Lived Religious Practice and Tourism Perceptions of Southern Buddhist Monks in an Ethnic Tourism Community in Xishuangbanna, China

Summary The Dai Garden, situated in Menghan Town of Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, China, is an ethnic tourist destination operated by the local company of Jinghong city investment and development. This case study was created to illustrate the complexity of Buddhist tourism. It outlines how the tour guides utilize cultural differences to stigmatize Southern Buddhist monks and addresses the negative tourism perceptions of Southern Buddhist monks in tourism in China, which leads to social and cultural unsustainability in religious tourism. It also reveals the challenges of business, primarily in marketing and management. This study should serve as a reference for other religious tourism businesses seeking to attain a higher level of social/cultural sustainability.