Interdisciplinary understanding of place in tourism education: An approach of participatory learning in China

Understanding the mean of place from the perspective of interdisciplinary learning in tourism education is consensus. This empirical study explored how graduate students from tourism major in China perceive place through participating field trip in YongDing earth building, China which is one of the World Cultural Heritage Site (WCHS) and developing tourism village in the in-depth interview, questionnaire survey and so on. Research result indicated that such cultural heritage village as the place not only is a geographic site but also means a political ecological system, regional cultural pattern and traditional lifestyle. Participatory learning enriched the postgraduate students' skills in both academic study and social contact which is necessary for their future career development.