Integration and sustainability of tourism and traditional livelihood: A rhythmanalysis

This study presents a theory of rhythmanalysis to illustrate how tourism livelihoods integrate with traditional livelihood in rhythm to achieve sustainability. Considering the case of the homes of herders in West Ujumqin Banner, China, this research involved participants' observations, in-depth interviews during off- and peak seasons in 2018, and a visual methodology. First, this study identifies the annual rhythm of tourism and pastoralist livelihoods and the daily polyrhythms, which are the basis for synergizing livelihoods, during the peak tourism season. Second, the integration process of the two livelihoods is considered a process of arrhythmia–recuperation–eurhythmia supported by a series of time strategies to achieve rhythmic harmony. The theory of rhythmanalysis is helpful in explaining the embedding process of tourism livelihood from the household perspective; as a supplementary livelihood, tourism operation is affected by individuals' cultural time habits, which are shaped by the traditional pastoralist livelihood. This article contributes to the theoretical concept of temporal rhythm in the tourism context and offers new avenues for time management.