, although rural resources are not fully utilized 2014). Farmers host guests using their own for RT. houses and supply rustic foods that are Secondly, this study aims to investigate RT traditional and eco-friendly and gain benefits operators’ satisfaction that would enhance their from RT. RT first appeared in the 1980s in motivation and utilization of resources because Chengdu, Sichuan province; then it became motivation is a crucial factor in raising the Master student, Department of Food and Resource Economics, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan PhD student, Department of Food and Resource Economics, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan Professor, Department of Agribusiness Management, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo, Japan 1 - 1 - potential of local resources (Ohe, 2020; pp.233- (Lu and Chen, 2004). Lu and Chen (2004) improvements in the infrastructure and efforts 253). Further, highly motivated operators are further revealed that the economic open-door toward environmental protection would be more capable of resource management (Ohe, policy had a positive effect on increasing the effective in increasing the number of tourists. 2020; pp.87-105). Hence, the second part of this urban-rural income gap, while the Results of these studies showed that the quality study investigated the satisfaction of RT modernization of agriculture decreased the of RT products, transportation and the operators and the determinant factors based on income gap. Income generation through RT environment affect tourists’ satisfaction. data derived from a questionnaire survey of RT might contribute to minimizing the regional In summary, from the literature review, we operators in Fujian province. Finally, policy economic gap and is an important matter to be could understand that tourism has a positive implications are suggested. investigated. effect on improving farm operators’ income in rural areas. It was also pointed that rural 2. Literature review 2.2. Supply-side studies tourism work can help expand the operator’s 2.1. Studies on income gap There are few quantitative studies on the network, which is a positive factor in increasing With the diffusion of RT, studies on the benefits supply side that deal with factors related to RT operator’s satisfaction. Transportation is also Figure 1. Trend of disposable income in urban of such tourism have been conducted. Krakover operators. Konishi and Ohe (2016) clarified that an essential factor in the expansion of RT. and rural area in Fujian province (2004) stated that tourism’s influence on the degree of customer satisfaction is the most Therefore, in this study, we investigated the Note: CPI-deflated data is used here, 2007=100 Source: Fujian Statistics Bureau regional development, particularly on the significant factor for increases in satisfaction of impact of RT on the rural economy and factors mountains. Taining county, which is rich in income gap issue, is one of today’s most complex rural restaurant managers. Ohe (2020) revealed that affect RT operators’ satisfaction and natural resources, is located in northwest research topics in this field. Li et al. (2016) that by performing tourism activities a farm income. We also examined the roles of Fujian. Its core scenic spots are the World noted that tourism is closely related to other operator’s network expands, which increases transportation in RT. Geological Park and Lake Dajin, and it has a economic sectors such as agriculture and the operator’s satisfaction, which eventually unique Danxia landform. Taining government retailing and that its development affects the leads to more utilization of local resources. 3. Methods started to develop RT beginning in 1994 in this rest of the economy. Additionally, Li et al. (2016) Sharpley and Vass (2006) reported that usually 3.1 Study area: Taining county region. Thus, we chose this county as a study area. revealed that tourism could be used as a tool to female counterparts in the farm operation are This study was conducted in Fujian province The proportion of tourism GDP to Taining’s alleviate poverty in rural areas and to reduce responsible for the tourism business and that located in southeast China, facing Taiwan total GDP increased from 20.38% in 2008 to the income gap among regions. Chen et al. (2016) tourism brings them job satisfaction and a sense across the sea. It has abundant tourism resources like a sea view and glorious 42.98% in 2018. Zhao et al. (2009) mentioned showed that Nongjiale in China has positive of independence. However, these studies did not effects on improving farmers’ income and thoroughly discuss what factors affected an increasing the employment rate. Kumar et al. operator’s satisfaction and income by (2012) and Mahadevan and Suardi (2019) performing tourism activities in rural areas. indicated that tourism growth failed to reduce Therefore, in this study, we investigated the the population of poor people; however, they did determinants of RT operators’ satisfaction, prove that the growth of tourism reduced the which would lead to better management of local income gap between rural and urban areas. resources in rural areas. Although tourism has many positive influences in solving problems in rural areas, whether 2.3. Demand-side studies tourism can reduce the inter-regional income Ge and Ohe (2011) mentioned that the quality gap has not been thoroughly investigated yet. of agricultural products provided by the supply Much research has focused on side affected tourists’ satisfaction and that the determining what impacts the rural-urban public’s requirements regarding both the income gap. The ratio of per capita income of the environment and transportation in a rural area urban area to the per capita income of the rural are stringent. Zhou et al. (2008) found that rural area is usually used to explain the urban-rural tourists who visited Zhuzhou City in China income gap (Liu and He, 2019). Urbanization were not satisfied with the rural environment also has influenced the urban-rural income gap and infrastructure and suggested that Figure 2. Attributes of the respondents (Source: The authors’ survey, March 2019) 2 3 - 2 - potential of local resources (Ohe, 2020; pp.233- (Lu and Chen, 2004). Lu and Chen (2004) improvements in the infrastructure and efforts 253). Further, highly motivated operators are further revealed that the economic open-door toward environmental protection would be more capable of resource management (Ohe, policy had a positive effect on increasing the effective in increasing the number of tourists. 2020; pp.87-105). Hence, the second part of this urban-rural income gap, while the Results of these studies showed that the quality study investigated the satisfaction of RT modernization of agriculture decreased the of RT products, transportation and the operators and the determinant factors based on income gap. Income generation through RT environment affect tourists’ satisfaction. data derived from a questionnaire survey of RT might contribute to minimizing the regional In summary, from the literature review, we operators in Fujian province. Finally, policy economic gap and is an important matter to be could understand that tourism has a positive implications are suggested. investigated. effect on improving farm operators’ income in rural areas. It was also pointed that rural 2.