Exploring the Role of Martial Arts Tourism in Social and Cultural Sustainability

The emotional fabric of community life is woven from residents' perceptions of other groups and their own identities. This complex interplay shapes local interactions and experiences and is contingent upon the cultural context in which they occur. Despite growing research on tourist-resident interactions, the cultural sustainability of tourism remains understudied. Moreover, the reciprocal dynamics between residents' self-concept and tourism-related cultural exchange require in-depth investigation. Sports tourism, a significant special interest sector, facilitates value co-creation and cultural exchange. However, its growth raises concerns about commodification and host community impacts. The literature primarily focuses on major sports and mega-events, rather than minor sports and local events. Martial arts tourism, an understudied subset, presents opportunities for embodied social interactions and sustainable destination development, therefore warranting investigation into its effects on resident perceptions and sustainability. This study aimed to examine the role of martial arts tourism in developing the social and cultural sustainability of destination communities. The objectives were to analyse residents' perceptions towards martial arts tourism, examine tourist-resident interactions, and explore the potential of martial arts tourism to foster social and cultural sustainability within the community. Dewey's social pragmatism provides the overarching epistemological framework, using a qualitative research design, guided by an interpretivist approach, and further informed by a Japanese ethno-epistemological standpoint. This study employs a dual-case study design to examine the complex relationships between historical context, resident attitudes, tourist-resident interactions, and self-concept in non-Western settings, using Okinawa karate tourism and Shorinji Kempo tourism in Tadotsu town as illustrative cases. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 35 participants, including tourists and residents, ...