Animal rights campaigners have accused travel associations of turning a blind eye to cruel wildlife attractions.
In research released today at World Travel Market, campaign group World Animal Protection said a ‘shockingly’ high number of the world’s travel trade associations are failing to provide sufficient animal welfare guidelines to travel companies, with the majority of associations doing nothing to prevent wildlife cruelty in tourism.
The research, carried out by the University of Surrey, found only 21 of the 62 travel trade associations researched had a page on their websites on sustainable tourism.
Of these, only six are communicating anything at all about animal welfare and of these only two travel trade associations and one tourism standard setting body had animal welfare guidelines or criteria as part of their sustainability programmes.
These three include ABTA, but World Animal Protection said even its guidelines are ‘considered vague, inconsistent and while designed to inform members, lack enforcement mechanisms’.~
Nikki White, ABTA director of destinations and sustainability, dismissed the findings.
"We welcome WAP’s recognition that ABTA is leading the way on animal welfare among the global travel industry, however we don’t agree with their assessment of the guidelines," she said.
"ABTA developed the industry’s first ever guidelines for animal welfare in global tourist attractions to provide a framework for our members and businesses to achieve good standards of animal welfare. The guidelines are specific about unacceptable and discouraged practices, as well as minimum requirements.
"Good progress has been made by UK travel companies in recent years and the industry continues to learn and respond as new issues and evidence come to light. Many ABTA members are using the guidelines to develop and implement animal welfare policies, and take action such as assessing attractions, including animal welfare standards as part of supplier contracts, carrying out independent audits and working with local suppliers whose livelihoods rely on the tourism industry."
Nick Stewart, head of wildlife not entertainers at World Animal Protection, said: "This is a systematic problem that needs to be addressed to ensure wild animals are not used for cruel tourist entertainment. Travel associations must step up, take action and commit to protecting wildlife."
