Barriers to the Development of Art Tourism in Jingdezhen—The Perspective of the ‘Jingpiao’ Community

Abstract

Jingdezhen, renowned as the cradle of Chinese ceramic art, has embraced new opportunities in the realm of art tourism amidst the global tourism boom. Nonetheless, this growth trajectory is fraught with challenges. This study aims to delve into the obstacles encountered in the development of art tourism in Jingdezhen and to identify the critical influencing factors through qualitative research methods, particularly grounded theory. By conducting in-depth interviews with ‘Jingpiao’ artists who have worked in the art industry in Jingdezhen for three years or more and have interacted with tourists, this research reveals that economic, infrastructure, human resources, government attitude, policy and regulation, promotion, and transportation are significant factors affecting the development of art tourism in Jingdezhen. These factors intertwine to form a complex system that impacts the sustainable development of art tourism in the region. The findings underscore the need for concerted efforts among government, businesses, and artists to optimise these key factors, thereby creating a more conducive environment for the development of art tourism in Jingdezhen. Moreover, this study offers valuable insights and lessons for the development of art tourism in other regions.

1. Introduction

The relationship between tourism and art is deeply intertwined. Many artistic creations are influenced by travel, and travel is inspired by art [1]. Most tourism studies consider art as a form of cultural tourism [2]. Art tourism is a niche form of travel where art serves as the primary motivator, requiring new products and innovation to thrive in the competitive tourism market [3].

From a marketing theory perspective, art conveys symbolic information that shapes the meaning of a city for individuals (i.e., the city’s brand meaning), aiding in the co-creation of a city’s brand and advancing city branding efforts. In other words, a city with unique artistic resources can attract tourists and contribute to its branding [4].

From an economic standpoint, art tourism, as a form of travel, can promote economic development by attracting more visitors to a destination [3]. Many cities and regions worldwide have capitalised on the use of art to attract tourists, leading to the development of the tourism industry. In cities such as Berlin, London, Buenos Aires, Philadelphia, and Lisbon, urban art is a fundamental component of the city’s landscape and identity. The touristification of urban art involves multiple social participants and is a relatively recent trend in the tourism industry, with art tourism experiencing exponential growth [5].

The opening of the Museum of Old and New Art in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia in 2011 serves as a good example of the influence of new art museums and art tourism on remote areas [6]. The museum has had a significant effect on Tasmania’s tourism industry. That is, according to the Tasmanian Tourism Office, international tourism to Tasmania grew by 21.8% within a year, a growth rate more than double that of any other state. Previously, many believed that art tourism was primarily directed towards major art centres (e.g., Rome, Naples, Athens, Paris, New York and London) and the types of places and locations that attracted tourists. However, for contemporary art, art tourists are willing to venture to more remote social peripheries, such as remote Japanese islands, wilderness areas in China, islands near Australia and the high desert areas of Texas or Nevada [6].

Even though the museums in the Piedmont region of Italy are located in small cities, their unique artistic and historical heritage, when combined with nearby major cities, can generate indirect network advantages, significantly promoting the local economy through art tourism [7]. Previous studies have indicated that the future trend in art tourism may not necessarily focus on traditional major cities; instead, tourists interested in art tourism may be more inclined to visit small cities with a rich artistic heritage [6,7].

The various local governments in China are vigorously integrating the cultural and tourism industries. The “Jingpiao” community refers to nonlocal individuals attracted to Jingdezhen due to its unique artistic atmosphere and historical cultural heritage, engaging in artistic creation and related art industry work. Their arrival has injected fresh creativity into Jingdezhen’s artistic industry. The combination of ‘Jingpiao’ artistic creativity with Jingdezhen’s ceramic production industry chain and technology has facilitated rapid development in the city’s artistic industry in recent years [8]. This industry advantage has given Jingdezhen a competitive edge in developing ceramic art tourism. In recent years, leveraging its cultural heritage in ceramics, Jingdezhen has made numerous investments and undertaken initiatives to promote art tourism. However, this development model is relatively rare nationwide, and the integration of art and tourism industries faces several challenges. From 2014 to 2019, Jingdezhen’s tourism market exhibited a stable growth trend. After the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020 to 2022, the tourism market in Jingdezhen was exceptionally vibrant in 2023, surpassing the levels of growth seen in 2019. During the 2023 Labor Day holiday, Jingdezhen received a total of 5.23 million visitors, a 208% year-on-year increase, with total tourism revenue reaching 6.8 billion yuan, a 212% year-on-year increase (Figure 1) [9]. It can be observed that, notwithstanding the impact of the three-year pandemic, the tourism industry in Jingdezhen has generally exhibited a trend of rapid development. However, with this accelerated growth, numerous new issues have emerged, presenting obstacles to further development.

Following the Song Dynasty, Jingdezhen produced porcelain for the imperial court. In the Yuan Dynasty, a dedicated department of the imperial court was responsible for designing ceramics, which were then produced in Jingdezhen. This department determined the ceramics’ style, patterns and designs [10]. Therefore, Jingdezhen’s production techniques were highly advanced, reaching their peak during the Ming Dynasty. The development of culture also led to changes in people’s aesthetic appreciation of ceramics, with the aesthetic tastes of the rulers significantly influencing folk ceramics. In the 21st century, Jingdezhen’s exquisite ceramic production techniques have been preserved. However, due to the city’s lack of contemporary ceramic design over its millennia-long history, in the early 21st century, the ceramic styles in Jingdezhen mainly retained ancient design elements, especially blue and white porcelain, famille rose and monochrome glaze ceramics. The emerging market was not markedly sensitive to these ancient styles [11]. Since 2010, the large number of members of the ‘Jingpiao’ community who have arrived in Jingdezhen have brought new artistic styles and aesthetics to its ceramics. The ‘Jingpiao’ community has facilitated the integration of Jingdezhen’s ceramic manufacturing techniques with external designs, resulting in the diverse ceramic forms and patterns seen in Jingdezhen today. The Jingdezhen government has fully integrated ceramic cultural resources, creating ceramic-themed areas. Jingdezhen has utilised the sites of old kilns, factories and workshops to establish a cluster of ceramic artist creative studios, represented by Taoxichuan, Sculpture Porcelain Factory and Sanbao Ceramic Art Village, and developed a ceramic cultural and creative industry cluster, represented by the Ceramic Industrial Park and Xindu Private Ceramic Park. The city’s main attraction for tourists is ceramic art, meaning that almost all visitors to Jingdezhen are related to art tourism. However, due to the recent surge in tourism in Jingdezhen, several issues in the development of art tourism have arisen that may cause certain difficulties for tourists and the community of artists.

