How social media influences resident participation in rural tourism development: a case study of Tunda in Tibet

ABSTRACT

Previous studies have explored the impact of social media as a marketing tool on tourists’ decision-making and experience, but few studies have explored the impact of social media on rural residents’ tourism participation. Taking Tunda in Tibet as an example, this study qualitatively explores how social media embedding affects rural residents’ tourism participation. Results show that social media reshapes villagers’ social identity, social structure, and social relationship of the tourism community. Specifically, (1) the virtual space constructed by social media is connected with the lived space of villagers, additionally, the social and power relations in lived space are reshaped by the embedding of virtual space. (2) The production of virtual space with social media as the medium expands the resistance channels of representations of space in the process of space production in reality for villagers. Internal place branding can play a greater role in the place branding due to the embedding of social media. (3) When social media influences villagers’ participation in tourism development, it influences changes in the community, including changing the villagers’ lifestyle, strengthening informal power, and reshaping the social relationship of residents. The findings can help rural tourism destination managers adapt to changes in rural society brought about by social media.

KEYWORDS:

• Social media
• social change
• rural tourism participation
• resident
• qualitative
• Tibet

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Editage [www.editage.cn] for English language editing.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Social Science Fund of China [grant number 18CGL023] and the Tibetan University Cultivated Fund [grant number ZDTSJH19-11].

Notes on contributors

Sang Senyao

Sang Senyao, PhD, graduated from the Tourism Management Department of Gachon University, South Korea, now is an associate professor in the School of Tourism and Foreign Language, Tibet University. His research interests include tourism geography, tourist behavior, and tourism sociology.

Sina Ha

Sina Ha, graduated from the Hult International business school, United State, now is an teacher in the School of Tourism and Foreign Language, Tibet University. Her research interest is tourism marketing.