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Both livelihood resilience and sustainability have received substantial attention from tourism researchers. Capital is crucial to livelihood resilience, and different livelihoods depend on different asset portfolios. However, the transformation of capital across livelihoods has not been examined carefully. Instead of treating capital as singular, we investigate capital as a multiplicity. We evaluate the transformation of capital through a qualitative approach to better understand livelihood resilience through changes in asset assemblages. We made multiple field visits to a Chinese coastal community that is developing a tourism industry, where we collected data through semi-structured interviews and observation that revealed that livelihood capitals have multiple properties and functions, enabling their transformation among asset assemblages. The buffering capacity of livelihood systems, and thereby the livelihood resilience of fishing households, substantially depends on the transformation of capitals. We conclude that the understanding of livelihood resilience can be deepened through assemblage thinking that considers both the multiplicity of capitals and their relations in different production contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engagement of vulnerable rural women in the demonstration and practices of cultural heritage for tourism is a strategy that can empower them. Five dimensions of women's empowerment (economic, social, psychological, educational and political) are examined at multiple scales (self, family, community and society) in a Hui ethnic community in Haiyuan County, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, northwest of China. This county is nationally recognized for its poverty. Semistructured interviews were undertaken with government officials, management staff of embroidery cooperatives and rural women. It is shown that the involvement of rural Hui women in embroidery tourism has not only advanced them economically but also provided feasible paths for social, psychological, educational and political empowerment to varying degrees. Theoretical contributions and practical implications of the research are then discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined China's scuba divers' marine-based environmental behaviors. Three types of behaviors were identified: contact, general diving and educational behaviors. A model developed from the theory of planned behavior was used to study these behaviors. An online survey was used to collect data from 625 scuba divers. Structural equation modeling was applied to analyze relationships between constructs. Only perceived behavioral control was found to have a significant influence on contact behaviors. Specialization and subjective norm had significant influences on general diving behaviors and subjective norm was a mediator in the relationship between specialization and general diving behaviors. Educational behavior was influenced by divers' knowledge, affect, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control. Its relationships with specialization were mediated by knowledge, affect and subjective norm. Implications and management measures for dive sites are offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractGender equality is an important UN sustainable development goal. With tourism often encouraging and favoring female participation, relationships between tourism and gender equality have attracted much research attention. However, being dynamic and highly contextual, the multi-faceted complex of gender and tourism interactions are relevant to both males and females. Therefore, nuanced and contextual case studies incorporating perspectives of both genders is critically needed for gender research in tourism. Drawing from previous research, dimensions of gender equality are deconstructed into gender roles, perspectives, and relationships. Yudong Village, Zhejiang Province, China, was selected as the study site. Field investigations were used, primarily involving semi-structured interviews with multiple actors. Females and males were interviewed to acquire and compare their involvements in and perspectives on tourism and its influences on gender issues. Positive tourism influences on three dimensions of gender equality were acknowledged by both genders. Relationships among changes in gender perceptions, roles and relationships were examined. Agreements and differences between genders and across generations are discussed. Such changes rippled from family circles to rural communities through tourism enhanced social networks and business relationships. This research contributes to a gender balanced understanding of tourism impacts on gender equality. Practical implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognition of risk is the first step in reducing disaster damage and losses. In this study, risk cognition in the Hani Rice Terraces, the core tourism attraction in Yuanyang County, Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan, China, is analyzed based on field survey and participatory geographic information system (GIS). The results show that tourism communities have cognition of risk; are more sensitive to hazards (especially drought); have more severe potential damage and losses from hazards; and also have more enthusiasm to adapt to disaster risk, when compared with a non-tourism community. On disaster vulnerability maps, the tourism communities identified the unique “Forest – Village – Terrace - River” landscape while the non-tourism community only recognized the terrace and the village as the main elements affected by hazard. Also, the tourism communities had deeper understandings of drought, flash floods and landslide disaster risks. A conceptual model based on “Pressure – State – Response” relationships is put forward to explore the situation in which, in the tourism community, terraces have a greater variety of functions and enhanced values resulting in the spatial expansion of hazard effects. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Tourism and related development can lead to the displacement and resettlement of communities, disrupting local livelihood systems, socio-political processes and organizations. However, limited attention has been paid to community resettlement in the tourism context. Taking Yinhuwan village at Mount Sanqingshan World Heritage Site in China as an example, this study examines the results of tourism and resettlement on the livelihoods of this rural community and the extent to which tourism-related livelihood strategies contribute to community livelihood sustainability. A sustainable livelihood framework is adopted to guide the analysis. Face-to-face in-depth interviews were conducted with management officials, community leaders and village residents through three field investigations in 2013. It was found that traditional livelihood methods have been largely replaced by tourism, which has become the primary livelihood strategy for the resettled community. Despite current economic benefits, high dependency on tourism-related opportunities as the single livelihood option may diminish the sustainability of local livelihoods. The current resettlement plan highlights short-term economic impacts on the affected community, overlooking their socio-cultural concerns and long-term livelihood sustainability. Possible measures are discussed to diversify livelihood options and mitigate potential challenges for the affected community so as to ensure their long-term benefits and increase future options. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]