Rural tourism service cognition identification and management in non-optimal tourism district: a case study of moutuo community of qiang minorities, southwestern China

The supply chain services of rural tourism in non-optimal tourism districts(NTDs) receive more attention for increasingly social needs. This paper proposes the appraisal hierarchy system of rural tourism service(RTS) in NTD by using methods of the participatory rural tourism appraisal and analytic hierarchy process. The related RTS problems including the cognition, developing potential, developing strategies and operational mechanism are discussed. The results manifest that the complex interest relationships were performed in the chain services of rural tourism. The interest demands and social backgrounds of tourists, intermedia and developers affect the developing state cognition developing strategies and operation mechanism of RTS. The tourists' demands affect the kinds of RTS supply and its development, and decide the quality of intermediate services. Community-based partnerships and regional cooperation in internal and external operation mechanism will promise a sustainable future and conquer non-optimal characteristics of NTD in Moutuo community. Therefore, the polycentric management including the joint decision-making of stake-holders, intermediate propaganda, regional cooperation and image promotion should be introduced to RTS, which also can balance the relationships of conservation and development and optimal supply chain services in RTS.