LACULTOUR: Journal of Language and Cultural Tourism
Vol. 5 No. 2 (2026): Lacultour: Journal of Language & Cultural Tourism

Visualizing Vibrancy: A Multimodal Analysis of Photographic Representations in Ho Chi Minh City Travel Guidebook

Le Minh Phuoc Ta (University of Social Sciences and Humanities - Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City)
Thi Nhu Ngoc Nguyen (Unknown)



Article Info

Publish Date
02 Nov 2026

Abstract

This study investigates the meaning-making process of 224 photographic representations in Ho Chi Minh City Travel Guidebook (English e-version) in relation to its tourism slogan Vibrant Ho Chi Minh. The research adopts a multimodal discourse analysis approach, integrating both qualitative and quantitative methods. The primary theoretical framework is adapted from Hunter’s (2008) typology of photographic representations, which was, in turn, developed from Kress and Van Leeuwen's (2006) Visual Grammar. The findings indicate that the vibrancy of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam is significantly emphasized by these photographic representations, with its rich cultural aspects (51.79%) and modern infrastructure (20.98%) being prominently depicted together with its outstanding tourism products (21.87%). In other words, this vibrancy is constructed from both internal vibrancy (intangible values) and external vibrancy (tangible infrastructure and amenities). Furthermore, in the context of Vietnam’s robust tourism development and the globalizing trends within the industry, the study proposes recommendations aimed at enhancing the persuasive efficacy of the photographic representations in tourism texts promoting destinations in Vietnam.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

lacultour

Publisher

Subject

Education Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media Social Sciences Other

Description

LACULTOUR: Journal of Language and Cultural Tourism is a peer-reviewed journal published by the Center for Research and Community Service in collaboration with the Language Center of Bali Tourism Polytechnic. This journal is dedicated to the dissemination of research on the exploration and ...