Cultural Intelligence and the Quality of Tourist-Resident Interactions: A Qualitative Study in Ho Chi Minh City

Tóm tắt

In multicultural urban destinations, interactions between tourists and residents play a key role in shaping tourism experiences. While prior studies often focus on tourists’ individual cultural intelligence (CQ), less attention has been given to how CQ develops through everyday social encounters. This study investigates how CQ is perceived and acquired via ordinary encounters between international tourists and locals in Ho Chi Minh City. The study, which is based on the Interactive Acculturation Model, includes 38 in-depth interviews with both groups. The findings indicate that cultural awareness, particularly sensitivity to nonverbal cues and role expectations, aids in behavioural adjustment. The expression of CQ varies according to social dynamics, recurrent exposure and perceived role expectations. Emotionally resonant events are generally the result of mutual respect rather than fluent communication. This study enhances tourism research by emphasizing the relational and context-dependent aspects of CQ. It also highlights the need for more comprehensive approaches to engagement. In practice, this entails promoting intercultural training, creating socially friendly environments and developing communication infrastructures that facilitate adaptable and inclusive interactions.