Here’s how we can help you become wildlife-friendly

550,000 wild animals are suffering at tourist attractions across the world

COVID-19 has shone a harsh spotlight on how people treat wild animals. The catastrophic impact of wildlife exploitation has affected our health, economies, planet and the travel industry, in addition to causing the suffering of millions of animals worldwide. There can be no going back to what once was.

As a responsible leader in the travel industry, you can help prevent another pandemic, secure your livelihoods and help keep wild animals in the wild by becoming a wildlife-friendly travel company.

It can be hard to tell what's wildlife-friendly and what's not in tourism. Let alone how to incorporate responsible wildlife practices into your business.

We have the expertise and tools to help you ensure your offers respect animals, as well as the people whose livelihoods may depend on them.

At the same time, you can provide a unique, wildlife-friendly experiences for your customers.

Some steps you can take:

  • Download our 10 steps to become wildlife-friendly – to share with fellow decision makers in your company.
  • Take our pledge to phase-out wildlife interactions and shows from your offerings.
  • Develop an animal welfare policy and guidelines with our help.
  • Replace wildlife entertainment in your supply chain with ethical alternatives. We can provide tools, including checklists, to help you identify them.
  • Tell travellers about your company’s commitment to protect wildlife, and encourage them to see wild animals in the wild
  • Work together with others in the travel industry to drive industry standards and government legislation to better protect wildlife through tourism. Find out about the Coalition for Ethical Wildlife Tourism (CEWT).

Travellers are looking for responsible alternatives to animal cruelty

Two elephants - World Animal Protection - Wildlife. Not entertainers

Pictured above: Elephant at ChangChill, a venue in Thailand that has transitioned to become elephant-friendly

The good news is, travel companies of all sizes can meet their customers’ needs as well as help end wild animal entertainment.

Today's travellers are choosing holidays based on how animal-friendly they are:

  • 84% believe wild animals belong in the wild where they can live naturally
  • 9 out of 10 New Zealanders feel that travel companies should avoid selling and promoting tourism activities that cause wild animals to suffer.
  • 82% would prefer to see animals in the wild

Elephant rides, tiger selfies, walks with lions or swimming with dolphins are often each seen as ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ opportunities for a tourist but mean a lifetime of suffering for animals. Most travellers visit cruel wildlife venues because the cruelty is often hidden.

As a member of the travel industry, you can help change the lives of more than half a million wild animals and help travellers make responsible holiday decisions.

Become a wildlife-friendly travel company

Tiger cub in cage at a wildlife tourist attraction - World Animal Protection - Wildlife. Not entertainers
We've helped 225 travel companies become elephant-friendly

Pictured above: A tiger cub in a cage at a tourist attraction in Thailand

More than 225 travel companies have joined us and committed to stop selling and promoting venues that offer elephant rides and shows, including First Travel Group and House of Travel here in New Zealand and globally Thomas Cook, Contiki, Qyer.com, Intrepid Travel and TUI.

Many of these companies have gone further, committing to stop selling or promoting tickets to any wildlife entertainment activity including dolphin swims, lion walks and tiger selfie opportunities.

Read the full elephant-friendly travel company list here.

We’re already witnessing the positive effects of travel companies pulling out of elephant interactions, including riding, washing, bathing and feeding.

This movement inspired elephant camps in Thailand and elsewhere to transition their business models to ‘observation only’, where tourists can watch elephants from a safe distance without touching them.

We've been working closely with elephant camp ChangChill to help it become the first truly elephant-friendly venue in Thailand. At these venues, elephants are free to just be elephants.

Elephants with mahouts at an elephant tourist attraction in Thailand - Wildlife. Not entertainers - World Animal Protection
Tiger at wildlife tourist attraction in Thailand - World Animal Protection - Wildlife. Not entertainers
Dolphin performing at tourist attraction - World Animal Protection - Wildlife. Not entertainers

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