Tourism, the Culprit of Commodification in Cultures & Traditions?

Tourism has becoming important gradually for many countries, especially to those who are still developing. The issue of tourism is related to the dilution and commodification of local culture and traditions. Because of commodification, authenticity is lost as travel experience has been altered to provide only the gist of the country’s culture. It is inevitable for commodification to occur under the influence of tourism; when tourists visit a country, they often desire to bring back the memories they had during their travel. Local businessman may see this as an opportunity to earn high returns and began to create items that signify the local culture in large scale. Henceforth, it leads to the commodification of culture to provide tangibles for the tourists to bring home as a souvenir. An example, there is a specialized souvenir shop in Dilli Haat that sells a wide range of products which incorporates the local culture. One can find greeting card, Rajasthani wall hangings, Rajasthani cloth toys etc easily there.

Looking at a bigger picture of tourism in Bihar, Bodh Gaya which is a temple that has religious significance to the Buddhism devotees faces the fate of being commodified and transform into a heritage site. In addition, amusement park, luxury hotels and golf course will also be built in order to provide a holistic travel experience. There is no doubt that these changes are able to create wealth and improves the locals financially. Yet, looking at the perspective of the Buddhism devotees, the development plan has threatened their sacred site and the peace they have. With the influx of tourists and establishment of tourists’ facilities, Bodh Gaya will lose its originality which can lead to the failure of heritage tourism in the long term.

All in all, the relationship between tourism and commodification is interlinked that means they are influenced by each other. Relating to the case study of Bodh Gaya, it is because of the effort to boost tourism that leads to the commodification of the sacred place. However, it is also due to commodification that has enhanced the appeal of Bodh Gaya as a heritage tourism attraction. Therefore, there is a need to see them as a whole instead of two separate entities instead of focusing too much on whether tourism is the main culprit behind the commodification of culture and traditions.