Tourists to Lhasa, Tibet: How Local Youth Classify, Understand and Respond to Different Types of Travelers

Abstract

Local residents in tourism communities are observers of those who gaze at them. This research extends host gaze studies using an emic approach. It explores how tourists are viewed in three different settings in the context of Lhasa, Tibet. The young Tibetans viewing tourists in these three different settings have different economic and social backgrounds. They also have different degrees of exposure to tourists. The study offers baseline information on how tourists are differently understood within Tibet across nationality differences. It was demonstrated that three different groups of young Tibetans variously use ethnic origins, travel and transport arrangement, and how tourists are hosted to develop their different classifications. Tolerance towards most types of tourists is high, though it varies subtly for different groups. These core perspectives can be helpful in establishing not only how Tibetan tourism is viewed but also how it can be managed and developed in the future.