Tea tourism and Bulang culture: World Heritage Conservation in Yunnan, China

The central research question is: How is authenticity in the ethnic culture viewed in the context of tea tourism and the World Heritage Declaration? Tea tourism and the World Heritage Declaration could increase the ethnic people's pride in their income, tea-growing tradition, and status promotion in China or even in the world.

However, tea tourism and the World Heritage Declaration may make the ethnic people engender senses of cultural loss. However, there should be trade-offs between the ethnic people's cultural loss and preservation. The ethnic people still have agency for their development in the context of tea tourism and the World Heritage Declaration.<br><br><i>Thesis is permanently embargoed.</i>