The development of art tourism has garnered attention from researchers worldwide. Numerous studies have analysed art tourism from various research perspectives. Mura et al. [12] explored the relationship between art tourism and urban development in Abu Dhabi through the lens of local entrepreneurs by engaging in dialogue with them. Similarly, Luo et al. [13] examined how storytelling in performing arts within art tourism facilitates the advancement of sustainable tourism. Investigating the barriers to tourism development has emerged as a popular research approach in recent years. In tourism-related research, some literature has also examined the development barriers in various types of tourism. Chen et al. [14] examined the development of convention tourism in Macau and found that its main obstacles are the economy, capacity, infrastructure, human resources, the market, tourism resources and attractions, policies and regulations, and transportation. Heung et al. [15] studied the barriers that restrict the development of medical tourism in Hong Kong and found that investment, promotional activities and communication skills restrict the development of medical tourism in Hong Kong. Momeni et al. [16] also studied medical tourism, selected Azerbaijan as the target, and finally concluded that the development barriers were similar to those of Hong Kong.

However, current research related to tourism often concentrates on the exploration of barriers to development in other types of tourism, such as medical tourism, wellness tourism, and MICE tourism, with relatively less attention being paid to the study of art tourism. Therefore, to address this gap in the literature, the present study focuses on the barriers to the development of art tourism in Jingdezhen. Factors such as governmental attitudes, policies and regulations, human resources, infrastructure, and the economy are scrutinised. The research contributes in two significant ways. Firstly, it analyses and reveals the barriers to the development of art tourism in Jingdezhen. Secondly, this study offers valuable insights for cities, regions or nations attempting to develop art tourism.

Investigating the factors that impede the development of the tourism industry is of great importance for a region, as it can aid in enhancing local tourism revenue as well as the level of urban planning and construction. Building upon the research context outlined above, this study poses the following research questions: What are the barriers hindering the development of the art tourism industry in Jingdezhen? What are the primary barriers to development? What connections exist between these barriers? How can these obstacles be ameliorated in future development? This study aims to investigate, analyse and interpret the factors influencing the current development of art tourism in Jingdezhen. Primary data are collected from the ‘Jingpiao’ community, an important component of art tourism. The interview targets for this study are individuals working in the art industry within the ‘Jingpiao’ community. The results of this study will contribute to understanding the obstacles facing the development of art tourism in Jingdezhen. This paper initially defines art tourism and analyses the current development status of art tourism in Jingdezhen through interviews with the ‘Jingpiao’ community. Subsequently, it discusses the qualitative research methods employed in this study and analyses the collected data. Finally, it identifies the obstacles to the development of art tourism in Jingdezhen and proposes a theoretical framework.

2. Literature Review

2.1. ‘Jingpiao’ Community

The concept of ‘Jingpiao’ is introduced by analogy with the ‘Beijing drifters’ or ‘beipiao’. The phrase ‘Beijing drifters’ refers to people from all over the country who come to Beijing to work and seek employment without Beijing household registration, mostly young people [17]. In the past, the Chinese government and official media have used this term on multiple occasions. ‘Jingpiao’ is a new concept that gradually emerged after 2010, referring to people from outside the area who come to Jingdezhen due to their love or curiosity for art and choose to live in Jingdezhen because of its artistic atmosphere [10]. The president of the Hong Kong Leitai Pottery Society, Zheng Yi, leased an old sculpture porcelain factory in 2005 and transformed it into the base of the Letian Pottery Workshop, marking the beginning of the ‘Jingpiao’ community [18]. The ‘Jingpiao’ community mainly includes three categories of people: (1) outsider artists, art enthusiasts and shop and workshop owners who consider themselves artists; (2) Jingdezhen native college graduates who start businesses in Jingdezhen; and (3) merchants from outside Jingdezhen and workshop owners, craftsmen and workers from the surrounding areas of Jingdezhen [17].

According to official data from the Jingdezhen government, more than 30,000 artists and ceramic enthusiasts from domestic and international origins are currently engaged in innovation, entrepreneurship and creation in Jingdezhen, amongst whom over 5000 are foreign ‘Jingpiao’ [10], with the majority coming from Europe, America and Japan. The main reasons why the ‘Jingpiao’ are willing to come to Jingdezhen include low entrepreneurial thresholds, low investment costs, comprehensive supporting services and a favourable market situation. Jingdezhen has a thousand years of ceramic culture, and its handmade ceramic craftsmanship is listed in the national intangible cultural heritage protection directory. In addition, Jingdezhen has a high-tech ceramic development zone, planned and developed by the municipal government; various large ceramic markets; an annual international ceramic expo; and the only national ceramic university, Jingdezhen Ceramic University. The city also provides a space for the exchange and collision of Chinese and foreign ceramic art and culture (Leitai Pottery Society, Sanbao Ceramic Art Village). Various creative studios are available, allowing people to interact with, make and live with ceramics [19].

