Elite circulation in Chinese ethnic tourism

Yajuan Li, David W. Knight, Wenting Luo and Jing Hu

Annals of Tourism Research, 2020, vol. 85, issue C

Abstract: Chinese ethnic tourism has grown rapidly alongside national goals to eradicate poverty by 2020, but not without concern. This study analyzes the rise and evolution of ethnic tourism elites (n = 29) in three minority villages of southwest China. Linking Elite Circulation Theory to ethnographic work in the region since 2013, findings highlight a differentiable conversion of ethnic tourism and other resources fueling 1) individuals' rise to power, and 2) shifts characterizing elite positioning across political, traditional, economic, and educational fields. The study proposes a framework for understanding elite-led tourism, conceptualizing elite circulation in rural China according to evolving attributes of elite groups competing for increased rights and capital within ethnic tourism systems.

Keywords: Elites; Mobility; Power; Ethnic tourism; China; Elite Circulation Theory (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:anture:v:85:y:2020:i:c:s0160738320301742

DOI: 10.1016/j.annals.2020.103030

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