by Malori

It’s a delicate balance. When does experiential travel change into exploitation? We want to explore our world, yet we want to be fair to nature and to those with whom we share the planet.

Swimming with the dolphins in Cozumel, riding an elephant in Thailand, dog sledding in Alaska, whale watching in Hawaii, shark diving in South Africa are but a few experiential opportunities travelers are seeking.  Year over year, animal encounters for passengers on cruises and tours are growing by leaps and bounds.  But with more opportunities comes responsibility.  Tour companies world wide are taking a stand against the commercial exploitation of animals.   “We know there is still a growing demand”, said Julie Middlekoop, global head of the “Wildlife – Not Entertainers” campaign at World Animal Protection, the advocacy group that has been putting pressure on travel companies to drop programs which exploit animals.  They launched a petition earlier this year which had over a half million signatures.

Several tour companies over the past year have limited their participation in such events. Amazing Journeys dropped our elephant riding in South Africa and India this year.  It’s a start.  Collette Vacations, G Adventures, Costco Travel, Mayflower Tours and Intrepid Travel are but a few who have signed on and have stopped offering elephant rides and other exploitative tour options.  Just last month, Trip Advisor announced it would stop selling hundreds of animal attractions.  They became the largest travel brand to take a stand.  It’s hard to explain why your company doesn’t offer these options when other travel companies do.  But with a growing concern from individuals and tour providers worldwide, along with organizations like World Animal Protection and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) are tipping the scale in favor or a greater understanding which is influencing the travel sector.

But when is an animal experience considered exploitation?  Is horseback riding abusive to the animal or was it breed for this purpose?  What about dog sledding in Alaska?  The dogs love running and actually get very excited to be outside in the snow.  Whale watching out in the open waters, if a whale is not being lured to the tourist boat with food and if the boat isn’t approaching the whale is observing nature. There’s the balance.

With growing demand for experiential travel opportunities, it’s a hard choice.  Companies who were profiting from selling these options see dropping these experiences as a money-losing endeavor. But the hope is that animal experiences will be replaced with visits to animal rehabilitation centers, learning opportunities and other educational programs.  Although tour companies and travelers in North America are being educated and have a greater awareness, there are emerging markets, especially in Asia where the demand for “tiger selfies” and the like are growing at alarming rates.

We at Amazing Journeys love this planet.  We want to show it to you the way it should be seen.  We want it to be here for future generations. We work hard to make the right decisions, so that you can have the best travel experiences possible.