New Report Reveals Major Travel Companies are Failing Wildlife

World Animal Protection Calls on Companies to Stop Selling Tickets to Exploitative Wildlife Experiences

NEW YORK, Feb. 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- World Animal Protection US, a global animal welfare non-profit organization, released the second edition of Tracking the Travel Industry US report. The report ranks the largest travel companies in the United States on their animal welfare commitments, urging those that continue to profit from exploitative wildlife experiences to adopt a strong animal welfare policy. 

Commissioned by World Animal Protection, the University of Surrey independently reviewed and analyzed the public commitments of top travel companies.

Airbnb is among the current leaders in protecting wild animals. Airbnb, which previously worked with World Animal Protection to develop its animal welfare policy, received the second-highest overall score of 67%.

Four companies – Groupon, GetYourGuide, Trip.com, and Klook – received scores below 7%. They do not have policies prohibiting working with captive wildlife venues and are severely failing wild animals by selling and promoting harmful and exploitative animal "experiences", including elephant rides, selfies with tiger cubs, and swimming with dolphins. World Animal Protection urges travelers not to book through these companies.

The assessment scores companies across four key areas:

1. Commitment: Does the company have a public animal welfare policy against captive wildlife attractions that applies across all brands?
2. Targets and performance: Does the company have time-bound targets for meeting its animal welfare commitments and report on progress?
3. Changing industry supply: Does the company engage with its suppliers and the industry to implement wildlife-friendly changes? 
4. Changing consumer demand: Does the company provide resources to empower its customers to make wildlife-friendly travel choices?

Additionally, World Animal Protection reviewed the companies' booking sites to determine whether they offered any of the following four types of "animal attractions": 

• Elephant rides, feeding, and washing 
• Taking selfies, feeding, petting, and walking with wildlife, including primates and big cats 
• Swimming with dolphins and other sea-life shows 
• The sale of any interactive "experiences" involving wild animals 

Additional results:

• Groupon received one of the lowest overall scores of 4%. World Animal Protection has an active public campaign urging Groupon to stop selling animal cruelty. Company leadership has yet to respond to the campaign.
• Expedia has made significant progress since the first Tracking the Travel Industry. In November 2021, following a successful public campaign by World Animal Protection, the company set a new policy prohibiting selling tickets to dolphin and whale performances or interactions. Expedia's score in this second edition is 64%, the third highest in the report, compared to just 22% in 2020.
• TripAdvisor/Viator scored low with 44%. While the company removed ticket sales to captive dolphin and whale performances or interactions in 2019, the company has substantial room for improvement, including ending the promotion of attractions such as swimming with dolphins and elephant rides.

Nicole Barrantes, Wildlife Campaign Manager at World Animal Protection, US said, "Travel companies play a crucial role in influencing traveler's decisions and changing the supply and demand for captive wildlife experiences. Companies that continue to exploit wild animals for profit, like Groupon, need to do better. Claims to follow responsible business practices are false as the company regularly sells tickets to attractions such as dolphin shows and roadside zoos, misleading the public and fueling animal cruelty. Our active public campaign is urging Groupon to protect animals, not exploit them."

To learn more about how companies can implement better policies and how consumers can make their concerns known visit https://www.worldanimalprotection.us/wildlife-friendly-travel 

The full report can be viewed here.

About World Animal Protection

World Animal Protection has moved the world to protect animals for more than 70 years. Working across almost 50 countries with offices in 12, World Animal Protection endeavors to protect animals from cruelty and suffering. The organization's activities include: working with companies to ensure high standards of welfare for the animals in their care; working with governments and other stakeholders to prevent wild animals from being cruelly traded, trapped or killed; and working to build a more humane and sustainable food system that protects farmed animals and prioritizes innovative proteins. World Animal Protection influences decision-makers to put animal welfare on the global agenda and inspires people to change animals' lives for the better. World Animal Protection is the only animal welfare organization with UN Consultative Status.

For more information on World Animal Protection, visit www.worldanimalprotection.us 

SOURCE World Animal Protection