Abstract:

Abstract: Dunhuang, a small-scale inland city in western China, has transformed from a traditional agricultural county to an international tourist city, a platform for world cultural exchanges, and a node city along the Belt and Road, which mainly relies on its unique and brilliant resources Mogao Grottoes, Dunhuang culture, and state policy of economic reform and open up. As a tourism governance model with a cultural position and unique resource endowment, this provides a unique perspective and rethinking for existing urban tourism governance and modernization transformation research. Thus, based on interview recording texts, various statistical data and the qualitative method of actor network, the emphasis of this study lies in the process of Dunhuang tourism construction and governance and the governance mechanism at different stages. The main conclusions are as follows: 1) Dunhuang's tourism governance has mainly experienced four stages, that is, the flooding of inbound tourists, massive construction of tourism infrastructure, centralized operation of the tourism market and development driven by international mega-events. Additoonally, the tourism machanism can be divided into two periods of world cultural heritage sites, centralized operation, and urban marketing. Specifically, the development pathway is that Dunhuang's world cultural heritage tourism is initially driven by global visits and international hospitality. Subsequently, the international tourism boom promotes notable urban transformation and centrilized governance. Ultimately its urban transformation and cultural stock repackaging fed back afresh urban tourism and marketing; 2) In the construction stage of world cultural heritage sites, the global popularity of Mogao Grottoes and Dunhuang culture attracts large-scale inbound tourists, city government and Dunhuang Academy mobilize other actors to form an interests' lliance to realize the supply of Dunhuang tourism needs; 3) In the stage of centralized operation and city marketing, the city government monopolizes the city-owned tourism resources for centralized market operation. Equally important, in respond to One Belt and One Road and Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Cultural Expo, the city government develops Dunhuang cultural tourism through the governance mechanism, and establishes a key node city on the Silk Road and an international tourist city. Dissent and barganining mainly revolve around market regulation and profit distribution, land utilization, sustainable livelihoods of residents, and resource redevelopment; and 4) four driving forces promote Dunhuang tourism govrnance, Unique Resource Driven Heritage Tourism and Transformation Route in Dunhuang, unique tourism resource and cultural stock facilitate urban heritage tourism and transformation route in dunhuang, Dunhuang Academy invigorates the vitality and sustainability of Dunhuang grotto tourism, market accelerates the social participation and tourism provision, different levels of government lead the centrilized governance and the stock development of Dunhuang cultural assets.

Key words: tourism governance, unique resources, actors network, Dunhuang, urban transformation