Tourism knowledge and neocolonialism – a systematic critical review of the literature

Towards decolonising tourism and hospitality research in the Philippines

“…This underscores that colonialism is not yet over, as we continue to live in neocolonial conditions. Such conditions propel the processes that influence the creation and circulation of knowledge amongst various disciplines, including tourism (Wijesinghe et al, 2017). Thus, I propose that understanding the 'neocoloniality' in tourism knowledge production provides an important basis for its decolonisation.…”

“…By undertaking this study, I hope to respond to the need for the exploration and decolonisation of tourism scholarship in non-Western, particularly Asian, contexts (e.g. Mura, Mognard, & Sharif, 2017;Wijesinghe, Mura, & Bouchon, 2017). This study is also my attempt to depict profound understandings of the patterns that propel the neocolonialisation of tourism knowledge production in the Philippines and to propose a decolonial agenda that is aimed at curtailing neocolonial situations in Philippine tourism and hospitality scholarship.…”

“…More recently, Wijesinghe, Mura and Culala (2019) insinuate that the capitalist system academia has adopted nurtures the permeation of Western/Euro-centric ideologies in tourism knowledge. Although tourism has been actively promoted for the development of the global South, the latter remain on the periphery of tourism knowledge production (Wijesinghe et al, 2017). Several interconnected factors are seen to reinforce neocolonial situations in tourism and hospitality studies.…”

“…Given the above factors, many researchers criticise that the creation and circulation of tourism and hospitality knowledge is still colonial and Westerncentric (e.g. Chambers & Buzinde, 2015;Wijesinghe et al, 2017). Understanding the ways in which existing knowledge is produced is imperative for analysing tourism and hospitality research on the Philippines.…”

“…The epistemic 'decolonial era' places the voices of the colonised at the centre of inquiries while promoting intercultural and critical discourses, which is assumed to lead to 'pluriversal' rather than 'universal' knowledge (Doxtater, 2004;Grosfoquel, 2012). Though the study of tourism is relatively 'new' compared to other disciplines, neocolonial situations are present in the tourism and hospitality academy and tourism knowledge production needs to be decolonised (Chambers & Buzinde, 2015;Wijesinghe et al, 2017).…”