Red Tourism in Rural Beijing: The Hierarchical Governance and Grassroots Community Engagement

Red tourism is a top-down ideological infusion by the Chinese Communist Party into heritage tourism in rural China. Its target has recently included Rural Revitalization and Rural Poverty Alleviation programs. This Chapter uses a case study to examine the response of Pinggu District villagers in rural Beijing in promoting and safeguarding their “red heritage” through lobbying and marketing. Research questions are raised to address the socio-economic and institutional factors that have influenced the relationship between the top-down hierarchical governance and the bottom-up response and engagement of the rural community in practice. An in-depth study is undertaken as to how a deep-mountain poorly equipped Taopeng Village with less than 100 rural households has been miraculously branded a shining star in such a red tourism development. The analysis provides an unconventional yardstick of star branding in the assessment of rural tourism development and practice in China.