Franklin [3] believed that in, the process of academic research, art tourism should be separated from cultural tourism. He also expressed the belief that the ‘colonisation’ of a region by artists can affect the influx of tourists to that area, a consideration that was relatively rare in previous studies. Other studies have mentioned the concept of ‘artistic colonisation’, suggesting that the role of artistic colonisation is to help underdeveloped areas lacking in art become art colonies that can attract tourists [20]. However, in the research on Jingdezhen, given its status as a city with a history of ceramic art spanning thousands of years, the arrival of the ‘Jingpiao’ is not similar to the artistic colonisation mentioned in previous studies, but rather a form of artistic inheritance and advancement. In this city, with its rich artistic heritage, outsider artists combine local artistic genes with external ideas, allowing local art to reach new heights. This comparison with current research is highly unique. Furthermore, the influx of “Jingpiao” has significantly contributed to the sustainable development of Jingdezhen’s art tourism. By continuously introducing new artistic perspectives and creating a dynamic environment of innovation, the “Jingpiao” community ensures that Jingdezhen remains an attractive destination for art tourists. This constant renewal of creative output not only enhances the city’s appeal but also supports its long-term sustainability as a hub for art tourism. Thus, the presence of “Jingpiao” artists is crucial in maintaining the vibrancy and relevance of Jingdezhen’s art scene, ensuring its ongoing success in the global art tourism market [21]. This comparison with current research is highly unique. This study, drawing on some features of artistic colonisation, argues that the ‘Jingpiao’, as a group of outsider artists, play a role in attracting art tourists to Jingdezhen. As the porcelain capital, Jingdezhen’s art content and travel souvenirs are inseparable from ceramic art, and the creators of ceramic art are the local community of artists in Jingdezhen. Therefore, the community of artists often communicates and interacts with art tourists during the creation, production and sales processes [18]. They also have a particularly significant impact on the government’s policies in art tourism. As a result, the interview targets of this paper are all artists in the ceramic industry. Particularly, this study analyses the improvements and shortcomings in art industry policies and the environment in Jingdezhen in recent years from the perspective of artists, and also considers the experience of art tourists in Jingdezhen. At present, most of the research targets of cultural and art tourism are tourist groups at the demand end [22]. Given that art tourism has only begun to be studied separately in recent years, the ‘Jingpiao’ community stands out amongst other art communities due to its unique characteristics: a large population, a wide range of sources and a reverse journey from big cities to small cities to pursue artistic creation [14]. Different from local artists, the ‘Jingpiao’ community has a more objective view of Jingdezhen and a different perspective. This study can provide a way of thinking about the future research of urban art tourism and reflect the development of urban art tourism from the perspective of the ‘scene drift’ artists at the supply end. At the same time, given the limited studies on China’s art tourism, this paper represents a unique study, focusing on China’s small towns.

In comparing our methodology with existing research, we find parallels and distinctions with other models of art tourism promotion. For instance, Harvey et al. proposed a model of “creative clusters” where artists and cultural producers congregate in specific urban areas, thereby enhancing the city’s appeal as an art destination [23]. Our model similarly highlights the importance of artistic communities (such as the ‘Jingpiao’ in Jingdezhen); however, it diverges by specifically focusing on the role of outsider artists in a city historically known for a single art form—porcelain sculpture. Unlike Harvey’s model, which suggests the broad integration of multiple art forms and industries, our approach narrows its focus to the unique dynamics of a single-genre art community.

Additionally, the framework proposed by Richards emphasises community engagement and the integration of local culture [24], which resonates with our analysis of the ‘Jingpiao’ community. Their study indicates that artists significantly enhance the appeal of tourism destinations by enriching local culture. However, unlike Richards’ model, our approach focuses more on how outsider artists facilitate the inheritance of and innovation in local art by introducing new artistic perspectives. This distinct emphasis adds unique value to our methodology regarding the exploration of sustainability within art communities.

2.2. Art Tourism Development

The relationship between art and tourism has been evident for a long time, being a trend in Europe since the Renaissance. In ancient China, poets, writers and artists enjoyed travelling to admire great art from the past. With the continuous development of transportation and technological progress, the relationship between art and tourism has become closer.

Figure 2 illustrates the relationship between art tourism and several other forms of tourism. In this diagram, art tourism overlaps with cultural tourism, indicating that it is a subset of cultural tourism but not entirely encompassed by it. Heritage tourism overlaps with both cultural and art tourism, suggesting that it involves aspects related to history and culture while also constituting its own distinct domain. Creative tourism stands independently but partially overlaps with art and cultural tourism, emphasising creation and participation.

For a city aiming to develop art tourism, pure artistic elements alone cannot sufficiently establish a core tourist destination. Despite being a city rich in history and artistic ambiance, Athens, which successfully hosted the 2004 Olympics, should thrive in terms of art tourism. However, due to government debt crises, inadequate strategic planning, and a lack of proper management, maintenance and supporting service industries, Athens’ attractiveness to tourists has waned, leading to a continuous decline in its tourism industry [25]. Therefore, the development of art tourism not only requires a city to have a certain artistic heritage but also necessitates the provision of good services in terms of the government supporting industries. The combination of these factors can make a city’s art attractive to tourists.

Furthermore, when the government is willing to invest more in art tourism, it can attract more artists to integrate into the art tourism industry. The capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Abu Dhabi, aims to position itself as the region’s centre for art and culture. Despite a lack of artistic ambiance in the past and the country’s relatively short 50-year history, after the completion of the new Louvre Museum in Abu Dhabi, the UAE vigorously supported the art industry. Many foreign artists have settled in Abu Dhabi and engaged in artistic creation, with the majority of them holding an optimistic attitude towards the future of art tourism [20].

In previous studies on tourism, art tourism has often been considered a subset of cultural tourism. However, as research progresses, contemporary scholars are inclined to distinguish between the two. Cultural tourism refers to people travelling to view and explore the culture of other ethnic groups. Cultural tourism has been widely studied and has many definitions. Generally, cultural tourism can be divided into two types: the first type refers to people travelling to view and explore the lifestyles, habits, clothing, food, behaviour and ways of life of the people at the destination [26]; the second type includes visiting museums, galleries, opera houses and other art institutions [27,28], as well as art events. This type of cultural tourism is closest to the definition of art tourism. Cultural tourism is often conceptualised as being embedded in local lifestyles and traditions, whereas art tourism can involve visiting a place to see modern art (e.g., the newly opened Louvre Abu Dhabi), unrelated to the local culture. The motivation for visiting museums is partly cultural and partly related to entertainment [25]. Some scholars have also argued that art and cultural tourism should be separated in academic research because they do not have a simple relationship in terms of inclusion [3]. Art tourism is not a new phenomenon and has often been mentioned in previous studies of cultural tourism; however, as an independent form of tourism, it has been relatively overlooked. In the past 20 years, an increasing number of articles have been published, indicating a growing interest amongst scholars in understanding the relationship between art and tourism [22]. At the same time, research has found that in many places, strategic and financial resources have flowed into the development of luxury hotels rather than art. As a result, artists who were once driving new tourist flows have themselves been driven out by rising rents and a lack of studio space [3].

