Reframing informal tourism entrepreneurial practices: Capital and field relations structuring the informal tourism economy of Chiang Mai

Çakmak, Erdinç; Lie, Rico; McCabe, Scott

Abstract

This article examines the types of capitals possessed by informal tourism entrepreneurs and locates their value within the field relations that orders their contribution to the tourism system. Bourdieu’s theory on fields and capitals was applied to ethnographic narrative accounts of stakeholders in tourism in Chiang Mai, Thailand to assess these roles. Informal entrepreneurs have limited access to resources and their perspectives are excluded from academic debates and policy initiatives. The paper identifies the dynamism, positive social capital, flexibility, and symbolic capital of informal entrepreneurs. These are related to the field conditions that determine and structure their contribution to tourism destinations. The analysis reveals the importance of collaboration between informal entrepreneurs and other stakeholders, concluding with recommendations for policy makers.

Citation

Çakmak, E., Lie, R., & McCabe, S. (2018). Reframing informal tourism entrepreneurial practices: Capital and field relations structuring the informal tourism economy of Chiang Mai. Annals of Tourism Research, 72, 37-47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2018.06.003

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 8, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Jun 15, 2018
• Publication Date: 2018-09
• Deposit Date: Jun 13, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 16, 2020
• Journal: Annals of Tourism Research
• Print ISSN: 0160-7383
• Electronic ISSN: 1873-7722
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 72
• Pages: 37-47
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2018.06.003
• Keywords: Informal tourism economy; entrepreneurship; fields; capitals; Bourdieu; Thailand
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/960784
• Publisher URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160738318300628
• Contract Date: Jun 13, 2018