Social norms and representations: the challenges of resilient tourism in the South Pacific[Normes et représentations sociales : les enjeux d’un tourisme résilient dans le Pacifique Sud]

The development of tourism in Vanuatu has been accompanied for several years by changes in the habits of the inhabitants who try to adapt to the demands of tourists on different levels: use of the English language, acceptance of the Australian dollar for transactions, schedules adapted to the arrivals of cruises and planes, food adapted to the tastes of tourists etc. These modifications create new or transformed social norms that deeply influence not only behaviors, but also affect identities and social relations. This article is based on work and methods from social psychology (Hofstede, 2001) in order to understand how individuals and communities of the South Pacific Islands react to these standards, the adaptation points, those who cause resistance and how certain standards are redefined.