Between Folklorisation and Vitrification: What are the Challenges and Prospects for Community-Based Tourism?.

Community and fair-trade tourism is currently at the heart of many debates. Can it really be a lever for cultural and social emancipation, or does it run the risk of freezing local identities in an artificial performance? During the session held on February 25, 2025, of the "Fair Trade and Community Tourism Working Group" working group of the International Social Tourism Organization (ISTO), experts and practitioners from the sector gathered to discuss these essential questions.

The group had the pleasure of welcoming two guests with complementary expertise:

• Bernard Schéou, professor at the University of Perpignan, who offered an academic perspective on the relationship between cultural tourism and local culture in Bali, through the fascinating research conducted for over 20 years by French scholar Michel Picard.
• Denis Blanc, from Alternative Urbaine in Bordeaux, who presented the work of his association, which is committed to a more inclusive form of tourism through off-the-beaten-path urban walks and, above all, away from preconceived ideas, and an innovative pathway to integration through cultural mediation and the training of local people to become ‘urban scouts’.

Other members of the group also shared their experiences and insights.

Understanding the Challenges of Folklorisation and Vitrification

Two major concepts emerged during the discussions: Folklorisation and vitrification. Folklorisation refers to the process through which local cultures are simplified, frozen, or staged to meet tourist expectations, often distorting their true meaning and harming their transmission. Vitrification, on the other hand, refers to the museification of territories and cultures, freezing them in an idealised past, sometimes at the expense of contemporary evolution and the inhabitants’ aspirations.

The works of researchers Georges Cazes and Alain Girard has highlighted these dynamics. In the 1970s, Cazes pointed out that the representations of local cultures in French travel catalogues were a response to Western nostalgia, reducing these cultures to picturesque and static elements. Fifteen years later, Girard analysed the emphasis placed on traditional scenes of life in tour operator brochures, contributing to the myth of authenticity and locking people into a fixed image of their culture.

The Case of Bali: A Textbook Example

Anthropologist Michel Picard studied the impact of tourism in Bali, where the Indonesian government implemented a policy of ‘cultural tourism’ in the 1970s. The approach aimed to promote local culture while preserving its authenticity. Over time, however, Balinese culture has adapted to visitors' expectations, shaping a “tourist culture” in which the most attractive elements were given pride of place.

This case illustrates a crucial question: does the development of heritage for tourism inevitably lead to its commercialisation? In Bali, this process has transformed local people's perception of their own culture, to the extent that what is considered ‘authentic’ now meets the expectations of tourists.

Chosen or Imposed Folklorisation?

During the round table, a parallel was drawn with other experiences, in particular that of the Yucatán peninsula in Mexico. In this region, community tourism programmes supported by international donors have helped to forge a ‘Mayan brand’ influencing the cultural identity of local populations. In contrast to the Balinese case, this external intervention has had positive effects: the communities have gradually appropriated this identity and have become more autonomous.

These examples raise the question of the role of local people in constructing their own tourist image. When local people are involved in defining their tourism offering, the risk of folklorisation can be mitigated. On the other hand, if the image is imposed from outside, it can become a burdensome constraint.

Can Community Tourism Be a Bulwark Against Folklorisation?

A number of initiatives show that another model is possible. In Bordeaux, the Alternative Urbaine association offers urban walks led by people on work integration schemes, known as ‘urban scouts’. These routes, designed according to the personal vision of the scouts, offer an authentic and subjective discovery of the city, far removed from the usual tourist clichés.

A similar programme, Migrantour, has been developed in Europe. This project offers guided walks by immigrants, providing a fresh perspective on working-class neighbourhoods and encouraging intercultural dialogue. Unlike traditional tours, these initiatives do not freeze culture in an idealised past, but present it as a living, constantly evolving reality.

Toward a More Ethical and Participatory Approach

To mitigate the risks of folklorisation and vitrification, actors in community and fair tourism are adopting several strategies:

• Co-construction with local communities: Some tour operators, such as those belonging to the ATES (Association for Fair and Solidarity Tourism) or the AITR (Italian Association for Responsible Tourism), ensure that local people are the real decision-makers in what they choose to share.
• Enhancing a living heritage: Rather than freezing culture, some initiatives seek to highlight its dynamic dimension. For example, Paysans du Monde helps farmers share their daily lives with visitors without falling into artificial staging.
• Deconstructing stereotypes: Initiatives such as Alternative Urbaine and Migrantour demonstrate that tourism can be a tool for social inclusion and a lever for changing perceptions.

Conclusion

Community and fair-trade tourism can be a tool for emancipating and enhancing local cultures, but it also runs the risk of contributing to their folklorisation and vitrification. The key lies in the involvement of local populations, who must be the real players in the development of their heritage.

Far from being a simple issue, this question needs to be considered in depth to ensure that travellers' quest for authenticity does not take precedence over the cultural vitality of the host communities. A more ethical, participatory and dynamic approach seems to be the most promising way of reconciling tourism and respect for local identities.