The expansion of the tourism industry in Jingdezhen has resolved many social issues, boosted the local economy and facilitated cultural dissemination. Over the past two to three decades, governments across China have recognised the importance of tourism to local economies. Sharma [29] identified limited information, awareness and funding as the most significant barriers to the growth of the tourism industry. Mishra et al. [30] suggested that policy and regulation, government support, insurance, marketing, international relations, and travel convenience, as well as factors such as religion, culture and language, can restrict a country’s international travel development.

The literature related to tourism has also examined the obstacles encountered in the development of various types of tourism. Jena et al. [31] discovered that the factors impeding the development of rural tourism in India can be categorised into socioeconomic and natural factors. Socioeconomic factors include elements such as the natural environment, historical and cultural heritage, and demographic, economic and sociopolitical conditions. Natural factors comprise climatic conditions, flora, and fauna. Rokni et al. [32], through their research on medical tourism in Korea, concluded that policy making, government regulations, expertise, promotion, communication skills and language are the five primary factors impeding the development of medical tourism in Korea.

The above literature suggests that various tourism sectors may face different barriers to development. In recent years, art tourism in Jingdezhen has developed rapidly. Unfortunately, almost no research has focused on the main obstacles to the development of art tourism in Jingdezhen. Therefore, this study investigates this gap in the literature.

Given the dearth of research exploring the factors affecting the development of art tourism in Jingdezhen, this study proposes a theoretical model, elucidating the formation of art tourism development based on a literature review. This model includes the following components: the economy, human resources, government attitude, infrastructure, promotion, policy and regulation, and transportation.

3. Research Method

3.1. Qualitative Research Approach

This study adopts a qualitative approach. Compared to other scholars employing quantitative methods in their research on cultural tourism, our qualitative approach allows for a deeper understanding of individual artists’ experiences and perspectives. This comparison not only highlights the uniqueness of our study but also underscores the need for a multidimensional perspective in understanding the complexities of art tourism. Generally, qualitative research refers to a type of study that is conducted without statistical or quantifiable methods [33]. When variables related to a study are difficult to measure or describe, qualitative research is typically employed. Moreover, when research in a particular field is relatively limited and a study itself is exploratory, grounded theory is commonly used [34]. The focus of this study is on art tourism, which has been relatively under-researched, particularly outside of China. Moreover, Jingdezhen is a small city in China that has only recently experienced rapid growth in its tourism industry, and it possesses unique artistic heritage and characteristics within the country. Thus, research on tourism in Jingdezhen is considerably limited. Therefore, art tourism in Jingdezhen can be considered a new area that has not been fully researched, and this study is exploratory in nature.

Grounded theory helps researchers to understand categories and construct connections and relationships between categories. It provides an explanatory framework to help understand the phenomenon under study. Researchers using grounded theory employ key strategies to identify, refine and integrate categories and ultimately develop a theory. These strategies include constant comparative analysis, theoretical sampling and theoretical coding [35]. This study employs grounded theory.

3.2. Object Selection

On the basis of a review of the current literature related to artists and the tourism industry, as well as research materials on art tourism, the key issues in the present study were identified. These key issues primarily involve factors that influence the development of art tourism in a particular region.

To conduct this study, qualitative data were collected through in-depth interviews with the Jingpiao of the art tourism industry in Jingdezhen. The interviewees were required to meet the following criteria: (1) they have had interactions with tourists visiting Jingdezhen for art tourism, and (2) they have been engaged in art-related work in Jingdezhen for more than two years. The sampling method included purposive and snowball sampling. The interviewees were introduced through the management of a ceramic art college in Jingdezhen and, after obtaining permission from the school’s management, several artists were invited for interviews. Initially, a preliminary group discussion was conducted with them to discuss the themes of the future interviews. Through their introductions, additional members of the Jingpiao population were approached to achieve the snowball sampling objective. In the end, a total of 17 interviewees participated in the in-depth interviews, including young people who came to Jingdezhen to study ceramics and fine arts and stayed to work, freelance artists who came to Jingdezhen for art research and creation, and art teachers.

The interviews used a semi-structured format to understand the current status of art tourism development in Jingdezhen. Given that art tourism is a relatively new concept, the interviewees were informed of the definition of art tourism before the interviews began. The questions during the interviews were open-ended and mainly focused on various dimensions related to the development of art tourism, including government attitudes, supporting facilities, human resources, cultural atmosphere, media promotion, policies, restrictions, and legal regulations.

The interview questions are provided in

Table 1. Interview questions.

Definition of art tourism: Tourist activities for tourists to observe, feel and experience art. In this questionnaire, for example, the purpose of travelling to Jingdezhen is to buy ceramics, visit museums, visit art exhibitions, make ceramics and engage in other art-related behaviours considered as art tourism [22].

1 What role do you think the Jingdezhen government has played in the development of the art industry in recent years?

2 What do you think of Jingdezhen’s supporting facilities related to art tourism?

3 How do you think the employment situation related to the art tourism industry in Jingdezhen?

4 What do you think of the experience of tourists in art tourism in Jingdezhen?

5 What do you think Jingdezhen is doing in promoting art tourism?

6 How do you evaluate the current control regulations and laws related to art tourism?

7 What are your thoughts on the future development of art tourism in Jingdezhen?

. Each interview was conducted by one interviewer, and all interviews were conducted one-on-one. The form of the interview was decided by the interviewees, who could choose either offline face-to-face interviews or online interviews via WeChat video. Eight interviewees chose face-to-face interviews offline, and nine interviewees chose to conduct interviews via WeChat video. The interviews lasted 30–50 min. After informing the interviewees that the interviews were for academic purposes only and obtaining their permission, recording devices were used to record the interviews, and the recordings were transcribed and organised after the interviews. After the transcription, the records were sent to the interviewees via WeChat to inquire if any ambiguities existed, and all records remained consistent with the interviewees’ responses.

