Developing an Integrated Rural Tourism Model for Stakeholders in Yuanjia Village, China

Abstract

This research aims to propose an Integrated Rural Tourism (IRT) development model for stakeholders in Yuanjia village, China. Although IRT has been widely discussed, research rarely details effective approaches to developing IRT. Therefore, this study utilizes Yuanjia village as a research site to develop an IRT model, conducting a mixed methods approach. The research firstly explores well-designed CSR initiatives for tourism enterprises to promote IRT. Additionally, as successful IRT development requires stakeholders to develop shared institutional logic to take collaborative actions, the research explores the institutional logic guiding the behaviors of stakeholders in China’s rural tourism and further examines its relationship with IRT development. The findings show that stakeholders can promote IRT through implementing the proposed CSR initiatives and developing the identified institutional logic. Theoretically, this study contributes to the localization of the IRT concept in the context of China in accordance with its unique institutional features. Practically, the proposed model provides stakeholders with effective guidance to develop IRT successfully.