The Influences of Agricultural Heritage Systems Identification on Regional Economic Development: A Case of Phoenix Oolong Tea Agricultural System in Chao'an, Guangdong Province

Agricultural Heritage Systems (AHS) have high economic value. In addition, their protection and management focus on the dynamic conservation and sustainable development of heritage sites, which play an important role in the economic development of such sites and have attracted the attention of many scholars. However, the economic effects of AHS recognition on heritage sites have not been well described in previous research. Therefore, taking the Phoenix Oolong tea culture system in Chao'an, Guangdong Province, as an example and selecting Chao'an District and Raoping County as research areas, this study attempts to explore the contribution of AHS identification to the economic growth of heritage sites. First, it collected economic data on the heritage site (Chao'an District) and control area (Raoping County) from 2010 to 2019. From the perspective of total volume change and industrial development, this study compared the difference in economic growth between heritage sites and control areas after China's Nationally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (China-NIAHS) were recognized. Subsequently, using interrupted time series analysis, this study quantitatively analyzed the significance of the changing trend of economic growth and industrial development difference between the two areas after this recognition. Based on these results, combined with a field investigation, this study discusses the specific path of AHS identification that affects heritage sites' economic growth. The results show that after the identification of the Phoenix Oolong tea agricultural system in Guangdong Province, the tourism and tea industry in Chao'an District developed rapidly, and tourism income increased significantly, which is conducive to local economic growth. Specifically, after the identification of the Phoenix Oolong tea culture system in Chao'an, Guangdong Province, the economic aggregates of Chao'an District increased. Among them, tea area, production, output value, number of tea cooperatives, and enterprises in Chao'an District all increased, and the tourism income and number of tourists received increased yearly. However, compared to Raoping County, the growth in tourism income in Chao'an District was the most significant. This study also found that heritage recognition inhibited the growth of tea cooperatives in the Chao'an District. Further analysis shows that the recognition of China-NIAHS effectively promotes the resource exploitation of heritage tourism, enhances the brand advantage of Phoenix Oolong tea, facilitates the development of the tourism and tea industries in Chao'an District, and integrates tea tourism in the heritage site, thus promoting the site's economic growth. At the same time, these economic achievements were also made possible by sound policy support. Therefore, the governments of heritage areas should attach importance to the role of agricultural heritage in regional development and give full play to the economic driving role of AHS. In conclusion, this study enriches relevant studies on AHS to a certain extent and provides empirical research ideas for the economic growth analysis of AHS as well as effective paths for its economic development