Huong T. Bui

Vietnamese Domestic Tourism: An Investigation of Travel Motivations

This article approaches domestic tourism in Vietnam from a native Asian perspective aiming to examine Vietnamese domestic travel motivations. This quantitative study is based on a self-administered questionnaire to survey 230 Vietnamese domestic travellers. Results highlight the significant roles of the employer sponsoring the trip, family, travel promotion, and favourable weather in determining travel, in addition to their motivations to seek time for leisure and recreation. Moreover, the study detected a perception gap between the tourist’s demand and the travel agent’s supply. The behaviour of Vietnamese domestic travellers refl ects the characteristics of a transition economy and reveals certain aspects which are also peculiar to other Asian countries.

Liminal experience of East Asian backpackers

Acknowledging the increasing popularity of independent travel from East Asia, this article explores the backpacking experience of young travellers of the region, from a socio-anthropological angle. Using liminality theory as a guideline and adopting a qualitative investigative approach, 31 interviews with East Asian backpackers were conducted. The findings suggest there are dual facets of the liminal experiences of the backpackers. On one hand, young travellers were motivated to escape from temporal, spatial and social pressures at home. On the other, their narratives reflected a strong commitment to home through a sense of filial piety, an awareness of their identity and positive evaluation of home. These findings advance our understanding of the liminal experiences in an Asian backpacking context.

The social identities of Japanese backpackers

This research adopted a qualitative approach with data collected through in-depth interviews, informal conversations, and participant observation to identify the social identities of Japanese young travelers in relation to their group dynamic. The findings indicate that the diversity of out-group interactions with travelers from different countries enhances cross-cultural understanding and language learning, while in-group interactions with other Japanese offer a pseudohome while traveling. The issue of identity ambivalence is important as the spheres of familiarity and diversity in travel group interactions are dynamic and complementary. The current research furthers our understanding of the interrelation between culture, communication, and the action of travel among independent travelers.

Tourist Satisfaction and Destination Image of Vietnam's Ha Long Bay

Although considerable work has been done on destination image as a whole, far less research has investigated the differences in destination image assessments for domestic versus international visitors in developing countries. This study offers findings that illustrate the differences in perception of destination image, satisfaction attributes, and intention among domestic and international visitors to Ha Long Bay, a United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization World Heritage Site in Vietnam. The results of a survey on 650 tourists suggest that international visitors to the Ha Long Bay region have higher standards and are more critical in their evaluation of services than domestic visitors when judging this destination. Destination image is a common factor determining the level of satisfaction of both groups. Basic and augmented services were found to influence international visitors’ future intention toward the destination. This finding implies that the destination managers of Ha Long Bay need to improve current standard of augmented services to yield higher visitors’ propensity to recommend and return to the destination.

Commodification and Politicization of Heritage: Implications for Heritage Tourism at the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, Hanoi (Vietnam)

The current study deconstructs the process of turning heritage resources into tourism products. A case study of the Central Sector of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, a UNESCO World Heritage site located in the capital city of Vietnam, Hanoi, provides an in-depth understanding of the plural use of heritage. Findings from the study reveal issues of heritage dissonance inherent in the process of resource selection, interpretation, and targeting for different audiences. It is apparent that commodification cannot be separated from the politicization of heritage. In the case of heritage of national importance and international significance, politicization has been prioritized and results in diminishing the utilization of heritage for commercial purposes such as tourism.

The Development and Diversity of Asian Tourism in Europe: The case of Vienna

Abstract Tourists from Asia offer a promising alternative target for some of the traditional European tourist markets that have stagnated owing to the economic crisis. The number of Asian tourist arrivals in Austria’s capital city Vienna has increased dramatically, as double-digit growth rates of recent years demonstrate. A remarkable recovery of the Japanese market as well as an exponential growth of the Chinese and South Korean markets, in addition to the high spending power of Thai tourists, have created a highly positive scenario for the tourism industry in Austria. This paper uses Vienna as a case study to exemplify the rise of Asian tourism in Europe. Tourism statistics, media reports, and materials of destination marketing organizations were analyzed to provide an evaluation of trends and growth of Asian outbound tourism to Vienna. The authors argue that the sophistication of tourist consumption of European cultural attractions is in line with stages of socio-economic and political development of Asian countries, and that travel patterns significantly differ within the Asian market.

Young Asians’ imagination of social distinction:

This research investigates the imagined social distinction of young Asian travelers. Factors such as culture, language, and distinction were found to influence the development of young Asians. A disparity in the impact of these factors on personal development is evident in the comparison of two groups of travelers, with and without prior travel experience to Western countries. This supports the claim that social distinction is imaginary. The study advances the understanding of travel as a social phenomenon by operationalizing and verifying the imagination of social distinction in the context of travel. Practical implications suggest that tourism professionals might engage with these lucrative travel segments.

The Mobility of Young Japanese: The Travel–Migration Nexus

ABSTRACT This paper investigates the factors that directly and indirectly affect the relationship of two types of mobility among young Japanese: travel and migration. Accumulation of cultural capital is the most significant determinant of future travel. While personality maturation, which is an outcome of cultural, social, and symbolic capital, has a significant impact on the decision to travel in the future, it has limited explanatory power for the intention to migrate. Other factors, such as travel experience and gender of the respondents, also influence the travel–migration nexus.

Managing UNESCO World Heritage in Vietnam: Visitor Evaluation of Heritage Mission and Management of Trang An Landscape Complex

This chapter explores visitor perception of heritage mission and management practices at Trang An Landscape Complex, a World Heritage Site inscribed by UNESCO in 2014. Quantitative research methods were employed to survey 150 international and 128 domestic tourists. In comparison to international tourists, domestic groups demand both physical and intellectual accessibility as well as value-for-money travel. Regarding heritage management, international tourists are enthusiastic about uniqueness, identity, and local community representation, but they are critical about conservation, education, and interpretation. The analysis of current heritage governance reveals a need for Trang An management board to pay attention to issues of overcrowding and integrate development opportunities in a buffer zone with tourism and heritage management.

Social interactions among Asian backpackers: scale development and validation

Social interactions are a key aspect of the travel experience for Asian backpackers. Underpinned by the paradigm of symbolic interactionism and drawing on the theories of liminality and social identity, this study investigates the social interactions of Asian backpackers and provides a validated measurement scale. The interactions of travel companions comprise six dimensions including motivation, similarity, connection, similarity avoidance, distinction and recommendation along the travel timeline from pre-travel to on-road and post-travel period. The findings also identify the change, from learner to mentor, in the traveller’s role as the trip progresses.