Innovative Redesign of Mianzhu New Year Picture Products: A Path to Integrate Culture and Tourism (Published)
This research focuses on fostering the evolution of intangible cultural heritage, taking the case study of the Mianzhu New Year image, a respected element of Chinese cultural heritage. It investigates the potential for innovatively redesigning these image products to boost tourism appeal. The methodology is tripartite. In the initial phase, we probe the demand for a product redesign and seek methods to enhance it via the KANO-AHP model, offering design modification recommendations based on potential consumers’ expectations. The second phase incorporates an examination of the cultural and artistic elements of the Mianzhu New Year image. Following a premeditated needs evaluation, the graphic design, form, content, and shape of the image are cultivated for innovation. The final stage encompasses a critique of the refined design. Here, the process is meticulously documented, and experts from product design, tourism, and cultural studies sectors measure the design’s effectiveness. To derive valid data, we utilize intentional samples at each stage, applying qualitative or quantitative analyses corresponding to different stage characteristics. Thus, this project not only advances the innovative and transformative development of intangible cultural heritage but also offers insight into effectively merging culture and tourism. This research can provide a blueprint for similar cultural conservation initiatives globally, promoting heritage preservation through attention to local economic and tourism contexts.
Keywords: KANO-AHP, Mianzhu new year picture, Tourism, intangible cultural heritage products
Cross River Tourism, History and Environment: A Marriage Contracted In the Womb of Time (Published)
Today, it can be safely argued that Cross River State is noted more for its tourism enterprise than for anything else. Since 1999 to date, there have been sustained efforts by successive administrations to re-engineer and rebrand the State as a tourism spectacle and hub not just in the Cross River Region but in Nigeria and indeed, the West Africa Sub-region at large. This paper seeks to show that there is an organic and inescapable relationship between Cross River’s current tourism efforts and its history and environment. Put differently, we would attempt to demonstrate that the foundation of Cross River tourism is embedded in its history and environment and it is from these pristine bowels that the current initiatives can truly find rhythm, momentum and relevance.
Keywords: Cross River, Environment, Nigeria, Tourism, history
NIGERIA SCULPTURAL TRADITION AS VIABLE OPTION FOR TOURISM PROMOTION: AN ASSESSMENT OF ESIE MYSTERIOUS STONE SCULPTURES (Published)
Esie stone sculptures are the largest collection of carved stone structures in Africa, and precisely in the world at large. Since its discovery in Esie community of Igbomina town, the stone sculptures pose a lot of complex questions defying answers. In view of this, the soapstone sculptures have continued to amass academic research and studies towards unravelling its makers. Howbeit, that art works especially sculptures known to be functional objects in African worldview either used for religious or court activities are found in a bush. Objects depicting varied cultural traits (tribal marks, hair style,) involved in human activities (playing musical instruments, dancers, farming, etc) and showing status quo (necklace, bracelet). Intriguing of all is the kingship setting of the sculptures explicitly displaying a community life which of a truth augurs well with the local myth surrounding the sculptures. Upon the ingenuity and authenticity of these stone sculptures rest the premise of this paper which is to bring to limelight the tourism potentials of the stone sculptures
Keywords: Esie Museum, Soapstone Images, Stone Sculpture, Tourism
HARNESSING AWKA TRADITIONAL FESTIVAL FOR TOURISM PROMOTION (Published)
Awka traditional festivals embrace diverse cultural activities which together portrays the glamour of the community indigenous way of life. These festivals are the anvil on which cultural unity is forged as its celebrations acts as a unifying force which binds the people together. Festivals are momentary occasions for merriment seasoned with a purpose attached to different aspects of a community life. It is a period of rest from strenuous daily activities affording the people quality leisure time to consume all the entertaining cultural aesthetics of the event. Of a truth, Awka traditional festival with its associated cultural display has been a platform that sustained cultural uniformity amongst Awka people and its neighbour through ages. This paper in its descriptive nature endeavours to investigate the potential of harnessing the cultural aesthetics of Awka traditional festival (Imoka) for promote tourism.
Keywords: Cultural Aesthetics, Culture, Tourism, Traditional Festival