Paper short abstract:

In the presentation I will analyse how local people in Huancayo (Peru) deal with tourism and how they perceive international and domestic tourists as well as try to light on what are the consequences of (cultural) interaction of local people with tourists for their identity and environment.

Paper long abstract:

In Huancayo which is the regional capital in Peru, local people engage mainly in trading, while tourism is a growing field of occupation. Host communities engage differently in tourism; some have indirect, and others direct contacts with tourists. With growing awareness of importance of tourism as important income opportunity local people try to develop different kinds of tourism which is in opposition to mass tourism. The emphasis is in search of (experimenting with) alternative forms of combining development and tourism. In the paper I will explore how locals receive new forms of tourist planning. I will be particularly interested how can alternative forms of tourism generate social, economic, and environmental benefits for local communities while also creating truly transformative experiences for tourists (Stronza 2001). Local communities are no longer passive in the decision making. On the contrary, they are active participants (Due to endeavours of local authorities). Local authority and some institutions in Huancayo are trying to involve local residents as decision makers in tourism projects.

Many local people in Huancayo see tourism as "economic bridge" which will rescue them from poverty and the one which will give them better conditions of living.

What are the effects of tourists on local community? What is the degree of their active participation? What is their role in transforming culture and identity? Will people in host destination lose their cultural identity as a result of tourism?