An investigation of factors determining industrial tourism attractiveness

Abstract

This study explores the opinions of an expert panel on the factors determining the attractiveness of industrial tourism generally and factory tours in particular. Thirty-four determinants were derived from previous studied conducted about visits to both operational and nonoperational industrial sites. They were then categorized in a four-level hierarchical structure based on “4 A’s” of tourism destination management practices, namely, attractions, access, amenities, and ancillary services. The relative importance of these determinants was analyzed by a panel of experts using the analytical hierarchy process method. The expert panel was composed of government officials, industry practitioners, and academic researchers who are knowledgeable of the subject matter being studied and their evaluations could offer the highest degree of accuracy. Given that the sample was limited to such particular subgroups of the population, snowball sampling was undertaken in order to recruit a wide range of key informants. The results showed that on-site attractions, safety and security systems, and external access are the major dimensions in determining industrial tourism attractiveness. While the observation of production process is an essential and important component of tourism factories, the provision of transport services and on-site restaurants constitutes a supporting role in enhancing industrial tourism attractiveness. It is concluded that Taiwan has a strong industrial base and its industrial sites, either operational or nonoperational, represent an opportunity to develop sustainable forms of tourism. The integration of industrial sites in tourism would not only strengthen the island’s economic and environmental sustainability, but also diversify its tourism offering, enhancing its profile as one of Asia’s leading tourism destinations. The major implications are threefold: enhancing the availability of transport services, providing visitors with more diverse experience packages, and ensuring on-site safety and security.