Development of a smart tourism integration model to preserve the cultural heritage of ancient villages in Northern Guangxi

Abstract The modern rural areas represent a vulnerable category that is in special need of sustainable development these days. However, the practice shows that, in the twenty-first century, this sustainability can be assured through the construction of smart villages. The ultimate goal of this study was to create a model for the development of ancient Guangxi villages that will take into account the cultural and tourist dimensions and will be based on the Smart Village concept. Analysis of existing approaches to the implementation of the Smart Village initiatives as well as of regional and local regulatory documents in force allowed identifying key aspects (factors) in this respect. Local government officials, service providers, and local residents were surveyed, and the sample was 586 people. They were asked to rate the implementation in their village of key aspects of the Smart Village concept from 1 to 5 on a Likert scale (from "very bad" to "excellent"). According to the assessments collected, the top-rated and, accordingly, the most developed, was the Technological factor group, followed by the groups encompassing Culture and Tourism, then Economic, then Environmental, and Social factors. These data provided a good foundation for building a Smart Village-based model for the development of six ancient Guangxi villages, known for their unique cultural heritage (Xingping, Daxu, Huangyao, Jixiang, Fuli, and Longji Zhuang). In the future, it can be taken advantage of by government representatives and managers in respect to rural areas with conditions similar to those discussed within the limits of the current study (with certain regional adjustments).