3.3. Data Analysis

Data analysis was conducted in three stages. In the first stage, the interview recordings were transcribed into text form. Any dialect variants or foreign language phrases were also transcribed into Chinese and then calibrated. Subsequently, a review was conducted to check for data redundancy. If some elements could be classified or determined, a third party was consulted for their opinion. The definitions of concepts and professional terms in the art industry were also established from the interviews. If no new information was obtained, then the review was concluded [36]. Finally, the transcribed and validated interview data were categorised.

The second stage of data analysis was the initial coding phase. Open coding was used to identify variations within categories and combine closely related categories with overlapping findings. Two researchers were involved in the coding process, carefully interpreting and cross-validating these categories. During the open coding process, the researchers read through the organised materials multiple times and further analysed the content of each interview. Then, each researcher compared and refined the research findings, thereby developing subcategories.

In the third stage, further coding was employed to refine the results from the first two stages. Subcategories were synthesised to determine the relationships between themes, categories, and pending themes [33]. In this process, the information provided by different interviewees was compared with that obtained from the interviews. Subsequently, secondary documents were analysed to validate the identification of themes and major categories [37]. After identifying and re-examining the relationships between coding and themes, a theoretical framework was ultimately produced.

4. Findings and Discussion

4.1. Characteristics of Participants

In this study, data were collected through interviews with the Jingpiao artist community in Jingdezhen.

Table 2. Characteristics of the participants.

Number	Number of Years in Jingdezhen	From	Occupation
1	10	Japan	ceramist
2	19	Inner Mongolia Province	ceramic painter
3	10	Hebei province	ceramist
4	6	Ji’an city	ceramic painter
5	4	Liaoning province	ceramic painter
6	3	Yunnan province	ceramic painter
7	3	Yunnan province	ceramic painter
8	10	Zhejiang province	pottery teacher
9	15	Anhui province	pottery teacher
10	20	Shangrao city	art teacher
11	10	Zhejiang province	art teacher
12	2	Jiujiang city	pottery teacher
13	14	Shangrao city	ceramic painter
14	7	Shangrao city	Chinese painter
15	20	Shangrao city	ceramic painter and ceramist
16	3	Yunnan province	ceramic painter
17	3	Ganzhou city	ceramic painter

outlines the profile of the interviewees, indicating that all of them are not native to Jingdezhen but have moved there from other places. The interviewees have been working in Jingdezhen for at least 2 years, with over half of them having worked there for more than 10 years. Their occupations mainly include ceramists, ceramic painters and pottery teachers—positions related to the arts.

4.2. Themes and Framework of the Study

The content analysis results revealed specific themes in this study, which were grouped and quantified into subthemes.

Table 3. Results of content analysis.

Themes	Subthemes	Frequency
Economy	High living cost	7
	High store rent	4
	High price level	5
Human Resources	Few jobs in the arts	3
	Lack of talent in tourism	5
Government attitude	Insufficient official urban publicity	9
	Policy implementation is inadequate	11
	Conservative government strategy	8
Infrastructure	Unreasonable market distribution	5
	Insufficient tourism facilities	10
	Scenic spots homogenization	5
	Gallery shortage	6
Promotion	Insufficient urban brand construction	7
	Insufficient cultural content	7
	Artistic development is not diversified enough	9
Policy and regulation	Environmental protection issue	4
	Lack of intellectual property protection	6
	Artwork sales confusion	11
Transportation	Traffic management	13
	Insufficient public transport	5

presents the main themes and subthemes of this study, along with their frequencies. On the basis of the data obtained, a theme-based framework was designed to describe their relationships. Figure 3 illustrates the obstacle framework for the development of art tourism in Jingdezhen. Evidently, the economy, human resources, government attitude, infrastructure, promotion, policy and regulation, and transportation were considered the primary obstacles to development. In Figure 3, solid arrows represent direct factors influencing art tourism, whereas dashed arrows represent the interrelationships between factors. For example, an interviewee stated that ‘The government’s attitude sets the direction for investment and construction. In recent years, the government has vigorously developed the tourism industry, building many tourist facilities and attracting many visitors. However, I believe that Jingdezhen still lacks diverse art galleries for tourists to appreciate’. On the basis of this example, it can be seen that infrastructure construction and government attitude directly affect the development of art tourism (solid arrows), and the government’s attitude affects the construction of technical facilities (dashed arrow).

4.3. Barriers for Art Tourism

The seven factors shown in Table 3 are the main obstacles to the development of art tourism in Jingdezhen. These factors include the economy, human resources, government attitude, infrastructure, promotion, policy and regulation, and transportation, which will be discussed below.

4.3.1. Economy

Tourism can make economic and social contributions to the relevant communities, and the results are both beneficial and costly to the local people [38]. The rapid rise in daily expenses such as food will reduce tourists’ willingness to visit and will impact the sustainable development of local tourism [39]. In recent years, the rapid development of tourism in Jingdezhen has resulted in a quick surge in the cost of housing and shop rents, especially near popular tourist attractions and markets. Interviewee 1 mentioned the efforts of the Jingdezhen government to create the Taoxichuan Creative District, which has attracted many tourists. However, the high rent has made it unaffordable for many Jingpiao, and now more of the shops in the creative district have turned into restaurants, leading to a lack of diversified cultural development in the area. Furthermore, given the government’s renovation of many old neighbourhoods, rents in areas where Jingpiao like to gather, such as Sanbao Village, have risen rapidly, forcing these artists to move to remote rural areas to reduce accommodation costs. Interviewee 10 also pointed out that the high shop rents in Jingdezhen have led to an overall increase in the city’s price levels, particularly in the prices of dining and accommodation. During holidays, rampant inflation in dining and accommodation greatly diminishes the experience of out-of-town tourists and affects the lives of local residents. This inflation not only affects the quality of life for residents but also discourages repeat visits from tourists, posing a threat to the sustainable growth of the tourism industry. Through analysis, it was found that the issues related to the local economy primarily stem from the rapid increase in housing prices. The root cause of this rapid increase in housing prices is the “land finance” policy adopted by the local government to boost government revenue [40]. This policy has increased government revenue, enabling better investment in areas such as infrastructure development. However, it has also led to issues such as rising housing prices and inflation.

