Document Type

Poster

Publication Date

Summer 2024

Abstract

Ethnic tourism aims to promote cultural heritage and stimulate economic development by showcasing the traditions of ethnic communities to visitors. In Ha Giang, Northern Vietnam, Pa Vi Village was developed by the government to preserve Hmong culture and enhance local tourism. Goffman’s front-stage/back-stage theory (1959) explains how cultural tourism often presents a curated performance to meet tourist expectations, while the authentic aspects of daily life remain hidden. At Pa Vi Village, front-stage elements like cultural performances and tourist-oriented homestays may not reflect the true back-stage reality of the Hmong community. This project evaluates the village’s success based on tourist feedback and interviews. While tourists generally express satisfaction with their visit, few intend to return, and the economic benefits largely favor non-Hmong homestay owners, contributing to concerns of staged authenticity in cultural representation.

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Rights Statement

In Copyright - Non-Commercial Use Permitted