Exploring how mainland Chinese tourists are discriminated against domestically and internationally, and how COVID-19 has compounded this problem.

Abstract: This paper seeks to examine the increasing hostility, discrimination, and hate crime that Chinese mainland tourists and residents have experienced and how this impacts travel choice, accessibility, and the wellbeing of this demographic.

Key Words: Tourism, Intergroup Contact, Prejudice, Discrimination, Social Stigma, Sinophobia, Wellbeing, Stereotypes, and Political Instability.

Most citizens of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) have been denied the opportunity to travel and experience the social benefits for economic and political reasons until recent times (Smith, 2019). The middle class in the PRC is increasing with the growth of its economy, distribution of wealth, and increased access to domestic and foreign travel. This offers these travellers social, cultural, and mental health benefits, which could increase the overall happiness of this social class. The benefits of cross-cultural intergroup contact in encouraging social cohesion and promoting empathy between groups cannot be overemphasised (Paluck and Green, 2009). The results could include better mutual understanding between cultures, more interconnected nations, and less prejudice. However, there are barriers to this tourism and all the positive social benefits it offers. Some of these obstacles are prejudice, social stigma, Sinophobia, racism, and ignorance. All of these may negatively impact the travel choices of Mainland Chinese Tourists (MCT). This will harm potential tourist destinations economically, and the people and regimes who have ostracised and racially discriminated against MCT will lose out.

Mainland China has been the target of sensationalised media headlines worldwide and ‘finger-pointing’ by world leaders in the wake of; the COVID-19 Pandemic which originated in Wuhan, territory disputes, and the Chinese Communists Party’s (CCP) relationship with foreign nations. The fact that the Mainland Chinese population (MCP) has very limited autonomy or political influence is often forgotten or ignored. Potentially justified criticism of the CCP is often unfairly directed at the typical MCT. The People’s Republic of China’s government, the CCP, allows no opposition. The population has little or no influence on government policy, political decisions, or international relations. It can be argued that there is no social, political, or economic benefit to stereotype and discriminate against a group based upon any perceived racial or national difference. There should be equal treatment regardless of demographic, opinions, feelings, and autonomy.

COVID-19 has increased the racial discrimination experienced by CMT, Chinese ex-pats, and other Asian travellers who have been racially profiled as belonging to this group. The number of hate crimes perpetrated against MCT, and ethnically Asian people reported in countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States has dramatically increased. This can be attributed to the relentless negative rhetoric of political figures such as then US President Donald Trump and other (mostly) far-right-wing politicians. Naming COVID-19 the Chinese virus was warned against and condemned by the World Health Organisation, due to the associated social stigma and detrimental effects it can cause. The warning was ignored and contested by political figures intent on division and attributing blame for COVID-19, and the resulting tragedy. The resulting racially charged abuse, segregation, stereotyping, and discrimination perpetrated against the PRC and Asian travellers and residents can make this group feel rejected and less inclined to choose these destinations. This reduces suitable travel destinations and opportunities for MCT. This is unfair, as it involves exclusion of this group and results in the loss of economic and social enrichment.

Intergroup contact is a theory that was developed by Alport in 1954. It encapsulates the social cohesion built by groups meeting, sharing connections, and gaining a better understanding of one another (Paluck and Green, 2009). Shared experiences open potentially positive dialogue, without relying on mainstream and social media or word of mouth for information about other groups. Understanding will be direct with less bias (Paluck and Green, 2009). Host and tourists experience the individuality of one another and can reduce the prejudice which may be based upon national or racial differences and misconceptions. Understanding of other cultures can also be acquired through shared online media, which connects groups allowing them to share experiences. If MCT are threatened or rejected from entering shared spaces in tourism destinations, these opportunities are lost. This is also likely to be the case with shared media. For most citizens, when in the PRC a government firewall (claimed to protect privacy, but is widely contested) controls, monitors, and censors all online interaction. This further isolates this population from opportunities to communicate externally and internally. This also renders the PRC citizens relatively less accessible to tourism destination residents. It also prevents other countries from becoming familiar with the PRC people and their culture. This ongoing alienation makes xenophobic and Sinophobic behaviours more likely.

