Tourism Imaginary and Landscape at Heritage Site: A Case in Honghe Hani Rice Terraces, China

Research on the Honghe Hani Rice Terraces reveals a significant gap between tourist imaginaries of the landscape and its actual cultural context. Tourists often perceive the terraces as an isolated, stereotyped view, disconnected from broader landscape elements, while tourism infrastructure like viewing platforms and roads creates enclaves that marginalize local communities and threaten the site's integrity. The study used content analysis of social media, in-depth interviews with stakeholders, and participant observations to uncover how tourism strategies dominate the production of these imaginaries, leading to cultural conflicts. To mitigate these issues, the authors advocate for tourism planning that preserves landscape authenticity and empowers local communities.

Wang, Z., & Marafa, L. (2021). Tourism Imaginary and Landscape at Heritage Site: A Case in Honghe Hani Rice Terraces, China. Land, 10(4), 439. https://doi.org/10.3390/land10040439