Presentation short abstract

How the ideal ecotourism experience and “authenticity” are nothing more than fantasies.

Presentation long abstract

In tourism studies, authenticity is an often-recurring topic. Especially ecotourism claims to sell ‘authenticity’ by offering experiences of pristine nature, exotic people, and simple(r) lifestyles. However, ecotourism destinations are repeatedly commodified and ‘spectacularized’, adapting them to the (mostly Western) tourist’s consumptive wishes. Following Debord, ‘the spectacle’ is the triumph of images, representations, and appearances in modern capitalist societies that, through endless repetition, creates its own reality. This reality also conceals uncomfortable elements: the spectacularization of ecotourism destinations frequently results in tourists and locals believing that pre-existing images are ‘the' reality rather than a representation. Arguably, then, the ideal ecotourism experience and even authenticity itself are just fantasies—stories that help us comprehend the world. They sustain their appeal through desires yet are unattainable in practice. Using the spectacle and psychoanalysis to theorize authenticity as a fantasy, this study analyzes the ecotourism discourse surrounding the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA). Covering parts of Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, KAZA TFCA was created for conservation, peace-building, and socio-economic development purposes, largely relying on ecotourism. This research examines the discourses of diverse national and international organizations and governments involved in the project. We argue that what is presented as authentic ecotourism in KAZA TFCA is not a stable quality found in pristine landscapes, local cultures, thrilling experiences, or attempts to do good by way of consumption, but a spectacular fantasy: a story producing and sustaining desire by promising wholeness, while ensuring its persistent suspension by concealing underlying hierarchies and contradictions.