A Study of Tourist Development of Beipu Recreation Area from the Perspective of Cultural Heritage

• Main Authors: YU, MEI-JUNG, 余美容
• Other Authors: Li,Fen-Yang
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2015
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/31229459196665078821

碩士 === 開南大學 === 觀光運輸學院碩士在職專班 === 103 === Cultural tourism is currently the trend in the world tourist sector. It has been widely received as a driving force of tourism and an asset worthy of preserving for daily features of the local life. However, there are impact from promoting effort of cultural tourism. While tourists flood in, essentials of the local value have been disproportionately dominated by commercialism, and development of tourist industry may be out of control. The detrimental part is under-researched. To address the concern, this study investigated the cultural heritage of Beipu Recreation Area, seeking to lay bare the value of cultural heritage to cultural tourism. Beipu Recreation Area was selected because historical space of Beipu, located in Hinchu County, North Taiwan, is characterized by a defensive style of architecture left by armed settlement of Hakka population traced back to the 1830s. Its housing complex is taken as the most well-preserved, heavily clustered heritages that represent traditional Hakka legacy in Taiwanese history. The purpose of this study was therefore to enquire into the impact of Beipu’s historical space to cultural tourism, weighing up the means to sustain Beipu’s heritage in its cultural tourism in the future. Methodologically, a qualitative approach was taken, highlighting literature review, participatory observation, and in-depth interviews. Findings could be illustrated as follows. First, the cultural value of Beipu settlement to tourism lay in its rich and decent housing complex that is unique and attractive. Second, rather than being frozen into history, it was advisable to take Beipu settlement as the engine of a sustainable tourism. This can be realized by concepts of cultural creativity and historical space to further enrich the narratives of Beipu in the realm of cultural tourism. Third, and perhaps more importantly, there is a need to help the local people in Beipu conscious of their valuable advantages in the overall tourist sector, underlining the features of leisure, recreation, exposure, learning and self-growth in the trend of cultural tourism.