IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/anture/v115y2025ics0160738325001392.html

From art escape to artscape

Author

Listed:
  • Rugkhapan, Napong Tao
  • Natakun, Boonanan

Abstract

This study examines the interplay between tourism imaginaries, touristification, and spatial conflicts in Khlong Bang Luang, a canalside neighborhood in Bangkok. As an emerging post-COVID tourism site, it illustrates how shifting imaginaries – from a floating market to an artscape – reshape landscapes and sociospatial fabrics. In particular, this research explores how demand for slow, artistic engagement has transformed this once-overlooked neighborhood. It highlights three dimensions of touristification: enclavization, which creates symbolic and physical boundaries; commodification, as local practices align with tourist expectations; and socio-spatial conflicts between tourism and residential life. Drawing from ethnographic observations, interviews, and discourse analysis, this paper argues that while this new, art-based tourism promises authentic engagement, it paradoxically reinforces long-standing tensions of tourism-driven spatial transformation.

Suggested Citation

  • Rugkhapan, Napong Tao & Natakun, Boonanan, 2025. "From art escape to artscape," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:anture:v:115:y:2025:i:c:s0160738325001392
    DOI: 10.1016/j.annals.2025.104033
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160738325001392
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.annals.2025.104033?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Claudio Milano & Ko Koens, 2022. "The paradox of tourism extremes. Excesses and restraints in times of COVID-19," Current Issues in Tourism, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(2), pages 219-231, January.
    2. Jorge Sequera & Jordi Nofre, 2018. "Shaken, not stirred: New debates on touristification and the limits of gentrification," City, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(5-6), pages 843-855, November.
    3. Rugkhapan, Napong Tao, 2023. "Linear tourism, multiculturalism, creative district: The case of Charoenkrung creative district in Thailand," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    4. Angie Lorena Salgado Moreno & Jorge Alexander Mora Forero & Raquel García Revilla & Olga Martinez Moure, 2024. "Research Trends in Communication and Tourism: A Systematic Review and a Bibliometric Analysis," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-17, September.
    5. Mark P. Hampton & Amran Hamzah, 2016. "Change, Choice, and Commercialization: Backpacker Routes in Southeast Asia," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(4), pages 556-571, December.
    6. Hanna Elisabet Åberg & Simona Tondelli, 2021. "Escape to the Country: A Reaction-Driven Rural Renaissance on a Swedish Island Post COVID-19," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-16, November.
    7. Sabine Panzer-Krause, 2022. "Rural Tourism in and after the COVID-19 Era: “Revenge Travel” or Chance for a Degrowth-Oriented Restart? Cases from Ireland and Germany," Tourism and Hospitality, MDPI, vol. 3(2), pages 1-17, April.
    8. Chark, Robin, 2021. "Midnight in Paris: on heritage and nostalgia," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    9. Walanchalee Wattanacharoensil & Viriya Taecharungroj & Boonyanit Mathayomchan, 2023. "Tourist gaze upon Bangkok: where exotism & modernism collide," Current Issues in Tourism, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(15), pages 2433-2451, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Domenico Branca & Andreas Haller, 2021. "Urbanization, Touristification and Verticality in the Andes: A Profile of Huaraz, Peru," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-20, June.
    2. Francesca Bragaglia, 2024. "Another sign on the wall: Graffiti slogans between dissent and post-political dynamics," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 42(7), pages 1224-1241, November.
    3. Antonia Astore & Luca Tricarico, 2024. "Understanding the Transformations of San Lorenzo, Rome: An Attempt at Conceptual Order between Gentrification and Urban Policy," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-23, October.
    4. Yang Jin & Bing Hou & Xiang Kong, 2024. "The Practice Characteristics of Authorized Heritage Discourse in Tourism: Thematic and Spatial," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-20, June.
