Using social exchange theory to examine residents’ responses to heritage tourism: case studies of Samarqand and Bukhara in Uzbekistan

There have been numerous studies of the impact of tourism on local communities. This qualitative study uses social exchange theory to examine tourism’s effects on local communities in Samarqand and Bukhara. These are World Heritage Sites (WHS) along the ancient Silk Road that have been strongly affected by the recent growth of tourism in Uzbekistan. Our findings highlight the significant role played by perceptions of an aspect of intangible cultural heritage (ICH), the concept of hospitality, shared by both tourists and residents. This positive shared perception encourages support for tourism development among residents. This finding thus points to the need to find ways to align tourism development strategies with residents’ own perception of their cultural values.

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