The role of self-gentrification in sustainable tourism: Indigenous entrepreneurship at Honghe Hani Rice Terraces World Heritage Site, China

Indigenous Hani and Yi communities at the Honghe Hani Rice Terraces UNESCO World Heritage Site face threats to their traditional rice cultivation practices due to gentrification driven by outsiders and state policies, coupled with high Indigenous migration rates. However, some Indigenous individuals are adopting entrepreneurial strategies learned from interactions with tourists and gentrifiers, improving their socio-economic status through a process termed 'self-gentrification.' This study introduces the concept of self-gentrification as a means to conserve heritage landscapes and Indigenous ways of life while mitigating the negative impacts of external gentrification. The research employs interviews and non-participant observations with inhabitants and newcomers to analyze these dynamics, offering potential solutions for sustainable tourism in World Heritage Sites.

Chan, J. H., Iankova, K., Zhang, Y., McDonald, T., & Qi, X. (2019). The role of self-gentrification in sustainable tourism: Indigenous entrepreneurship at Honghe Hani Rice Terraces World Heritage Site, China. Sustainable Tourism and Indigenous Peoples, 196–213. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315112053-12