Tourism development in the sacred space of the ethnic minority: A case study of Po Klaong Girai temple of the Cham ethnicity in Ninh Thuan province

Abstract

As the residence of the Yang God which associates with many spiritual activities, the sacred space plays a vital role in the community life of the Cham in Vietnam. In Ninh Thuan, Cham cultural heritage has been utilised in tourism to develop the local economy; however, tourism in sacred space also has many impacts on Cham culture. Based on data collected from 2009-2017, this study analyses problems arising from the exploitation of Cham culture in sacred spaces for tourism development. Accordingly, the local government and related departments created “authenticity” or “invented traditions” of the Cham culture to satisfy visitors’ expectations. This falsified the culture, causing reactions from the Cham community when their sacred place was excessively violated. Therefore, the research results emphasise subject participation to ensure the harmony between cultural heritage conservation and tourism development in sacred places of ethnic minorities.