Tensions in Local-Global Production of Tourist Spaces in Vietnam: Heritage, Global Flows, and Local Identities

Abstract

This research note examines the relations between mobility, urban heritage, and locality in Vietnam. The main research question is: Can heritage preservation function as a decolonization project, or does it re-establish structures of internal coloniality? We analyze data on Hội An and Tam Đảo regarding narratives, appropriation, and consumption practices and link our findings to larger processes of decolonization. The paper argues that urban heritage preservation can function as a decolonization project, promoting emancipation for parts of Vietnamese society. While heritage is perceived as inherently local, its production often leads to a transfer of ownership from local communities to the national and international levels. However, due to globalized flows of knowledge, aspirations, and power in the tourist sector, it simultaneously re-establishes structures of internal coloniality in Vietnamese society. The emerging interface between global flows and local aspiration creates a landscape of spatial consumption, undermining local ownership of urban heritage space and alienating locals.