Can tourism enhance inclusitivity for indigenous peoples? Cham perspectives on tourism benefit sharing at living heritage sites in Vietnam

• Date: 27 June 2023
• Pages: 959-984
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/EDI-08-2022-0243
• Published date: 27 June 2023
• Author: Tuyen Dai Quang,Vang Quang Dang,Tho Alang,Hoang Van Nguyen

Can tourism enhance inclusitivity

for indigenous peoples? Cham

perspectives on tourism benefit

sharing at living heritage

sites in Vietnam

Tuyen Dai Quang

Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality, HUTECH University,

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Vang Quang Dang

Faculty of Economics, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education,

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Tho Alang

School of Business, International University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and

Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and

Hoang Van Nguyen

Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality, HUTECH University,

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Abstract

Purpose –Through a case study of the Po Klaong Girai temple in Vietnam, this paper explores how

indigenous community perceive tourism benefit sharing (TBS) associated with their cultural tourism at sacred

living-heritage sites and how this TBS enhances the equality and inclusion for indigenous community in the

context of tourism in Vietnam.

Design/methodology/approach –This study employed ethnographic fieldwork and semi-structured

interviews with 35 indigenous Cham priests directly associated with managing and preserving the Po Klaong

Girai temple.

Findings –This research found that Cham community perceive inequality and exclusivity on tourism benefit

sharing at this religious site. While Cham Ahier priests face economic barriers in providing these services to the

community, annual tourism revenue is allocated to local government budgets. Such economic pressure forces

the priests to seek alternative economic avenues to support their families at the expense of their traditional

commitments to communal, cultural and religious activities, significantly impacting sustainable heritage

conservation. This has led to strained relations between the local community and local authorities.

Practicalimplications –This research providesevidence to improveliving heritagemanagement practicesby

proposingtourism developmentpolicies for equalityand inclusionamong stakeholders, especiallyminoritiesand

disadvantagedgroups. This can be an experientialand necessary lesson for “dealing”withsustainable heritage

managementin heritage living sites in other ethnicminority areas in Vietnam and globally.

Originality/value –The findings from this study address the knowledge gap on equitable revenue sharing in

heritage tourism, where financial benefits from the commodification of minority cultures should be used to

support local communities and the custodians of indigenous heritage.

Keywords Living heritage sites, Equality and inclusion, Benefit-sharing, Marginalised groups,

Cham community

Paper type Research paper

Indigenous

perspectives

on TBS

959

The author’s would like to express their deep gratitude to the editorial team and the anonymous

reviewers for their constructive comments, support and encouragements.

The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:

https://www.emerald.com/insight/2040-7149.htm

Received 30 August 2022

Revised 14 November 2022

12 March 2023

Accepted 25 April 2023

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:

An International Journal

Vol. 43 No. 6, 2024

pp. 959-984

© Emerald Publishing Limited

2040-7149

DOI 10.1108/EDI-08-2022-0243

Introduction

The mainsubjects of this studyare the Cham people in Ninh Thuận,Vietnam, who have over 70

different festivals and ceremonies throughout the year (Sakaya, 2003). All festivals and

religiouspractices stilltake place with the participationof the Cham communityunder the chair

of religious dignitaries. The Cham have maintained their traditional approaches to the

custodianship of sacred sites, which were officially recognised and promoted by the

governmentin 2012. This includes representativesof the Ahier Cham community who consult

with government authorities on cultural andreligious issues related to the Cham community.

The tangible cultural heritage of the Cham people is very rich, especially the temple–tower

architecture system scattered throughout the Central region and in Ninh Thuậnprovince,

reflectingthe history, religion,architectureand sculpture of the Cham peoplein the long history.

Cham cultural heritage is important in attracting tourists to Ninh Thuận and has become a

tourist product in Vietnam. In 2019, Ninh Thuận welcomed 2.35 million visitors, up 7.3% from

2018, of which 100,000 were international arrivals (an annual increase of 25%), and 2.25

million were domestic arrivals (an annual increase of 6.6%; SởVH-TT-DL, 2020). While the

rise in tourism has contributed positively to the region’s socioeconomic development,

negative issues have also arisen (Quang Tuyen et al., 2022;Tuyen Quang, 2022). One of the

main concerns is the tourism benefit sharing (TBS) of the Cham living heritage sites. How are

the economic benefits from the Cham cultural heritage sites allocated? Who are the main

beneficiaries of this tourism revenue? Whether TBS is capable of enhancing equality and

inclusion for indigenous communities?

Over the past two decades, TBS has increasingly been used to provide economic

opportunities and preserve natural protected areas (PAs) and cultural heritage sites globally

(Akbar and Yang, 2022). For locals, TBS fosters relationships between local communities and

authorities (Balmford et al., 2009). Furthermore, it is also considered an important factor in

creating sustainable destinations and contributing to the 17 SDGs (Carius and Job, 2019;

Imanishimwe et al., 2018). Effective benefit sharing in this study equates to local authorities

fairly sharing the economic benefits from tourism revenue with indigenous communities to

achieve equality and inclusion for indigenous communities in the context of tourism.

Revenue from the tourism development of PAs can generate economic benefits, introduce

the local culture, promote economic diversification, enhance the quality of social services and

improve local infrastructure (Tumusiime and Vedeld, 2012). Notwithstanding the various

stakeholder perceptions of TBS, local communities always play the most important role in

identifying and evaluating the value of TBS (Tumusiime and Vedeld, 2012). Despite the

extensive research on TBS, the debates on the most effective forms of PA conservation

continue (Archabald and Naughton-Treves, 2001;Spenceley et al., 2019). Subsequently, there

is a critical need for win-win TBS policies to maintain the sustainable development of PAs

(Benjaminsen and Svarstad, 2010;Spenceley et al., 2019;Tumusiime and Vedeld, 2012)asit

enhances inclusivity for indigenous communities.

In the past few decades, TBS has been a popular theme in research focused on national

parksaround the world (Makame and Boon,2017;Munanura et al., 2016), whereasless research

has focused on TBS at culturalheritage sites, especially at livingheritage sites, which play an

important role in maintaining the cultural heritage of Indigenous communities. There is also

extensive literature that considersTBS an important way to explore the economic impacts of

tourism on local communities (Mbaiwa and Stronza, 2010;Xu et al., 2009). However, most

studies have explored TBS in the context of African countries while other regions, like

Southeast Asiancountries, are largelymissed. Also, there is a dearthof research exploring the

role of TBS in enhancing equality and inclusion for indigenous communities. Thus, this

researchfocuses on TBS in the context ofethnic and cultural heritagein Vietnam and explores

how it improves indigenous perception of equality and inclusion.

EDI

43,6

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