Historical discrimination against groups is still active, with racist and prejudiced sentiment causing justified offence and alienation (Aydin, 2020). Political tensions and blame for COVID-19 have resulted in situations worsening and culminated in violent attacks on vulnerable people. This can result in huge losses to the tourism industry, and targetted groups such as MCT in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic with the loss of social and cultural advantage and social cohesion worldwide. When people are welcomed instead of met with hostility, regardless of their culture, ideology, and origin there is an opportunity for economic growth and cultural and social understanding.

References

Aydin, S. (2020) Sinophobia vs. coronavirusphobia. [online] The Daily Californian. Available from <https://www.dailycal.org/2020/04/07/Sinophobic/> [Accessed 10 May 2021].

Paluck, E.L. and Green, D.P. (2009) Prejudice reduction: What works? A review and assessment of research and practice. Annual review of psychology, 60, pp.339-367.

Smith, O. (2019) The unstoppable rise of the Chinese traveller – where are they going and what does it mean for overtourism?. [online] The Telegraph. Available from
<https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/comment/rise-of-the-chinese-tourist/> [Accessed 10 May 2021].

I have chosen to write a commentary for this paper as it discusses similar issues identified in mine. The main difference between the 2 is that my paper explored how Asian tourists in general, especially those of East and Southeast Asian heritage, face racialised risks such as discrimination because they are often seen the same because ‘all Asians look the same’. The topic chosen by the author is a topic that needs to be addressed more in academia because the knowledge construction of tourism has evolved around a western-centric viewpoint. The viewpoint, which overemphasises the western beginnings of contemporary tourism, traces back to the times elite excursions of European travellers who were predominately white upper-class males (Chambers, 2010).

Discrimination against Chinese tourists, whether MCT or overseas Chinese descents, as all as other Asian travellers racially profiled as belonging to this group is nothing new. It is something that is very prevalent in everyday life and not just in the tourism space. Those of Asian descents often face the risk of racialised encounters, such as discrimination and physical assault, for no justified reasons. MCT are often discriminated against because of the assumption and perception that they do not speak English, and are often told subjected to verbal abuse such as ‘speak English’ when speaking in their native language or to ‘go back home’ (Yang et al., 2018). This is commonly seen in western countries. As identified in the paper, this has increased and intensified as a result of COVID-19. However, the topic still remains disregarded in academia. At the same time, although western media channels were quick to racially profile COVID-19 with names such as ‘the Chinese flu’ or ‘the Wuhan virus’, they have remained oblivious to the consequences it has caused. As recognised by the author, these factors can make MCT and other Asian travellers less inclined to choose destinations where xenophobia and Sinophobia is prevalent. Therefore, it is a matter that urgently needs to be addressed globally. Today’s world is very much interconnected with transcultural societies, meaning it is almost impossible to not meet someone of another race (Chio et al., 2020). In the tourism space especially, where exchanges with other cultures is natural, race should not be a factor limiting a tourist’s lived tourism experience.

Overall, the paper recognises many important issues in the tourism space, though there is still a need for this to be further addressed.

Chambers, E., 2009. Native tours: the anthropology of travel and tourism. Waveland Press.

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Yang, E.C.L., Khoo-Lattimore, C. and Arcodia, C. (2018) Power and Empowerment: How Asian Solo Female Travellers Perceive and Negotiate Risks. Tourism Management, 68(1), 32-45. Available from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0261517718300414?casa_token=WTNj_AMp1_EAAAAA:8JlupfBN78i2d47bWlRQcVwZ-M8mDyba1w5UTpEiXYM9dYD5znzi_3swAEXTlTrIpx0Plrvi [accessed 20 May 2021]