Residents’ perceptions of community-based disaster tourism: the case of Yingxiu, China

ABSTRACT

Disasters destroy lives, make survivors suffer, and attract dark tourists. Community-based disaster tourism (CBDT) was born in such disastrous areas. Yet, little has been studied about the sustainable issues of CBDT, especially in the underdeveloped regions. This research paper addressed this gap by exploring the local residents’ perceptions of the CBDT in Yingxiu, China. Based on a survey and face-to-face interviews, this study found that the local residents’ feelings were mixed in facing disaster tourism. This study unveiled the residents’ paradoxical attitudes and the challenges and impediments of sustainable CBDA. Suggestions are made to the policymakers and CBDT advocates.

KEYWORDS:

• Community-based
• disaster tourism
• local residents
• poverty reduction
• government’s role
• sustainability
• earthquake
• disaster
• Yingxiu
• China

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.