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Introducing measures to regulate tourist misbehaviour at visitor attractions is an ongoing challenge. While previous research has explored the factors behind visitor misconduct, little attention has been given to how these measures are received and interpreted by the public. This study addresses this gap by investigating how restrictions to misbehaving visitors influence public reactions through the lens of the ethics of care. This framework is particularly relevant in China, where ‘civilised tourism’ has become a national discourse promoting responsible tourist behaviour. Using theme and sentiment analysis, the study examines 319 comments from 27 public announcements on WeChat posted by the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding following reports of tourist misbehaviour. The findings suggest that such restrictions elicit collective moral reinforcement towards misbehaviours, with WeChat users actively endorsing the measures to uphold civilised tourism norms. By integrating the ethics of care into discussions on tourist misbehaviour, this research underscores the importance of fostering responsible human-animal interactions and civil behaviours. Given China's increasing emphasis on wildlife conservation and the growing role of social media in shaping public discourse, this study aligns with China's national strategy of civilised tourism, offering insight into how science-based governance enhances public engagement in wildlife protection.
Guo et al. (Thu,) studied this question.