Beyond the tourist gaze: nocturnal sensescape, heritage identity negotiation, and social sustainability in the nighttime pedestrian spaces of Hue, Vietnam

Research on night tourism has increasingly examined how cities are experienced after dark, but less is known about how different stakeholder groups interpret multisensory conditions in relation to heritage identity. Focusing on three night-time pedestrian spaces in Hue, central Vietnam, this study uses sensory ethnography, combining participant observation, sensory fieldnotes, and 24 in-depth interviews with tourists, residents, business participants, and managers. The analysis shows that sensory configurations vary across sites and that stakeholder groups interpret the same night-time conditions differently. Tourists tended to associate night-time vibrancy with a more contemporary Hue, whereas residents and some businesses focused more on noise, disrupted routines, and the reduced prominence of traditional character. These differences suggest that ‘Hue-ness’ is negotiated through both inherited cultural meanings and contemporary nightlife practices. This research also highlights how sensory change is interpreted in relation to everyday life and locally valued cultural meanings when considering social sustainability in night-time tourism.