Abstract:

The tourism resources of Agricultural Heritage Systems (AHS) sites are unique and outstanding, which are mainly attributed to their traditional farming technology, culture and knowledge of agro-system, agro-biodiversity and social-cultural landscape during long-term human-nature interactions. As an innovative attempt, the induction of educational tourism is considered to be an effective way to couple heritage conservation with the tourism and hospitality industry in AHS sites. Accordingly, we tried to evaluate the development potential of educational tourism in AHS sites. A four-dimensional evaluation framework was developed, which considered the resource values potential, heritage carrying potential, facility service potential and market development potential. Ten criterion levels, including agricultural history and culture values, agricultural education values, nature education values, heritage resource endowment, policy conservation level, transportation accessibility, facility reception levels, safety and security capacities, educational tourism market support, stakeholder support levels, which were further expressed by 19 indexes. Subsequently, the weights of criterion levels and indexes were developed through Analytic Network Process (ANP) and Entropy Weight Method (EWM), and the development potential was analyzed using overlay and reclass functions in ArcGIS software. Finally, the evaluation framework was applied in Deqing Traditional Freshwater Pearl Utilization System, an AHS site in Zhejiang Province, China. The results suggested that Fuxi Street had the most outstanding development potential for educational tourism. Towns of luoshe, Zhongguan, Xinshi, Qianyuan, and Leidian had a high development potential based on the strengthening of relevant research and infrastructures. The tourism resources and service facilities in towns of Xin’an and Yuyue did not develop well, and therefore the development potential for educational tourism in these towns were low. To further enhance the development potential of educational tourism in advantaged areas, it was suggested to diversify consumption options through a combination of human-nature resources, and to enhance the interactivity and experience of educational tourism products. From the perspective of development potential, the holistic evaluation framework of educational tourism provided both theoretical guidance and methodological support for the tourism sectors in AHS sites.

Key words: agricultural heritage systems (AHS), educational tourism, tourism resources, potential evaluation