4.3.2. Human Resources

Many destination tourism development plans do not pay attention to human resource development, and the development of tourism forms is not in line with the existing human resource capabilities, making it difficult for local people to participate in tourism. This situation can result in a low sense of participation in the tourism industry amongst local residents [41]. Research has demonstrated that higher education institutions can promote local development through tourism education [42]. Several interviewees mentioned the lack of talent in the tourism industry in Jingdezhen. The fundamental reason for the shortage of tourism professionals is the lack of alignment between the market and university education. For example, interviewee 9 mentioned the current talent cultivation situation in Jingdezhen’s universities. Currently, two universities in Jingdezhen, Jingdezhen College and Jingdezhen Vocational College of Art, offer hotel management programmes, but the duration of these programmes is short and the number of students is small. This phenomenon has led to a lack of professional competence and service awareness amongst employees, especially in high-end hotels in Jingdezhen, resulting in a poor experience for out-of-town tourists staying in hotels in Jingdezhen. Some interviewees also mentioned the general lack of middle and senior managers in Jingdezhen’s tourism industry, as well as the lack of effective management methods for grassroots employees, resulting in overall poor service quality in Jingdezhen’s hotels. This shortage of qualified professionals limits the sustainable growth of the tourism sector, as consistent high-quality service is essential for repeat tourism and long-term industry success [43]. Interviewee 6 discussed the employment situation of young people in art-related professions in Jingdezhen, stating that young graduates with art-related majors find it difficult to find jobs without work experience. Therefore, he believes that Jingdezhen should provide more job opportunities for young artists lacking work experience.

4.3.3. Government Attitude

Government attitude is crucial to the sustainable development of regional tourism [44]. Research has shown that investments in urban promotion, marketing, and branding can strengthen a city’s brand image [45]. The vast majority of interviewees mentioned that the development of art tourism in Jingdezhen relies on government support. For example, interviewees 3, 5 and 12 all mentioned the various efforts and attempts made by the Jingdezhen government in recent years to develop art tourism. These efforts include increasing the construction of tourism infrastructure; building museums, such as the Jingdezhen China Ceramic Museum and the Jingdezhen Imperial Kiln Museum; and creating ceramic display and sales districts, such as Mingfangyuan and Taoxichuan. However, many interviewees believe that many aspects still need improvement or enhancement. Several interviewees mentioned that the official government promotion efforts are still insufficient. For example, interviewee 13 pointed out that the current promotion in Jingdezhen is mainly performed through social media or by individuals, and official government promotion is rarely seen on social media platforms. For sustainable tourism development, it is essential for government initiatives to be proactive and well coordinated, ensuring that promotional efforts reach a broader audience and effectively leverage Jingdezhen’s unique cultural assets. In addition, four interviewees believe that city management needs improvement, such as increasing the number of trash bins and street cleaners. Interviewee 4 mentioned that many of the current policies of the Jingdezhen government are still extremely conservative, and Jingdezhen still excessively pursues the development of ancient classical cultural elements, which is not an advantage for the development of a diversified ceramic culture. Some interviewees also mentioned that although some government policies are good, the implementation by grassroots workers is not fully executed, which diminishes the effectiveness of the policies. Interviewees 14 and 16 believe that the government still needs to pay attention to the Jingpiao community.

4.3.4. Infrastructure

Infrastructure, as an important developmental factor in a destination, is part of the classic demand for tourism functions [46]. When discussing infrastructure-related issues in Jingdezhen tourism, four subthemes were repeatedly mentioned: unreasonable market distribution, insufficient tourism facilities, scenic spots homogenisation and gallery shortage. Interviewees 8 and 13 considered the market distribution in Jingdezhen to be highly unreasonable, causing inconvenience for tourists and artists. Interviewee 17 believes that Jingdezhen’s infrastructure construction, such as public toilets and vending machines on the streets, needs to be increased, and argues that the roads in the old city area should be widened and maintained. Sustainable tourism development requires comprehensive infrastructure planning that enhances accessibility and supports diverse tourist activities, thereby improving overall visitor satisfaction and encouraging longer stays [47]. These similar issues have been addressed in Macau through the use of public–private partnerships [48]. As an art creator, interviewee 1 believes that although Jingdezhen has added some art venues in recent years, room for improvement remains in terms of diversity and scale.

4.3.5. Promotion

Tourism promotion, as a component of tourism demand, is often overlooked, but it is significantly important [49]. In the era of social media, Chinese tourists often choose to plan their trips by first researching destinations through text, images, and videos on social media platforms before travelling. Jingdezhen has kept up with this trend. In 2023, Jingdezhen became one of the hottest destinations on Xiaohongshu (the most popular platform for sharing travel guides in China), and it has maintained high popularity on platforms such as Douyin and Weibo. Interviewee 2 mentioned that Jingdezhen’s ceramic development still lacks a leading brand. Currently, the market competition still lacks a large-scale ceramic brand, and the scale of well-developed ceramic brands in Jingdezhen is not significantly different. Moreover, in terms of cultural content, especially in cultural expression, the forms are still considerably limited. To ensure sustainable tourism, it is crucial to develop a strong and cohesive brand that resonates with both traditional and modern elements of Jingdezhen’s ceramic culture. This would attract a diverse audience and enhance the city’s appeal as a tourist destination [50]. Interviewee 9 pointed out the lack of integration between Jingdezhen’s ceramic culture content and modern technology. As the world’s porcelain capital, Jingdezhen should have more inclusivity in terms of ceramic cultural content, learning from the strengths of ceramics in other cities and integrating them.

4.3.6. Policy and Regulation

Strategic policies and regulations that are conductive to good governance can make regional tourism development more effective and efficient [51]. Some interviewees believe that art products, as the core commodities of Jingdezhen, have many differences from mass-produced industrial products. Thus, the control of the art market cannot be managed in the same way as regular commodity sales. Many interviewees mentioned issues such as selling subpar products at high prices and price discrimination when selling art products to tourists from other areas. Interviewee 14 pointed out that, when purchasing art products in Jingdezhen, buyers often have significant room for negotiation, and without expertise, one can easily end up paying a high premium for the products. For sustainable development, it is essential to implement policies that protect consumers and artists alike, ensuring fairness and transparency in the art market. Interviewee 9 discussed the issue of creativity and intellectual property protection, stating that ‘creativity’ and ‘inspiration’ are difficult to protect. When an artist designs a unique and popular product, it can easily be imitated and modified by competitors, making it extremely difficult for artists to protect their rights, involving challenges such as difficulty in obtaining evidence, lengthy legal processes and high costs. The current level of intellectual property protection is inadequate, which impacts artists’ creative enthusiasm and is detrimental to the sustainable development of urban arts. Interviewee 1 also mentioned environmental protection issues, stating that the government’s tourism development has harmed the natural environment to some extent.

