Sustainability and Authenticity of Chinese Traditional Crafts in the Contexts of Luxury and Tourism

Abstract

Chinese crafts have been examined from economic, historical and aesthetic perspectives, but rather less attention has been devoted to them in the literature on luxury and tourism. When considering the former, it is worth noting that some of the world’s leading brands had their origins in craft businesses, notably Louis Vuitton, and that craft skills remain important for this industry in the 21st century. On the other hand, there is a common assumption that craft souvenirs represent a cheap and debased version of human material culture but, as many academics have asserted souvenirs come in a wide variety of forms, including what Graburn (2000) has called ‘pride goods’, in which peoples visited by tourists sell products that are simultaneously economically useful and boosters of esteem on behalf of the producing community. It is with these thoughts in mind that we turn our attention to the production of Chinese craft products in the early 21st century. As one of the leading handicraft producers in the world, the expanding demand for Chinese craft products has generated commercial opportunities and strong economic returns, it has also created challenges to the Chinese traditional crafts sector which may influence the direction and sustainability of its future development, and as such is worthy of deeper investigation and discussion.
 Keywords: Chinese traditional crafts, luxury, tourism, sustainability, authenticity

The Social Constraints on the Preservation and Sustainable Development of Traditional Crafts in a Developed Society

“…Implications of the growing demand for handicrafts can be seen in different parts of the world. This is reflected in the situation of the craftsmen themselves and the direction in which the crafts are going, as exemplified by the situation of Chinese craftsmen [25].…”

Analisis Pengambilan Keputusan Penentuan Lokasi Sentra Oleh-Oleh Khas Batam

“…Oleh-oleh menjadi kenangan bagi wisatawan dari tempat wisata yang pernah dikunjunginya. Selain itu, menurut penelitian yang dilakukan oleh (Meng & Hitchcock, 2020) bahwa oleh-oleh kerajinan tangan menjadi representasi hasil karya budaya suatu komunitas yang murah dengan berbagai variasi bentuk yang disebut dengan "barang kebanggan" sehingga menjadi tujuan wisatawan untuk mengunjungi suatu daerah, sehingga meningkatkan perekonomian komunitas di daerah tersebut. Jadi, bisa diketahui bahwa, dengan penjualan hasil karya warga lokal dalam bentuk oleh-oleh menjadi sumber perekonomian warga lokal tersebut.…”