Tracking the travel industry: How Canada’s travel companies are failing wildlife

Executive summary:

Wildlife tourism is a huge global industry that affects hundreds of thousands of wild animals. Many tourists who choose to participate in animal activities are unaware of the cruelty and suffering behind them. Travel companies have a responsibility to protect wildlife and educate their customers about ethical alternatives. This report, commissioned by World Animal Protection Canada and conducted by the University of Surrey, evaluates 11 travel companies on their policies, targets, performance, and consumer engagement regarding animal welfare. The report reveals that most of the companies are failing wildlife by selling and promoting exploitative attractions, such as elephant rides, dolphin shows, and tiger selfies. The report also provides recommendations for the companies to improve their practices and become wildlife-friendly.

Key points:

• The report uses a comprehensive methodology to score the companies on four key areas: commitment, targets and performance, changing industry supply, and changing consumer demand.
• The report finds that only four companies (The Travel Corporation, Airbnb, Tripadvisor, and Expedia) have made some progress in becoming wildlife-friendly, while seven companies (Groupon, Get Your Guide, Klook, TUI/Musement, Flight Centre, Trip.com, and Expedia) are still selling exploitative wildlife attractions.
• The report identifies five core problems that need to be addressed by the travel industry: lack of transparency, lack of animal welfare policies, lack of consumer education, lack of industry engagement, and lack of accountability.
• The report provides recommendations for the public and the travel companies to take action to end the suffering of wild animals in tourism and promote ethical alternatives.

Read the full report