3.1 Beijing ICH tourism resources

As of August 2023, Beijing has a total of 11 UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity-Kunqu opera, Guqin art, Chinese paper-cutting, Chinese calligraphy, traditional Chinese wooden structure building skills, Dragon Boat Festival, Peking Opera, Chinese medicine acupuncture, Chinese shadow puppet play, Chinese abacus, and 24 solar terms. According to the official website of China Intangible Cultural Heritage, China Intangible Cultural Heritage Digital Museum, and the list of ICH released by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, up to now, Beijing has 120 representative items of national ICH and 302 items at the municipal level (including extensions). It also employs 105 national-level representative inheritors and 280 city-level representative inheritors, with a large number and high level of ICH resources.

Table 1

Regional distribution of national ICH items in Beijing

Considering the typology of ICH structures, Beijing boasts a diverse array of ICH resources. Tourism resources encompass 10 categories, encompassing folk literature, traditional music, traditional dance, traditional drama, folk art, traditional art, traditional sports, games and acrobatics, traditional skill, traditional medicine, and folk custom. As of September 29, 2021, Beijing has published five batches of 302 representative items of municipal ICH, of which 48 items of gastronomy (food) are ICH, accounting for nearly 16% of the total, which is a relatively large proportion of the total number of ICH items in Beijing. Among the 120 national-level ICH resources, traditional skill ranked first with 41 items. The specific number of each type of ICH is shown in Table 1 (The traditional drama Kunqu is shared by Xicheng District and Fengtai District. The traditional skill Traditional Distilled Spirits Brewing Technique (Beijing Erguotou Spirits Brewing Technique) is shared by Chaoyang District and Huairou District. Therefore, the total number of ICH items in each district is 122).

ICH items in Beijing are widely distributed and have outstanding characteristics. According to the regional division, Beijing can be divided into 6 urban areas, 6 suburban areas, and 4 outer suburbs. The number of national ICH items in each district is shown in Table 1.

3.2 Beijing ICH and tourism integration development market

According to the “2021 Beijing Culture and Tourism Statistical Report”, citizens' travel preferences have changed, and the proportion of outings in Beijing has increased for two consecutive years, from 53.6% in 2019 and 55.2% in 2020 to 66.8% in 2021. This indicates the presence of a new trend of “more peripheral, more outdoor, and more rural” tourism. Experiencing the beauty of the countryside and enjoying the cultural tourism feast has become an important option for citizens and tourists to enjoy cultural tourism activities during the holiday. In 2021, business entities such as folk homestays received 13.657 million tourists, an increase of 35.2%. The relevant revenue reached 1.43 billion yuan, pointing to an increase of 48.4%.

Beijing's tourism development seems to be greatly advantageous. According to the data released by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, the overall trend of tourism development in Beijing seems to result in positive outcomes. However, from the perspective of tourism development in local areas, there is an unbalanced development in regional spatial. Taking 2021 as an example (Fig. 2), six urban areas of Beijing, namely Dongcheng District, Xicheng District, Chaoyang District, Haidian District, Fengtai District, and Shijingshan District, have created huge economic benefits due to their abundant tourism resources. Compared with the urban areas, and although Beijing outings have become an important travel option for citizens, the proportion continues to increase, due to geographical location, economic conditions, tourism resources, and other reasons. Therefore, the role of tourism in promoting the local economy needs to be further explored. The development of ICH can be used to bring opportunities for the expansion of the tourism market. The integration of intangible cultural heritage and tourism will not only contribute to the innovation of the tourism industry but will also promote the protection and inheritance of intangible cultural heritage by increasing the market demand for ICH.

Fig. 2

Beijing's tourism revenues by region in 2021

3.3 Beijing ICH tourism products

Beijing is endowed with a wealth of ICH resources, particularly in traditional skills, providing a substantial foundation for both tourism development and the ICH product economy. These resources extend beyond practical everyday products to encompass art, decoration, and tourism-related items. ICH products are not only marketable through commodity trading but also play a crucial role in ICH tourism, with certain production and processing sites serving as notable attractions for tourists and researchers alike. These ICH products, infused with rural elements, serve as effective mediums for showcasing rural characteristics and cultural heritage. They play a pivotal role in promoting the revitalization of rural industries, nurturing talents, fostering organizational growth, preserving ecological balance, and enriching cultural heritage. In February 2023, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism issued The Notice on Promoting the In-depth Integration and Development of Intangible Cultural Heritage and Tourism, putting forward the key task requirements of “integrating into the tourism space” and “enriching tourism products”. At present, according to the characteristics of their own ICH resources, each district in Beijing has extracted intangible or tangible elements from ICH resources such as folk literature, traditional medicine, traditional dance, traditional skills, etc., and integrated them into the design of ICH tourism routes, ICH blocks, cultural and creative products, and ICH exhibition performances. A series of ICH tourism products has been developed, and the statistics of representative ICH tourism products in each district are shown in Table 2. The development model of “ICH + products”, seeking the connection point between traditional culture and modern life, brings a way for residents to increase income and drive economic development, which is an important way to achieve rural revitalization. Figure 3 shows the production of the Beijing Silk Doll. Beijing Silk Doll have driven the employment of villagers. Figure 4 shows Museum No. 93, an ICH museum that integrates ICH experience, product sales, and ICH teaching.