    5. Diego A. Barrado-Timón & Carmen Hidalgo-Giralt & Alfonso Fernández-Arroyo López-Manzanares, 2025. "Discursive Competition in the Tourist Platform Economy of a Large City (Madrid)," World, MDPI, vol. 6(3), pages 1-25, July.
    6. Maja Nikšić Radić & Daniel Dragičević, 2025. "Integrative Review on Tourism Gentrification and Lifestyle Migration: Pathways Towards Regenerative Tourism," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-33, June.
    7. Soulard, Joelle & Russell, Zachary, 2025. "Visitors' cognitive vaccines: Self-reflection on dissonant narratives after heritage tourism experiences," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    8. Natalie Nitsche & Aiva Jasilioniene & Jessica Nisén & Peng Li & Maxi S. Kniffka & Jonas Schöley & Gunnar Andersson & Christos Bagavos & Ann Berrington & Ivan Čipin & Susana Clemente & Lars Dommermuth , 2022. "Pandemic babies? Fertility in the aftermath of the first COVID-19 wave across European regions," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2022-027, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    9. Seungbee Choi & Jongho Won, 2023. "Exploring the Survival Mechanisms of Short-Term Rentals in Virginia: A Comparative Analysis of Rural versus Non-Rural Markets," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-17, August.
    10. Yaobin Wang & Ruitao Zhao & Ying Li & Rong Yao & Ruoxue Wu & Wenlin Li, 2023. "Spatial and Temporal Heterogeneity of Rural Habitat Level Evolution and Its Influencing Factors—A Case Study of Rural Villages in Nature a Reserve of China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-25, March.
    11. Boyu Lin & Woojin Lee & Qiuju Wang, 2023. "Residents’ Perceptions of Tourism Gentrification in Traditional Industrial Areas Using Q Methodology," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(22), pages 1-19, November.
    12. Inês Gusman & Pedro Chamusca & José Fernandes & Jorge Pinto, 2019. "Culture and Tourism in Porto City Centre: Conflicts and (Im)Possible Solutions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(20), pages 1-21, October.
    13. Moslem Ansarinasab & Sayed Saghaian, 2023. "Outbound, Inbound and Domestic Tourism in the Post-COVID-19 Era in OECD Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-19, June.
    14. María J. Andrade & João Pedro Costa & Eduardo Jiménez-Morales, 2021. "Challenges for European Tourist-City-Ports: Strategies for a Sustainable Coexistence in the Cruise Post-COVID Context," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-20, November.
    15. Kristín Loftsdóttir & Már Wolfgang Mixa, 2025. "From Iceland to the Canary Islands: Understanding the Appeal of Mass Tourism in the Age of Over-Tourism," Tourism and Hospitality, MDPI, vol. 6(2), pages 1-18, April.
    16. Dubravka Vlašić, 2025. "Measuring sustainability KPIs in Croatian tourism destinations," Acta Universitatis Bohemiae Meridionalis, University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, Faculty of Economics, vol. 28(2), pages 46-62.
    17. Manuel de la Calle-Vaquero & María García-Hernández & Sofía Mendoza de Miguel, 2020. "Urban Planning Regulations for Tourism in the Context of Overtourism. Applications in Historic Centres," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-22, December.
    18. Marcus Hübscher, 2021. "Megaprojects, Gentrification, and Tourism. A Systematic Review on Intertwined Phenomena," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-22, November.
    19. Hexiang Zhang & Yechen Zhang & Ruxing Wang & Xuechang Zhang, 2025. "Spatiotemporal Dynamics and Driving Factors of the Urban Tourismification–Transportation Quality–Ecological Resilience System: A Case Study of 80 Cities in Central China," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-32, June.
    20. Francisco Conejo-Arrabal & Carlos Rosa-Jiménez & Nuria Nebot-Gómez de Salazar, 2023. "Patterns of Public Spaces in Spanish Mediterranean Touristified Historic Centres Based on Their Activities: Case Study of Malaga," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-16, August.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:anture:v:115:y:2025:i:c:s0160738325001392. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/annals-of-tourism-research/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.