Politics of memories: Identity construction in museums

This paper adopts collective memory theory to reveal processes through which heritage tourism stakeholders (re)construct contested national identity. Theoretically sensitised to identity crisis, the study analyses how Hong Kong and Macao heritage managers utilise complex transnational memories to (re)construct an identity aligned with, yet distinct from, that of China. Through a critical discourse analysis of interviews and discursive exhibition and museum texts, the article reveals that museum managers formulate heritage imaginings and a sense of belonging(s) through defining the collective memory for “Self” and “Other”. The article concludes that, by collective memory-building, museum professionals make tangible statements of national identities through legitimating negotiations and resistance in heritage tourism discourse. Implications for heritage tourism studies and museum management are also discussed

National identity and cultural festivals in postcolonial destinations

The number of cultural festivals organised globally has increased primarily due to their significance in celebrating and promoting community values, ideologies, identity and continuity. This mixed-method study aims to understand the role national identity and the associated emotions play in cultural festivals. It first investigates the rationale of organising festivals to celebrate postcolonial hybrid identities via a qualitative approach in Study 1, specifically regarding the ‘Macao International Parade’. It further tests a proposed framework via a quantitative approach in Study 2, which investigates the relationships between national identity, festivalscapes, festival satisfaction, hedonic value and re-patronising intention. This study implies that the cultural festival in Macao not only recognises a unique moment in history, but also contributes to strengthening the hybrid identity in postcolonial Macao. Based on these findings, both theoretical and practical implications are discussed

Application of carrying capacity management in Vietnamese national parks

Implementing carrying capacity is a prerequisite for national parks (NPs) striving to meet the three mandates of park management, namely, recreational use, conservation, and economic value. This study attempts to investigate the application of carrying capacity management in Vietnam’s park system and to assess its application for further development of the concept. Findings show that there are three different approaches to the implementation of carrying capacity in Vietnamese parks, including (1) a laissez-faire approach, (2) a relaxed approach, and (3) a strict approach. It is suggested that economic consideration is one of the major constraints to the implementation in developing countries such as Vietnam. This study not only contributes to the literature on capacity management in NPs, especially in the context of developing countries, but its findings are also valuable for park authorities to achieve the triple mandates of park management

The development of the Vietnamese park system: management model and carrying capacity

With beautiful scenic and rich biodiversity, national parks (NPs) have been included in the national strategy for tourism development, especially ecotourism in Vietnam. Its management, however, has shown weaknesses and hence merits attention in the light of sustainable development. Utilizing proper management model and implementing carrying capacity are prerequisites for NP striving to meet the triple mandates of its tourism business management (i.e., recreation, conservation, and economic pursue). This chapter provides an overview of Vietnamese NP system, focusing on its development history as well as the current state of tourism operations. It reviews the transition of Vietnamese park management models in different periods. At the same time, it investigates the current application of carrying capacity management in different parks. Findings show that Vietnamese park system continues to transform into different management models, from parastatal management to public and for-profit management. There are three different approaches to the implementation of carrying capacity in Vietnamese parks, including (1) a laisser-faire approach; (2) a relaxed approach; and (3) a strict approach. At such, this chapter analyzes the rationales leading to current development trend in Vietnamese park system. 146It contributes a theoretical explanation of the choice of park management model and carrying capacity application in Vietnamese context. Finally, this chapter discusses its practical implications to tourism management in NPs in Vietnam as well as other developing countries

The influence of consumers' implicit self-theories on homestay accommodation selection

In this study we aim to investigate whether entity and incremental theorists’ decision to choose/not choose homestay accommodation can be explained by their implicit self-theories. Drawing on data solicited from in-depth interviews with 44 travellers, we found entity theorists chose homestays because homestays align with their personal traits and offer outcomes they desired. Incremental theorists chose homestays since they perceived the act affirms their growth traits and homestays provide opportunities of learning about culture and gaining new skills. Besides the initial decision, consumers’ implicit self-theories are found to elicit some influence on their decision of choosing/not choosing homestays in future

Immunological and biochemical correlates of adjunctive dexamethasone in Vietnamese adults with bacterial meningitis

Adjunctive treatment to improve outcome from bacterial meningitis has centered on dexamethasone. Among Vietnamese patients with bacterial meningitis, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) opening pressure and CSF:plasma glucose ratios were significantly improved and levels of CSF cytokines interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and IL-10 and were all statistically significantly lower after treatment in patients who were randomized to dexamethasone, compared with levels in patients who received placeb