3.4 Beijing ICH tourism development policy

In 2019, Beijing promulgated and implemented the Regulations on Intangible Cultural Heritage in Beijing. In the same year, the Implementing Opinions on Revitalization of Traditional Crafts in Beijing, and the Implementation Plan for the Beijing Intangible Cultural Heritage Inheritance and Development Project were successively issued In 2023, Beijing Municipal Government approved the Implementing Opinions of Beijing Municipality on Further Strengthening the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage. In the Fourteenth Five-Year Development Plan, Cultural Tourism Development Plan and other documents of each district, all involve the integration of ICH and tourism development. Figure 5 shows face-to-face interviews between the research team and ICH inheritors to understand the implementation of policies. The ICH development policies proposed by various suburban areas in Beijing in multiple documents and the extracted development priorities, are shown in Table 3.

Table 2

Representative ICH tourism products in Beijing suburbs

Fig. 3

(a) A farmer is making Beijing Silk Doll in his spare time. (b) Various kinds of Beijing Silk Doll featuring traditional Chinese culture

Fig. 4

(a) A visitor takes a tour to the Museum No. 93 to learn about intangible cultural heritage. (b) Slogan of Museum No. 93: Let the world understand China's ICH and let China's ICH go global

Fig. 5

(a) The authors conducted interviews with Filigree Inlaying inheritors. (b) The authors posed for a photo after the interview with the manager of Beijing Silk Doll Production Base

Table 3

Key contents of ICH development policies in Beijing suburbs

4.1 Weak awareness of ICH inheritance

By conducting iterative questionnaire surveys and collecting anonymous opinions from experts, consensus is achieved among multiple parties. This iterative process incorporates feedback, leading to the development of a scientific and rational summary evaluation method. Moreover, due to economic interests, ICH resources that are easy to produce economic benefits are prioritized for development. However, the ICH resources that are difficult to create economic benefits in the short term have received less attention. For example, as of November 13, 2022, there are 903 registered ICH resources in Pinggu District, however, due to the limitations of socio-economic development conditions, most of the ICH resources are not wellknown and their cultural values are not recognized by the society, except for 1 national ICH item and 5 municipal ICH items.

4.2 Insufficient integration of ICH tourism resources

Beijing boasts a wealth of ICH, characterized by a broad distribution of items and outstanding features. However, the distribution of ICH resources in different districts is uneven, and resources are mainly concentrated in the urban area, with less distribution in the suburbs. ICH resources exhibit robust regional characteristics. The richness, scarcity, and recreation value of these resources serve as significant driving forces for the development of tourism destinations. The resource base in rural areas stands as a key condition for the integrated development of culture and tourism (Tang, 2023a). Primarily, each district in Beijing engages in independent efforts due to its large geographical area. The lack of coordination between these regions results in an inability to fully leverage the overall benefits of ICH tourism resources. This leads to a regional imbalance in the integration impact of ICH tourism.

4.3 Constraints on the level of rural development

The distribution of ICH resources in the suburbs of Beijing is dispersed, with low concentration and a relatively singular resource landscape. Resource development relies on specific advantages or representative resources. Constrained by the level of economic development, there is a lack of development capacity in ICH tourism. The high development costs result in insufficient productization and development of other rural cultural heritage resources, leading to a relatively small scale. the lack of skilled professionals hampers the prominence of the concept of rural cultural and tourism integration. In this scenario, the rudimentary development model often neglects cultural implications, emphasizing the development of cultural resources while lacking comprehensive consideration of the entire industrial chain. Consequently, the industrial linkage remains weak.

4.4 Ambiguities in the rights and responsibilities for the protection of ICH

In reality, the subjects involved in the protection of ICH include multiple identities, and due to differences in status and motivation, each “protection” force showcases its strengths and weaknesses. This ultimately leads to ambiguity in the responsibilities and obligations of each protection subject. The constructive energy of all parties involved in the protection of ICH cannot be fully harnessed and has a negative impact (He, 2005). There is an interweaving of multiple power discourses, in the current practice of ICH tourism protection and development, that is mixed with the power struggle for protection and production. In this context, the government and market forces are too strong, and the “social participation” of ICH investors and the public is missing. ICH tourism relies on the existence of the market and has the purpose of obtaining economic benefits, and its production process will involve different classes of subjects. The specific manifestations include the lack of comprehensive supervision by government departments over the development and utilization of rural cultural resources, or the restriction of the freedom of individual inheritors or groups of rural ICH in their lives and cultural innovations. The lack of discourse power of the main force of rural ICH protection directly affects the inheritance and protection of ICH.

