“The red panda is a raccoon”: Consuming fantasy and imagination in wildlife tourism

Abstract

Abstract Based on a case study of red panda-tourist interactions at Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, this case analyzes the consumption of fantasy and imagination in wildlife tourism. The red panda, a rare and attractive animal native to southwestern China, is relatively unfamiliar to Chinese tourists, who frequently mistake it for a raccoon, a North American native. This fanciful and imaginative consumption of the red panda is assessed through its relevance to the construction of tourist identities and societal relations. The case has empirical implications for educators as well as managers in the field of conservation. Information The case is an original study © The Author 2022