Vietnam: the destination of tourism kitsch? Example for a region climatic: Dalat
Author: Le, Thu Anh
Under the direction of: Philippe Bachimon
Avignon University
Texte français
Keywords : Geography, Vietnam, Tourism, Kitsch, Dalat, Colonial era, Authenticity, Exoticism, Selfie, Tourism - Da lat, colonial influence, social networks.
Abstract
In 1995, the American administration under B. Clinton officially ended trade embargo and removed the economic blockage with Vietnam. As of this major key point, the country became a new destination to discover, attracting tourists worldwide. The beauty of its diverse landscapes, the culinary art and the hospitality of the local community were the main advantages that helped Vietnam to develop its tourism sector. More than two decades later, when observing the current tourism activities of the country, we realize that the abovementioned three are no longer as authentic as they were at the beginning. They are artificialized, mixed and “exotized” to meet the diverse demands of domestic tourists. This context urged us to conduct the present research attempting to understand how, why and in which way(s) the Kitsch was able to gradually immerse in the daily life and in the minds of Vietnamese people. It currently becomes a social phenomenon amplified by the media and the social networks. The use of Kitsch is considered as a soft remedy that the Communist governance applies to relieve the damage caused during the decades of wars. However, on the long term, will it still be an effective tool in the tourism development of the destination Vietnam in general, and of the climatic health resort of Dalat – our case study – in particular ?
