TripAdvisor has banned ticket sales to Sea World

[New display name]

Global travel giant TripAdvisor has banned ticket sales to theme parks and tourist attractions that breed or import whales, dolphins and porpoises for public viewing.

The new policy, which will impact major venues including Sea World on the Gold Coast, comes after the travel company stopped ticket sales for elephant rides, selfies with tigers and other tourist entertainment deemed cruel to animals.

Sea World has hit back at the announcement, saying the health and wellbeing of animals were its top priority and it has a strong reputation for caring for marine animals.

TripAdvisor will stop selling tickets to Sea World by the end of the year.

The review website and booking platform said it will no longer feature “or generate revenue… from any attraction that continues to contribute to the captivity of future generations and cetaceans”. Its subsidiary, Viator, will also remove the attractions from its site over the next three months through an auditing process.

This year Virgin Holidays and British Airways Holidays also ceased their relationship with SeaWorld as part of new policies on animal welfare. 

Edited October 4, 2019 by Skeeta

[rac2703]

So they will no longer sell tickets to EPCOT at Walt Disney World? Or any of the multi-park tickets for Walt Disney World? They also have captive dolphins!

[MickeyD]

Do they? I don't recall seeing Dolphins in the Living Seas but for me, granted that was a thousand years ago. They definitely have Manatees.

Our SW is part of a global initiative,  not to mention has rescued and rehabilitated countless Marine life over the 4 decades.

*Sad Story ahead..

Just the other day while taking a stroll by the water I came across a large Sea Turtle carcass, probably 50+ years old, body washed up on the shore with it's guts all hanging out and had Plastic bags all twisted inside. The Turtle's shell had been smashed at the top. From what I could tell, It had died as it entered the Channel feeding on the bloom of Jelly fish (its favourite food) and from clearly what would have been years of eating plastic bags by mistake, it was no longer able to submerge, sadly got struck by a passing boat.

This was a pretty confronting reminder of what terrible damage we have done to our Oceans. While places like SW will not be there to save every Animal -not even close- I am at least grateful that we have such an organisation that is genuinely committed to Marine Life care and through education, can really help make a difference. 

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

On 04/10/2019 at 11:48 AM, Skeeta said:

TripAdvisor will stop selling tickets to Sea World by the end of the year.

...Because, we have principles, and we've made a decision to generate goodwill, but we don't want to miss the end-of-year-bonanza on holiday bookings we make profit from.