Author(s):
Honggang Xu* - Sun Yat-sen University
wei xing - university of Winnipeg
Abstract:
The theoretical adequacy of the host-guest paradigm on the connection between tourists and destination communities has long been questioned in tourism studies. This study joins the debate with the case of lifestyle tourist entrepreneurs (LTEs) in Dali, a renowned tourism destination in the southwest of China. These LTEs were attracted to Dali for a lifestyle they desire in the first place; meanwhile, in order to financially sustain their life in the destination, or as part of their sought lifestyle or just a byproduct of their stay, these LTEs were also self-employed in the tourist destination running small business providing all kinds of services to both mass tourists and the locals. Namely, they held dual status in their tourist destination, being BOTH guests and hosts, BOTH consumers and service providers, and BOTH tourists (outsiders) and locals. Particularly, this paper examines the process of development of these dual statuses and explores the dynamics of negotiation experience between the two statuses in the daily life of these LTEs in Dali.
