Mobility and modernity in Luang Prabang, Laos: re-thinking heritage and tourism

A critical re-evaluation of tourism's impact on Luang Prabang challenges conventional narratives that depict tourism as inherently disruptive to heritage values. The study reveals that the relationship between heritage, community, and tourism is more nuanced than previously assumed, shaped by global, regional, and local mobilities under modernity. While acknowledging issues such as urban encroachment, loss of traditional dwellings, and shifts in community dynamics, the research argues for a broader conceptual framework that recognizes these changes as part of evolving cultural landscapes rather than solely as threats to heritage integrity.

Staiff, R., & Bushell, R. (2013). Mobility and modernity in Luang Prabang, Laos: re-thinking heritage and tourism. International Journal of Heritage Studies, 19(1), 98–113. https://doi.org/10.1080/13527258.2011.646287