4.3.7. Transportation

Transportation infrastructure is a critical determinant of tourist inflows to a destination [52]. Transportation is the most frequently mentioned theme. For most Jingpiao living in Jingdezhen, the transportation situation is extremely poor, thereby also affecting the experience of tourists. Given that many scenic spots in Jingdezhen are concentrated in the old city area and the roads in this area are narrow and lack differentiation between motor and nonmotor vehicle lanes, traffic congestion is a common occurrence. The level of urban management growth has not kept pace with the increased demand brought about by the rapid growth in the number of tourists in recent years. Interviewee 15 said, ‘Driving in Jingdezhen at certain times is a disaster. You have to maintain a high level of concentration because motorcycles, electric bicycles, and bicycles are all travelling alongside you. During peak periods, congestion happens almost every day’. Interviewees 6 and 8 also mentioned that Jingdezhen has limited forms of public transportation, with only buses and shared electric bicycles available. Moreover, the number of buses is limited, with some bus stop placements being deemed unreasonable. For sustainable tourism development, it is crucial to improve transportation infrastructure and management in Jingdezhen to reduce congestion and enhance accessibility, making it easier for both residents and tourists to navigate the city. This would not only improve the quality of life for residents but also enhance the overall tourist experience, promoting longer stays and repeat visits.

5. Implications and Recommendations

This study holds certain reference value for participants and managers in the art tourism industry in Jingdezhen and other areas. To eliminate or reduce the obstacles to the development of art tourism in Jingdezhen, this study proposes some improvements.

5.1. Economy

Currently, economic obstacles mainly relate to high accommodation costs, expensive rents, and the high prices of goods. Tourism destination economics can have a profound impact on a region’s tourism industry [53]. The Jingdezhen government should put in place more subsidy policies for the artist community, such as housing and shop rent subsidies. Moreover, they can learn from other regions’ governments in constructing affordable rental housing for young people and establishing ‘art talent housing’ with low rents for young artists. This approach can be complemented by the establishment of artist communities, fostering a good artistic atmosphere and facilitating communication amongst young artists. Regarding the issue of price increases during holidays, market regulatory authorities should implement more policies for price regulation and control. Furthermore, the government should introduce policies to encourage local residents to rent out their vacant properties during peak tourism seasons, alleviating the issue of insufficient holiday accommodations.

5.2. Human Resources

The analysis results indicate a severe shortage of talent in the tourism industry in Jingdezhen, which should attract the attention of the education sector. As reported by the interviewees, Jingdezhen has relatively few higher education institutions that offer hotel management and tourism management programmes, and the number of students cannot meet market demands. The Jingdezhen government should prioritise local talent, encourage universities to cultivate more grassroots service personnel and emphasise the training of management personnel. They should also enhance collaboration with universities in other regions to attract professionals in relevant fields to work in Jingdezhen. Jiangxi Province, where Jingdezhen is located, introduced numerous talent attraction policies in October 2023, hoping to bring fresh blood to the tourism industry in Jingdezhen [9]. The Jingdezhen education department should collaborate with renowned national institutions to establish branch campuses in Jingdezhen or offer joint training programmes specifically aimed at cultivating talent in art tourism.

5.3. Government Attitude

The government can support the development of art tourism from various perspectives, and different departments should play varied roles. The publicity department should conduct more tourism promotion in an official capacity. The environmental sanitation department should manage the city’s appearance. Moreover, the government should increase the service awareness assessment of grassroots civil servants to ensure the improved execution of policies. Furthermore, at the policy-making level, the government should take a long-term view and consider the interests of more groups. The current urban promotion strategy lacks integration with modern social media. It is recommended to implement the “Digital Jingdezhen” initiative to enhance the city’s global visibility through improved digital marketing and online interactions. In this regard, successful experiences from Hong Kong in urban promotion, marketing, and branding can be leveraged as a reference [45].

5.4. Infrastructure

As several interviewees have mentioned the issue of unreasonable tourism facility planning in Jingdezhen, government departments can consider the needs and convenience of tourists and artists in future urban planning. The maintenance and renovation of infrastructure should also be given attention, as a poor first impression can easily be left on tourists [44]. Art gallery planners should proactively listen to artists’ suggestions to create a broad variety of art spaces. Strategies to achieve this could include establishing multiple unique small art galleries based on different types of art and exploring new operating models, such as government and entrepreneur collaboration. Due to local fiscal constraints, similar issues can be addressed by utilising the public–private partnership (PPP) model to improve infrastructure. For example, Macau leveraged this model to revive its tourism industry after the COVID-19 pandemic [48].

5.5. Promotion

The lack of leading ceramic brands in the Jingdezhen ceramic industry is a significant issue. As per the interviewees, the largest-scale ceramic brand in Jingdezhen, ‘Hongye’, is a state-owned enterprise, but it still maintains outdated concepts in its operational approach and has not played a leading role in the industry. The lack of leading brands is one of the key reasons for the slow development of the ceramic industry in Jingdezhen. Furthermore, the ceramic culture in Jingdezhen is relatively monotonous. Although the types and styles of ceramics are now diverse, creativity in form remains lacking. The government should increase collaboration between ceramics and other industries, e.g., by using VR technology to allow tourists to experience the combination of technology and ceramic culture. Ceramics can also be integrated with other forms of cultural content. The construction of a city brand should go beyond traditional promotional methods. By implementing a “City Cultural Brand Ambassador” programme, well-known artists and cultural figures can be invited to serve as spokespersons for Jingdezhen, thereby promoting cultural dissemination. This approach can enhance residents’ sense of identity and encourage them to treat visitors in ways that reflect the brand’s values [54].

