Tourist Perceptions of Entrance Fees in a Living Heritage City: A Case Study of Hoi An Ancient Town

Abstract

Fee collection at living heritage destinations, such as Hoi An, presents a complex issue, involving conflicts between economic benefits, heritage conservation, and stakeholder interests. This research aims to identify several factors in fee collection affecting tourist satisfaction in Hoi An, assess their impact, and propose policy implications. Employing a mixed-methods approach (quantitative survey of 300 tourists; qualitative in-depth interviews with 16 tourists, 2023-2024), quantitative regression results indicate "Perceived Value" has the strongest positive and statistically significant impact on satisfaction. Conversely, "Fee Collection Method" and "Quality of Infrastructure – Service Staff" showed very weak or insignificant statistical impact in the quantitative model. However, in-depth interviews revealed that while tourists generally acknowledge fee necessity for conservation, many expressed dissatisfaction with current collection processes, highlighting limitations of traditional gate-based models in living heritage contexts. Therefore, enhancing "Perceived Value" through preservation, interpretation, service quality, transparency, and improving or piloting alternative fee models is crucial for sustainable urban heritage tourism. The implications of the study could improve tourist satisfaction, making Hoi An a unique sustainable and attractive tourism product to tourists.