| Summary: | A deep understanding of the motivations of tourists is essential in the planning and development of community economy through traditional handicrafts and tourism. Phuoc Tich Heritage village, situated in the center province of Vietnam, is well known for its traditional pottery crafts and ancient houses. The paper builds a profile of the tourists who visit the village, with a specific focus on their travel motivations and expenditure, and on identifying from a visitor’s perspective where the tourism value chain can be strengthened. The study collected one hundred and thirty-two tourists participated in the self- administered survey and semi-structured interviews. The results show the general demographic profile of a tourist travelling to Phuoc Tich village is someone who is well educated, middle aged, and with a relatively high discretionary income. They are interested in seeing the pottery being made and would like to learn more about the culture and deep into the local people’s lifestyles when they are travelling to rural or peri-urban destinations. When the tourists become emotionally involve and truly engage with the simple and slow life at Phuoc Tich Heritage village, they explore local food and cultural behaviours of rural people in an environment that is hundreds of years old. Through this interaction with the residents, the tourists also significantly contribute to enhancing the tourism products. This means that the tourists not only passively take part in the tour and experience the destination, but also actively play the role of the creator of their tourist activities.
Keywords: Tourists Demand, Heritage Village, Tourism Value Chain
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