Entrepreneurial networks in creative tourism place-making: Dali village, Wuhan, China

Abstract

Entrepreneurial motivations and networks in creative tourism place-making are examined using a descriptive case study approach. In Dali creative village in Wuhan, China, place-making was primarily driven by creative artisans and entrepreneurs from elsewhere. Actors’ social networks were primarily personal and lacked business cooperation, indicating the organic nature of place-making. The diversity of individual resources, capabilities and expectations of entrepreneurs has led to the lack of a consistent vision of place-making. Tension over ownership of place-making appeared between residential and nonresidential groups. Creative tourism entrepreneurs need to adapt to the restructuring forces of tourism and commercialization and adjust social networks as place-making stages evolve. This research contributes to the understanding of social networks and their roles in place-making, with implications for creative tourism planning and management.

摘要

本文利用描述性案例研究的方法对创意旅游地营造中的企业主动机及社会网络进行了分析。以位于中国武汉的大李文创村为例, 研究发现文创村以创意工匠和企业主推动进行有机的地方营造。创意旅游地营造的行动者之间的社交网络主要是个人层面的, 缺乏商业合作, 表明了这一目的地有机地方营造的特质。由于个体资源、企业主能力和期望的多样性, 导致了地方营造的行动者对创意旅游目的地的发展缺乏一致的愿景。创意旅游地的营造过程中, 在地和外部的不同行动者之间产生了对于目的地所有权的紧张感。文创企业主需要适应旅游业和商业化的重组力量, 并随着地方营造阶段的演化而调整其社交网络。本研究对社会网络在地方营造中的作用具有理论启示性, 也对创意旅游目的地的规划和管理起到借鉴作用。

Keywords:

• entrepreneurship
• networks
• creative tourism
• place-making
• social capital
• collaboration

关键词:

• 企业主
• 网络
• 创意旅游
• 地方营造
• 社会资本
• 合作

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Humanity and Social Science Youth Funds, Ministry of Education, PRC (18YJC630269,19YJC790179), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, PRC (2722020PY027), and the National Social Science Fund, PRC (20BJY207).

Notes on contributors

Lingxu Zhou

Dr. Lingxu Zhou is Associate Professor at the Department of Tourism Management, School of Business Administration, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan, China. Her research interests are social capital, lifestyle mobility, and tourism development in less developed areas.

Xiaoyun Cheng

Miss Cheng Xiaoyun is Master’s student at the Department of Tourism Management, School of Business Administration, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan, China. Her research interests are tourism, esthetics and wellbeing.

Geoffrey Wall

Dr. Geoffrey Wall is Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Department of Geography and Environmental Management, University of Waterloo, Canada. His research focuses on tourism, recreation and the socio-economic implications of climate change. He is involved in several tourism and environmental projects in China.

Dapeng Zhang

Dr. Dapeng Zhang is Associate Professor at the Department of Tourism Management, School of Business Administration, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan, China. His study focuses on tourism destination management, pro-poor tourism, and tourism economics.