Study On Small Tourist Town Planning In West Sichuan Minority Areas

Tourism is becoming an increasingly important industry in minority areas and also a key approach to achieve leapfrog economic development for small towns in these areas. Based on the theory of small town planning and through a series of cross-sectional studies in architecture, tourism and ethnology, and field research in the west Sichuan minority area, this dissertation conducted an in-depth analysis of issue and solutions, framework and contents, and the methods and techniques in small tourist town planning.The theoretical study follows a three-step format, from general to specific: first, an overview of the small town planning practices based on architectural theories; second, a tentative discussion on the frame works of small tourist town planning theory based on the conception of small town tourism by comparative study of urban tourism and rural tourism; third, an exploration on the planning of small tourist towns in minority areas, importing ethnology and tourism anthropology theories. The empirical research of this dissertation includes three typical small town planning projects in the west Sichuan minority area.Small town tourism refers to the tourist activities that happen in small towns. It demonstrates characteristics of both urban tourism and rural tourism, such as the combination of architectural and natural views; interaction with agriculture, farming and forestry; small to medium scale but with a strong local flavor, and less professional management style. It usually has its own source of visitors, distinguishable tourism products and unique development model. Therefore, small tourist town planning should cover both industry planning and spatial planning, and should combine tourism planning with urban planning.The small tourist town planning in minority areas faces challenges in six aspects: economic development, cultural development, environment protection, feature-oriented development, infrastructures, and planning methodology. In response to these challenges, this dissertation puts forward a set of combined strategies of urban planning and tourism planning. Analysis based on conventional small town planning platform and contents indicates that tourism planning and ethnic tourism should be integrated into the small town planning frame by introducing a participating mechanism and local planning standards, so that the planning would conform to the ethnic culture and local situations. Planning for small tourist town in minority areas should follow the guidance of post-modernism, neo-vernacular, regionalism, and participatory design theory and apply the CARP which stands for designing with Culture, Authentic is beautiful, Regional appropriate technology, community Participatory design. Appropriate techniques should also be applied, including tourism planning techniques, such as tourism land-use planning, tourist activities planning and tourist facilities planning as well as ethnic tourism techniques, such as ethnic tourist resource survey, ethnic tourism products design, and ethnic culture preservation.This dissertation is innovative in three aspects. Firstly, it raised the concept of small town tourism, and analyzes its differences and connections with urban tourism and rural tourism. Secondly, it develops a branch of small town planning theory: from small town to small tourist town, then to those in minority areas. Thirdly, it discusses, in the context of modernization and globalization, the CARP planning method for the small tourist town in minority areas.