TripAdvisor makes booking changes linked to animal attractions

Travel company TripAdvisor has announced changes to its policy on selling tickets to animal attractions, and the launch of a new educational portal to help inform travelers about the standards of care for wild, captive, and endangered species involved in tourism and their interactions with tourists, and their impact on wildlife conservation.

TripAdvisor and its Viator brand will stop selling and promote tickets for tourism experiences where travelers come into contact with captive wild animals or endangered species, including but not limited to experiences like elephant rides, petting tigers, and swim with dolphin attractions.

While some of the attractions will be not available for booking through TripAdvisor immediately, the company should have both the educational portal and booking policy changes implemented by 2017.

The portal will have links and information on animal welfare practices, helping travellers write more informed and specific reviews and they will get aware of opinions that exist on the conservation implications and pros of some tourism attractions.
The booking policy includes several exemptions like horseback riding, volunteer programs for endangered species preservation at zoos, aquariums or sanctuaries where it is possible that there might be some level of physical interaction with an animal, children’s petting zoos with domestic animals like rabbits, aquarium pools used for education purposes where tourists are under the supervision of zoo and or wildlife officials.