Recomendaciones para investigación dirigidas

The transcripts also indicate that weak management is a significant factor that impedes Mt Qiyun’s tourism development. Therefore, visitors insist that the local tourism authority should reassess its management of tourism in the mountain. Two related sub-themes of this factor identified here were: ‘lack of resident management’, and ‘lack of business management’. Of particular importance, the factor ‘lack of resident management’ was most frequently mentioned by respondents. Many residents complained that local residents were very commercially minded, which was already described in the section on tourism’s negative social-cultural impacts. As Zhong et al., (2008) found, local residents in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, China gradually reduced their friendliness toward tourists and instead were seemingly more interested in earning more money. To be more specific: for example in the core attraction area an old lady may beg money from visitors; residents charge visitors a high price for just a cup of hot water; and even an old lady may ask for money when visitors took photographs with her. There was a field note recorded by the author on the afternoon of 23/11/2011 which provides some support for these finding:

“Today is a rainy day, few visitor come to mountain. I plan to go to ticket office, chat with staff. When I walk past the third gate(三天门), I found an elderly women sitting there, looks very ‘tenderness’. I ask whether she can take a picture with me, she allowed that quickly and happily. However, when I wanted to leave, she stopped me, and hoped I can give some money to her. The reason is I take photo with her, I must give her some money….finally I give her 10 RMB…it is the first time I feel embarrassed facing local residents…”

Thus, it might be thought that when visitors come to face these kinds of events, they were more likely to feel the same way as author, which lead to a reduced overall travel experience.

This type of occurrence is coming to be not uncommon not only in in Mt Qiyun but for old ladies who lived below the mountain. The author observed three old women who will sit at the front of the mountain walk way to wait for those visitors who come to mountain by foot.

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They normally talk about their misfortune to visitors and hope to receive some help (see Photo 5.14). Indeed, during interview, many visitors experienced this, and they wondered why the local government did not take care of these unfortunate old women. For example, one respondent said:

“When I climb the mountain, I face 2 old beggars…although I give them some money…I did not that think in a National Attraction, there will be some beggars…”

Again

“…I did feel not good when I passed an elderly resident, she asked me for some money. I am just a middle school student, I don’t have money …but I hope they have self-respect and don’t beg money from visitors…it also reduces Mt Qiyun’s reputation”

And again

“…from every distance in the walk ways, I can see an old women clutching bowls asking for money from each visitor …I have no cash, only one dime left, I just give this to one of the old women. What amazes me is that, she refuses to receive one dime, and say to me ‘just one dime? Are you kidding me? Even taking a photo is more than this money…”

The authorities are aware of this problem and prohibit and implement prohibitions on begging, but do so only during the major Chinese holiday periods or Golden Weeks.

Additionally, many respondents mentioned their overall satisfaction was negatively affected by the poor management of business operations on the mountain. The original transcripts revealed that respondents felt unhappy when they are ‘kept being followed by incense sellers’;

‘kept being pulled by fortune tellers’, ‘treated with a poor service attitude’, ‘up for grabs by tour guide’ , as well as ‘expensive prices and chaos in different restaurants’. Indeed, in order to check the prices, the author used to buy some little things such as instant noodle, water,

Photo 5.14

This is one main route for visitors to climb to the top of mountain.

The old ladies just sit in every section of the walk way waiting for visitors. This old lady just finishes for the day and plans to back home

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ice-cream stick, and soft drinks to compare the prices in different restaurants. However, those restaurant owners always gave some discount, as the author was a ‘temporary resident’ in their village and so the author had to ask about the prices at which they sold items to the visitors. Interestingly, author found the prices in those restaurants varied significantly even for those small things. For example, the price of a bowel of instant noodles in the headman’s restaurant was 5RMB (1 NZD), but in next restaurant (very close to headman’s restaurant, just by one house away) the same item was even higher to 8 RMB (1.6 NZD). Many visitors expressed disquiet when they found they are charged different prices for the same items. On another occasion 2 tourists who stayed overnight in local hostels gave as an example of poor practice the fact that the hostel owner came to his room without knocking door.

Furthermore, some visitors thought many staff who worked in Mt Qiyun lacked professional skills. For example, tour guides lack of a basic knowledge about history and culture, which leads to poor interpretation. As Yang and Chen (2009) stated, a large number of tour guides in Chinese lack an ability to provide effective tour guide interpretation. (Yet it should be noted that in the main cities of China, tour guiding requires the passing of exams, often in front of university staff, but in rural areas the situation is less formal). Those incomplete and unsystematic interpretations may lead to cultural misunderstandings. One French visitor, who stayed at the village for 3 months, suggested that: “… tourism in this village and the Taoist temples may give birth to an ‘intelligent tourism’, if it is well organized with professional guides, with a very good historical and spiritual knowledge”.

These observations reflects Su’s (2011) concern regarding the challenges of rural tourism in China, for he stated that most operators of small rural tourism business lack the required management and service skills to run an efficient business; because it is difficult for operators to “ change from the role of tending farming land to the one of tending people served”

(p.1441). Overall, these activities mentioned above play more or less role in influencing visitors’ travel experience. This theme is illustrated in the following quotes:

“ I found the management in this mountain is very poor, the prices in each restaurant are different, some restaurant charge for the same product at an astonishing price…totally unreasonable” (Female visitor from Qingdao)

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“ …during my visit, I was stopped by 4 fortune tellers…I am annoyed to be stop…firstly , I just want choose some quiet place for escape from city noisy and business pressure…finally, it is not successful…” (Businessman , from Ningbo)

This small selection of comments presents an overview of how ‘weak resident and business management’ play a role in influencing visitors’ satisfaction. From observation this author would agree that the residents and staff on the mountain need some training to improve their approaches and service skill levels.