Tourism development in Bagan, Myanmar: perceptions of its influences upon young peoples’ cultural identity

ABSTRACT

Following decades of military rule and isolation, Burma/Myanmar is currently undergoing changes. The actual extent of these changes is still debated, but the development over the past few years have nonetheless resulted in a dramatic increase in the number foreign tourists. Knowledge around the impacts of tourism development in Burma/Myanmar is, however, still limited. Through interviews conducted in the city Bagan, this study therefore sets out to shed light on how population themselves view the impacts of tourism development in their city/region—and particularly its potential influence upon the cultural identity of the youth. The study finds that tourism development in Bagan is viewed as having both a direct and indirect influence upon young peoples’ cultural identity—producing curiosity and joy as well as confusion and conflicts for the youth themselves as they try to reconcile the demands of tourists with that of their own culture. While the study finds that the traditional culture sometimes becomes “staged” for tourists, young people also develop their own "hybrid" and “glocalized” versions of identity.

KEYWORDS:

• Community perceptions
• cultural and social impacts of tourism globalisation
• identity