Purpose-built cultural tourism attraction and ways forward: A case study of Gaozhuang Xishuangjing

This study examines Gaozhuang Xishuangjing (hereafter GZ), a purpose-built cultural tourism attraction, to assess its potential cultural heritage values and management challenges. Research has primarily focused on existing cultural heritage tourism; this study addresses the newly constructed attraction GZ and its role in cultural conservation. This study applied qualitative methods to gather first-hand data from 52 domestic respondents and 10 key informants from two rounds semi- structured interviews, supplemented by observations and document analysis. The findings demonstrate the complex impacts of cultural tourism and highlight the necessity of adopting a multi-stakeholder approach for sustainable management. By engaging local communities and tourists, GZ can link cultural conservation and business development, offering a model for long-term sustainability. The study underscores the importance of collaboration between local villages and communities, managers and policymakers to formulate strategies for and support diverse initiatives in cultural heritage preservation. Additionally, these insights can allow managers to anticipate the challenges of cultural tourism and policymakers to foster a more integrated cultural-business landscape.