Nantong City, Jiangsu Province, China, Tiger Hotel Room Controversy
Gucci Tiger Collection Also Criticized... "Promotes Illegal Wildlife Trade"
[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Various "Tiger Marketing" campaigns aligned with the Year of the Tiger in 2022, the Im In Year (壬寅年) according to the Chinese lunar calendar, have become a subject of controversy around the Lunar New Year holiday in China. While marketing using the traditional 12 zodiac signs has been common, opposition has grown, especially from animal and environmental protection groups, who argue that commercializing endangered animals like tigers is unacceptable, thus intensifying the debate.
Despite these controversies, tiger marketing has been actively carried out in China during the Lunar New Year holiday period, which coincided with the Beijing Winter Olympics amid the worsening COVID-19 spread. Both the central government and local governments have been hosting various tiger-themed festivals, heightening the holiday's special atmosphere.
China Excited by Lunar New Year Tiger Boom... 'Tiger Hotel' Emerges
According to China's state-run CCTV on the 1st, over 3,000 visitors gather daily at a wildlife park in Yunnan Province, home to about 150 tigers including Siberian and Bengal tigers, during this Lunar New Year period. This year, 2022, corresponds to the Im In Year in the 60-year cycle, symbolizing the black tiger, which is believed to have attracted especially large crowds eager to see tigers.
At Nantong City Forest Wildlife Park in China, in celebration of the Lunar New Year holiday, the park partnered with the Sundy Treehouse Hotel to create a "Tiger Viewing Room." The tiger viewing room, converted from a Bengal tiger exhibition area, consists of four guest rooms where visitors can stay. Guests staying here can sleep with only a transparent glass window separating them from the tigers.
However, safety and animal welfare concerns have sparked controversy even within China. According to Hong Kong's Ming Pao, the hotel responded to the controversy by stating, "We installed the best bulletproof glass products, and the safety level is very high," emphasizing, "This room was prepared as an experiential product to celebrate the Year of the Tiger."
Gucci's 'Tiger Collection' Also Criticized... "Encourages Illegal Animal Trade"
Luxury brand Gucci, which actively launched tiger marketing campaigns timed with China's Lunar New Year, has also faced criticism from animal protection groups. Earlier, Gucci released a new "Gucci Tiger Collection" themed around live tigers. In the advertisements for these products, live tigers were filmed as props, appearing to roam around models promoting the products, which drew criticism.
According to the UK Daily Mail, the British nonprofit organization World Animal Protection recently issued a statement saying, "Wild animals are not props. Tigers belong in the wild, their natural habitat, not on a film set," and criticized, "The tiger appearing in Gucci's advertisement is nothing more than another luxury item, like a fancy chair." They also warned that such advertisements could further encourage illegal trade of endangered animals.
Not only animal protection groups but also environmental organizations strongly condemned the Gucci Tiger Collection, the Daily Mail reported. These groups expressed disappointment, noting that this was the exact opposite of Gucci's previous efforts showcasing vegan leather and eco-friendly watches. They stated that marketing blatantly exploiting endangered tigers is far from the biodiversity and sustainability investment advertising that Gucci has emphasized.
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