Comparing Chinese and Western Visitors’ Responses to Interpretive Signs at Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, China

ABSTRACT

Visitor experiences and interpretation at wildlife tourism sites are often designed to encourage visitors to adopt conservation actions. Typically, conservation messages are delivered via one-size-fits-all interpretive signage, with little consideration given to whether the same information attracts and engages different cultural groups. This study explores Chinese and international visitors’ perceptions of signage at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in China. Four sign prototypes were designed and a combination of visitor observations, interviews, and exit surveys were used to test their attracting and holding power. Comparisons of Chinese and Western visitors revealed no significant difference in the proportion who stopped to read signs. Preferences for signage elements were also similar across the two cultural groups; however, there were differences in terms of what visitors thought should be included in wildlife interpretation. Implications for the design and delivery of interpretation in Chinese wildlife tourism settings are discussed.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We would like to thank the staff of the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding for providing access to their visitors and assisting with data collection.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Karen Hughes

Karen Hughes is a lecturer in the University of Queensland Business School. Her research focuses on visitor behavior, interpretation, wildlife tourism, and sustainable tourism. She is currently working on several research projects investigating the impact of heritage and wildlife interpretation on visitors’ conservation knowledge, attitudes, and behavior. Address correspondence to: Karen Hughes, University of Queensland, Visitor Research Centre School of Tourism, Building 39A, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia. E-mail: [email protected].

Roy Ballantyne

Roy Ballantyne is Research Professor in the University of Queensland Business School. He has a well-established international reputation for his research in environmental interpretation and visitor learning. His work has advanced the field of informal environmental learning in cultural, heritage, and environmental settings particularly in relation to visitor adoption of environmentally sustainable behavior.

Jan Packer

Jan Packer is a Senior Research Fellow in the University of Queensland Business School. Her research focuses on applying principles from educational and positive psychology to understand and facilitate visitor experiences at museums, zoos and aquariums, botanic gardens, national parks, ecotourism, and wildlife tourism attractions.