Accomodating traditions of hospitality in a tourist region : the Mekong Delta, Vietnam
While there has been a significant focus on how hospitality was commodified, commercialised and standardised in the literature, less attention is given to the extent of which local traditions and hospitality change and adapt to the demand of tourists. Through an empirically grounded investigation, this thesis at micro-level gives an insight to how local hospitality and traditions in Mekong Delta (Vietnam) transform in homestay practice under the pressure of tourism development. Normally, the local traditions and hospitality are offered by the host and experienced by the guests. However by focusing on contact zone, the settings and decoration of homestays, this thesis shows this mechanism in Mekong Delta is not one way but a dynamic process. The guests do not only passively receive but also have influences on what the hosts can offer. In fact, the homestay providers have capitalised on what tourists want to see. As consequence, local traditions and hospitality are changing and subject to re-invention to adapt to legal requirements, tourists demands, and social context. Ironically, tourists are using homestay believing they are experiencing true Vietnamese culture, while actually the local Vietnamese people
Bui, Ngoc Thi Quynh
DS Asia ; GT Manners and customs ; HT Communities. Classes. Races
Accomodating traditions of hospitality in a tourist region : the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. While there has been a significant focus on how hospitality was commodified, commercialised and standardised in the literature, less attention is given to the extent of which local traditions and hospitality change and adapt to the demand of tourists. Through an empirically grounded investigation, this thesis at micro-level gives an insight to how local hospitality and traditions in Mekong Delta (Vietnam) transform in homestay practice under the pressure of tourism development. Normally, the local traditions and hospitality are offered by the host and experienced by the guests. However by focusing on contact zone, the settings and decoration of homestays, this thesis shows this mechanism in Mekong Delta is not one way but a dynamic process. The guests do not only passively receive but also have influences on what the hosts can offer. In fact, the homestay providers have capitalised on what tourists want to see. As consequence, local traditions and hospitality are changing and subject to re-invention to adapt to legal requirements, tourists demands, and social context. Ironically, tourists are using homestay believing they are experiencing true Vietnamese culture, while actually the local Vietnamese people
tradition hospitality tourist region delta vietnam significant focus hospitality standardised literature less_attention give extent local tradition hospitality change adapt demand tourist empirically ground investigation micro_level give_insight local hospitality tradition delta vietnam transform practice pressure tourism development normally local tradition hospitality offer host experienced however focus contact zone setting decoration show mechanism delta one_way dynamic_process passively receive also influence host offer fact provider capitalise tourist want see consequence local tradition hospitality change subject invention adapt legal requirement tourist demand social_context ironically tourist use believe experience true vietnamese culture actually local vietnamese people