5.6. Policy and Regulation

To encourage artists’ innovation, work related to intellectual property protection should be further advanced. For example, efforts should be increased to raise awareness about the importance of intellectual property rights. Additionally, the city should impose strict penalties for intellectual property theft and reduce costs for artists related to safeguarding their rights. An industry-specific intellectual property protection association should also be established to encourage artists to collectively protect intellectual property rights. Regarding the issue of irregularities in the sale of art, as mentioned by over half of the interviewees, market regulatory authorities should increase penalties for practices such as selling inferior products at high prices and price discrimination. Furthermore, businesses should be encouraged to be open and transparent when selling art. It is recommended that the government establish an “Artists’ Legal Aid Fund” to provide legal support to artists facing infringement issues, thereby enhancing the practical effectiveness of legal protection.

5.7. Transportation

Good transportation can bring better economic benefits to the destination tourism industry [51]. In recent years, the Jingdezhen government has been making efforts to improve the quality of urban transportation. However, during peak holiday tourism periods, the city’s transportation appears to be unprepared. The preservation of historical buildings in the old city area of Jingdezhen makes road widening difficult. Thus, the government should establish more reasonable road divisions, such as by converting some roads into nonmotorised vehicle lanes. Local residents should also use public transportation as much as possible during holidays to reduce the use of private cars. The city should consider introducing convenient tourist bus services that connect major attractions. Public buses could adopt “art tourism routes”, specifically serving art galleries, museums, and historical cultural sites, incorporating local culture into route design and interior decoration, thereby making the transportation itself a part of the cultural experience of Jingdezhen. Additionally, the city could develop nonmotorised transportation, promote cycling, establish comprehensive bike lanes, and provide bike-sharing services to reduce automobile usage and alleviate congestion.

6. Conclusions

6.1. Contribution

6.1.1. Theoretical Contribution

This study is one of the rare explorations of the barriers to urban tourism development in China, focusing on the city of Jingdezhen. In past research, the focus has often been on tourists or local tourism industry practitioners. However, the “Jingpiao” community, as an intermediary community between residents and outsiders, offers a very unique and meaningful perspective. By conducting interviews with the unique group known as “Jingpiao” and employing qualitative analysis, the research has developed a barrier model for the advancement of art tourism in Jingdezhen. This study also offers some suggestions for the future development of art tourism. Research on the barriers to the development of art tourism is still a relatively under-explored area within academia, especially research concerning the tourism industry of historically renowned cities in China. Furthermore, based on grounded theory, this paper summarises a model of barriers to art tourism development, identifying seven development obstacles. These obstacles show some discrepancies compared to similar past research. Therefore, this study could serve as a reference for future researchers conducting similar studies on art tourism or on the obstacles to tourism development.

6.1.2. Practical Contribution

Due to the rapid ascension phase of art tourism development in Jingdezhen, both tourism investment enterprises and government regulatory bodies lack a profound understanding of the industry. This study can provide valuable reference opinions for government management and strategic formulation in the future, especially by summarising the development barriers from the perspective of artists—a viewpoint often overlooked by city administrators. Moreover, by identifying certain areas within the city that remain unresolved, this study also offers sustainable development recommendations for investors and practitioners in the tourism industry.

6.2. Research Summary

As a small city with a history of over a thousand years and a unique artistic culture, Jingdezhen’s thousand-year-old ceramic culture is indeed a unique advantage compared with many historically younger cities. In recent years, the tourism development has made significant progress. However, due to some obstacles identified in this study, artists and tourists have expressed certain grievances towards Jingdezhen’s art tourism industry. This research focused on identifying the barriers to the development of art tourism in Jingdezhen from the perspective of the ‘Jingpiao’ community. This study highlighted several key challenges in the areas of economy, human resources, government attitude, infrastructure, promotion, policy and regulation, and transportation.

Economically, the rising costs of housing and shop rents, driven by policies like land finance, have made it difficult for artists to thrive in Jingdezhen. The high expenses during peak tourism seasons also negatively impact both residents and tourists, threatening the sustainability of the local tourism industry. In terms of human resources, a significant gap exists between the skills needed for the tourism industry and the educational programmes available. This talent shortage affects service quality, particularly in high-end accommodation, and hampers the sustainable growth of art tourism. Government attitude plays a crucial role in this development. While the government has made some efforts to promote art tourism, issues such as insufficient official promotion, ineffective policy implementation, and a conservative approach to cultural development continue to be obstacles. Infrastructure remains inadequate, with issues like unreasonable market distribution, insufficient tourism facilities, and a lack of diversity in art spaces affecting both tourists and local artists. Improvements in public infrastructure and thoughtful urban planning are necessary to support sustainable tourism. Promotion efforts in Jingdezhen, though visible on social media, still suffer from a lack of a cohesive brand that effectively showcases the city’s ceramic culture. The absence of a leading ceramic brand further limits the city’s appeal as a distinct art tourism destination. Policy and regulation challenges, such as weak intellectual property protection and irregularities in art sales, discourage creativity and innovation within the artistic community. Strengthening policies to safeguard artists’ rights is crucial for the long-term development of Jingdezhen’s art tourism. Lastly, transportation infrastructure has not kept pace with the city’s growing tourism demands. Traffic congestion and inadequate public transportation options detract from the overall tourist experience, underscoring the need for more efficient and culturally integrated transport solutions.

In conclusion, addressing these barriers through targeted interventions and policies will be essential for fostering a thriving and sustainable art tourism sector in Jingdezhen. By focusing on long-term sustainability, these efforts will not only benefit the local community by enhancing their quality of life but also ensure that Jingdezhen remains an attractive and viable destination for tourists, thereby supporting the broader tourism industry’s sustainable growth.

6.3. Limitations

Although this study has identified the main obstacles to the development of art tourism in Jingdezhen, it also has certain limitations. The primary limitation is that the study’s participants were all Jingpiao artists. Although artists are a crucial part of art tourism, the industry involves more than just artists. All interviewed artists have had extensive experience with tourists; however, the development obstacles proposed in this study were mostly analysed from the perspective of art industry practitioners. In future research, a broad range of participants should be included, not just Jingpiao artists, to gain a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced in Jingdezhen’s art tourism industry. Research can also be conducted from the perspective of tourists, exploring their perceptions and satisfaction with Jingdezhen’s art tourism, or their sense of identification with culture and art.