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ABSTRACT
Hong Kong's retrocession to Chinese sovereignty in 1997 initiated intense interest in cultural heritage on the part of divergently positioned actors, including activists, the state, and entrepreneurs. Heritage walking tours have proliferated, providing a wide range of examples suitable for comparison. This article develops a typology of heritage trails and tours in order to consider how they are situated in relation to the tourist economy and local context. Theoretically it builds on insights in new walking studies and debates in tourism and heritage studies on the ‘tourist-local divide.’ The article relies on qualitative research conducted in Hong Kong, including participant observation and interviews, and a review of various secondary sources. The typology distinguishes between government-generated, market-oriented, and community-based heritage walks. Three key issues are discussed: the ways that tours and trails develop, how they engage with official and unofficial heritage places, and how they reference urban issues including state-led urban renewal and redevelopment. The article argues that, while walking in general is a format that is suited to both tourist and local visitor engagement, some trails and tours reinforce dominant narratives of heritage and urban space, while others challenge them.
Acknowledgments
April Pun provided map-making assistance and the comments of Yu Ting-Fai and two anonymous reviewers helped to strengthen and refine the argument. Interviewees generously shared their time and knowledge.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.
Notes on contributor
Lachlan B. Barber is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography at Hong Kong Baptist University. His research interests include heritage studies, mobilities, culture in the city and gender studies. He is currently researching heritage issues and mobile practices in Hong Kong and work-related mobilities in Canada.
Notes
1 A number of incidents reflecting the shifting relationship between the Special Administrative Region government and the Mainland authorities can be included under the rubric of localization. Relaxation of visa requirements for short visits by Mainland tourists to revive the economy after the SARS crisis in 2003 led to xenophobic responses. A proposal in 2012 to introduce ‘national education’ drew mass protests. The interest in heritage conservation is more benign, but not unconnected to this broader political landscape.