Independent thesis Advanced level (degree of Master (One Year)), 10 credits / 15 HE credits
This study is using Hengdian World Studios as an example to provide first-hand
material through questionnaire surveys, aiming to fill research gap and deepen the
knowledge about how the impacts of film-induced tourism perceived by local
residents in Dongyang City of Eastern China. The specific objectives of this study are
twofold: Firstly, to investigate the overall perceptions and attitudes of residents
towards the development of Dongyang City as a film-induced tourism destination.
Secondly, to determine the socio-demographics factors and the degree of involvement
in the tourism sectors influencing residents’ perceptions and attitudes towards the
development of Dongyang City as a tourism destination. The first conclusion to stand
out is that, generally, residents in Dongyang City show more optimistic view about
tourism, perceiving its positive impacts more strongly than its negative impacts. The
second conclusion of this study reveal that residents’ attitudes are significantly
diverse depending on their socio-demographic characteristics and the degree of
involvement in the tourism sectors. This study contributes to scholars and tourism
developers in developing destinations, especially valuable for film-induced tourism
destinations where tourism is in an initial phase. Since a harmonious community
cannot be formed in isolation without regard for the local residents’ cooperation and
participation, tourism managers will be better propose and implement planning
polices for the sustainability of tourism to minimize adverse effects if residents’
attitudes and perceptions are taken into account
2014.