Minh Duong Duc , Linh Ta Duy , Thao Nguyen Thi Thanh , Thanh Le Minh
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigates how responsible hiking tourism practices in Thiềng Liềng foster balanced human–nature relationships and ecological sustainability, addressing Anthropocene challenges such as climate change and ecological degradation. It explores how locally-led adaptive governance can effectively mediate tourist impacts and contribute to community and ecological resilience.
Study design/methodology/approach
A qualitative case study design was adopted, utilising semi-structured interviews conducted between 2022 and 2025. The analysis was guided by three complementary frameworks—Social-Ecological Systems (SES) theory, Critical Place Inquiry (CPI), and the Experiencing Place lens—which together enabled a nuanced examination of the relational dynamics among tourists, community members, local governance actors, and the surrounding environment.
Findings
The study identifies robust responsible tourism practices—educational guided hikes, ecologically strategic trail infrastructure, and community-driven visitor guidelines—that significantly reduced ecological disruptions and enhanced visitor environmental awareness. This study finds that responsible hiking in Thiềng Liềng has become a vital component of community-based tourism, fostering ecological preservation and transformative experiences through practices like forest bathing and storytelling that promote deep ecological awareness and non-dualistic human–nature relationships. Emphasizing the integration of deep ecology and bottom-up, indigenous knowledge, the study advocates for nature-based tourism approaches rooted in ethical engagement, cultural authenticity, and experiential place-making.
Originality/value
This research contributes to sustainable tourism by empirically demonstrating how responsible hiking, community-based governance, and ecological resilience can be effectively integrated within the Anthropocene context. Theoretical contributions are made through the application of Social-Ecological Systems (SES) theory, Critical Place Inquiry (CPI), and the Experiencing Place lens, all of which underscore the value of locally adaptive, culturally grounded tourism strategies that balance ecological and community well-being.
期刊介绍:
Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism offers a dedicated outlet for research relevant to social sciences and natural resources. The journal publishes peer reviewed original research on all aspects of outdoor recreation planning and management, covering the entire spectrum of settings from wilderness to urban outdoor recreation opportunities. It also focuses on new products and findings in nature based tourism and park management. JORT is an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary journal, articles may focus on any aspect of theory, method, or concept of outdoor recreation research, planning or management, and interdisciplinary work is especially welcome, and may be of a theoretical and/or a case study nature. Depending on the topic of investigation, articles may be positioned within one academic discipline, or draw from several disciplines in an integrative manner, with overarching relevance to social sciences and natural resources. JORT is international in scope and attracts scholars from all reaches of the world to facilitate the exchange of ideas. As such, the journal enhances understanding of scientific knowledge, empirical results, and practitioners'' needs. Therefore in JORT each article is accompanied by an executive summary, written by the editors or authors, highlighting the planning and management relevant aspects of the article.