5.1 Resources and scientific planning: Achieving the comprehensive development of ICH and tourism resources

Beijing has abundant ICH tourism resources, outstanding local characteristics, and great development potential, but its regional development plans are not balanced. in the development of ICH tourism, Beijing should focus on overcoming administrative boundaries, reinforcing the integration of surrounding tourism resources, and preventing the fragmentation of scattered tourism resources through the organic integration of various ICH resources. Intangible cultural heritage possesses the characteristics of ‘one place, one specialty, one region, and one product’. Therefore, in the process of resource utilization, it is imperative to adhere to the principle of adapting measures to local conditions and coordinated protection. This requires a market-oriented and resource-oriented approach, emphasizing diversified, multi-directional, and characteristic development. Formulating differentiated functions and formats for the development of ICH tourism becomes crucial. As an example, concerning geographical scope, the establishment of boutique routes for ICH themed tourism involves stringing together different styles and types of ICH in each district based on their geographical distribution. This approach results in a series of themed tourism products, including folk tourism, creative exhibitions, and cultural performances. Such initiatives not only allow tourists to experience the allure of diverse ICH but also foster the vibrant development of the cultural tourism industry. Additionally, it stimulates rural tourism consumption, contributing to the expansion of the influence and appeal of ICH.

5.2 Market and model innovation: Enhancing the utilization rate of non-heritage industries

At present, the development mode of ICH tourism has reached a level of maturity and can be categorized into various types such as museums, cultural festivals, performing arts, theme spaces (theme blocks, theme parks), tourism commodities, film and television development, and theme tourism routes. Intangible cultural heritage, intertwined with modern life, has evolved into a cultural tourism product popular among tourists. In terms of model innovation, there is an opportunity to actively promote a new model of agricultural cultural heritage tourism, fostering the formation of an integrated industrial chain involving ‘agriculture, culture, and tourism’. Within the context of the rural revitalization strategy, the promotion of this ‘new model’ of agricultural cultural heritage tourism allows tourists to learn and experience traditional agricultural knowledge and technology. It aims to raise awareness of the value of traditional agricultural culture and safeguard the traditional knowledge, technology, and folk culture dispersed in rural areas (Hsu et al., 2022). At the same time, it also has a sustained and stable positive impact on the development of rural revitalization. For example, Pinggu District of Beijing has a good ecological resource endowment, and the superior ecological environment is indirectly transformed into the material basis of tourism resources and attractions in the process of tourism development. Pinggu Sizuolou hemp walnut has a long history, the hemp walnut tree has an important agricultural culture. In 2015, the “Beijing Pinggu Sizuolou Hemp Walnut Production System” was recognized by the Ministry of Agriculture as an important agricultural cultural element in China. Taking the Sizuolou hemp walnuts as a starting point, the production of cultural walnuts and the development of agricultural cultural heritage tourism can expand the brand influence of the Sizuolou hemp walnuts and realize the promotion of rural revitalization with cultural industries.

5.3 Products and gradient development: Fostering the productive safeguarding

China has put forward the idea of productive protection of ICH. This is a protection method of transforming ICH and its resources into cultural products through production, circulation, and sales. A certain degree of commercialization is required to make the cultural value of ICH known to tourists. The theory of gradient development originated from the “industrial production life cycle theory” in the United States (Vernon, 1966). However, exploiting ICH tourism resources blindly may lead to excessive commercialization, thereby distorting the original ecological ICH. There is an imbalance in the level of economic and technological development in different regions in Beijing, which makes the integration effect of ICH and tourism different from those of tourism itself. Consequently, the protection and development of ICH can be achieved through gradient divisions. This entails the development of tourism products at different gradient levels, focusing on the characteristics of various regions and types of intangible cultural heritage. The approach involves a hierarchical and tailored development, aiming to establish a systematic hierarchy of gradient tourism products. This development idea is in line with the concept of productive protection of “transforming ICH resources into cultural products”, which is conducive to promoting the comprehensive development of Beijing's tourism product system, improving the system and structure of tourism products, and promoting the comprehensive and coordinated development of Beijing's cultural tourism industry.

5.4 Policy: Implementing precision policies to ensure targeted support

The characteristics of ICH render its form, type, and other aspects more complex than material cultural heritage. This complexity poses challenges in adopting comprehensive protection measures and methods. Consequently, in terms of policy implementation, it becomes imperative to scientifically and reasonably classify and develop protection measures and means for specific forms and types. Implementing a classified management approach can more effectively protect ICH. Dynamic monitoring establishes a mechanism for law enforcement and inspection of intangible cultural heritage and supervises and inspects the implementation of laws and regulations. On the other hand, it is necessary to maintain a focus on representative items of ICH in Beijing that are on the brink of extinction and difficult to inherit. Government departments should focus on exploring the implementation of various policies such as special fund assistance, the income status of intangible cultural heritage inheritors, and whether subsequent support is in place. Each regional administrative department should also regularly verify and dynamically adjust the information on the protection of ICH in the region. For facing challenges in the protection of unstable ICH and limited income generation capabilities for ICH inheritors, it is crucial to identify and subsequently enhance support measures.