Wild at heart: Selling ethical wildlife experiences in southeast Asia
The swish of an elephant’s trunk, the unmistakable chatter of a monkey, the sight of a majestic tiger – for decades, travellers have flocked to southeast Asia in pursuit of the next tick on their ‘must-see’ wildlife bucket list.
The region’s popularity among animal-loving clients comes as no surprise, as its biodiverse rainforests, jungles and reefs play host to thousands of species, which an ever-growing collection of tourist venues offer visitors the chance to witness. But, in some instances, these encounters come at a cost – to the animals and their wellbeing.
While activities such as elephant riding are largely known to be detrimental to the creatures’ welfare, there’s still a huge number of tourist attractions across southeast Asia offering unregulated access to these magnificent mammals, while big cats, primates and bears are just some of the other species being exploited for commercial gain.
However, in recent years, things have started to change. Increasing numbers of animals are being rescued and placed into sanctuaries and, with charity support, more venues are implementing ethical practices. But with work still to be done, how can agents promote wildlife experiences that prioritise wellbeing?
Time for change
According to non-profit organisation World Animal Protection (Wap), 63% of captive elephants across Asia are living in severely inadequate conditions, while the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has reported that more than 8,000 tigers are being held in ‘tiger farms’ across Laos, Thailand, Vietnam and China. What’s more, bears, primates and other creatures are used as photo props and performers in ‘entertainment shows’, which Wap says is only possible through the “beating, chaining and abusing” of the animals.
But there is light at the end of the tunnel – something highlighted by Janin Leach, senior product executive for Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines at Audley Travel, who believes tourists are becoming increasingly aware of which attractions to avoid. “More and more clients proactively ask for ethical experiences in Asia as awareness of animal welfare and its importance has increased,” she says.
This sentiment is echoed by Katie Terrington, owner of Katie Terrington Private Travel and cofounder of non profit membership community The Conscious Travel Foundation. While she sometimes receives requests from clients for experiences that aren’t certified as animal-friendly – to which she advises “explaining rather than criticising” is the best technique – Terrington says that “more people are open to understanding what is and isn’t ethical”.
While awareness and education are growing, Tom Taylor, chief operating officer of animal rescue organisation Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand, believes there is still a way to go. “Thousands of elephants are still kept in camps offering rides or performances, and Thailand also has a large captive population of big cats,” he says. “While ethical alternatives are becoming more visible, they are still outweighed by exploitative attractions.”
A particularly concerning growth area is that of wildlife cafes, which Taylor says has “increased rapidly” across Asia in recent years. These venues often feature capybaras, marmosets, meerkats and lemurs and “capitalise on demand for close, social media-driven interactions”.
Conservation questions
Scott Dunn’s sustainability and nature positive tourism lead Charlie Darlington believes wildlife cafes appeal more to the mass market. But the presence of these venues only adds to the saturation of wildlife focused tourist attractions available, creating a grey area that poses the question: what is ethical and what isn’t?
It’s a difficult question to answer, particularly considering the fact there are many sites and attractions that bill themselves as humane, but lack formal accreditation that confirms a level of commitment to animal welfare.
Alicia Sharpe, managing director of eco-focused agency Luxeco Holidays, finds this challenging when recommending experiences for clients. “It’s very prevalent [in the industry] to say something’s ethical, but it’s not,” she explains. “[Attractions] use the terms ‘conservation’ and ‘ethical’, which is scary because clients see that and think ‘I’m going to a conservation centre’, but some of the stuff they do with animals is shocking.”
Advice and guidance
To help agents feel confident in what they sell to customers, many operators have implemented robust guidelines to ensure they’re only promoting positive wildlife experiences. Camille Drevillon, chief strategy officer at Abercrombie & Kent Travel Group, explains the business follows “strict” animal welfare guidelines, with “a zero-tolerance approach to cruelty or exploitation”. She says: “The company does not promote any experiences that involve harm or distress to animals. This includes banning elephant riding, performances or close-contact interactions.”
Similarly, Audley Travel “continuously reviews” its policies, while Scott Dunn overhauled its wildlife wellbeing framework last year to be in line with the Abta animal welfare guidelines, which included the removal of Kenya’s Giraffe Manor from its portfolio.
Darlington says it also adheres to a resource called the Five Freedoms framework, which includes “freedom from hunger and thirst, freedom from pain and freedom to express natural behaviours.”
At Carrier, Deepavali Gaind, product manager for Asia and Australasia, believes “awareness is the solution of ethical tourism”, which is why the operator has recently introduced a team of internal animal welfare champions.
Product manager Antra Bovkuna is part of this team and says it is always “actively looking for opportunities to build colleagues’ knowledge”.
For agents seeking clarity and guidance, Terrington says aligning with “the right DMCs, guides, hotels and lodges” is vital. She also recommends “looking at the bigger picture” to understand why there might be a price gap between two seemingly similar experiences.
“Consider what’s really behind the price difference and who or what might be losing out,” she advises. Southeast Asia will always be known for its spectacular wildlife, but with the right education and action, agents, operators and travellers have the power to drive change and ensure more of the magnificent creatures who call this region home are well looked after – and what animal lover wouldn’t want that?
Ethical alternatives
Being armed with a roster of certified experiences and sanctuaries to suggest to clients is invaluable. Scott Dunn’s Charlie Darlington cites ChangChill Elephant Sanctuary in Thailand and the two moon and sun bear centres in Vietnam operated by wildlife charity Animals Asia as credible recommendations. She says legitimately ethical places such as these can offer travellers “a much more enriching experience”. Deepavali Gaind from Carrier agrees, explaining how high-end clients value learning about the welfare credentials of sanctuaries, as “transparency is the new luxury”.
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