Social conflict in communities impacted by tourism

This paper is based upon 12 months of ethnographic study while living among the Tuva and Kazakh people in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China. Based on observation, interviews, participation and secondary documents the paper uses Coser's theory of Social Conflict to suggest a four part model of how tourism engenders different forms of social conflict and fluctuating alliances between stakeholders in an environment where tourism has been introduced by agents external to the indigenous community. The actors are ethnic groupings and members of those groups, governmental officials at local, regional and national level, intermediaries of the tourism industry and private sector entrepreneurs drawn from the majority and minority ethnic groups. Tensions are identified as being based on beliefs, resources and power, and a sequential pattern of primacy is identified consistent with stages of the tourist area life cycle.

► It is based upon 12 months fieldwork in an ethnic community of Xinjiang in China. ► It applies Coser's theories of social conflict to the impacts of tourism. ► Examples of social tension are provided. ► A tension-directed tourism destination development model is suggested. ► Emic approach is needed in both tourism research and destination management policies.