TripAdvisor ends ticket sales to attractions with captive dolphins and whales
Travel booking platform TripAdvisor announced today that it will no longer sell tickets to or generate revenue from any attraction that contributes to the captivity of whales, dolphins and, porpoises.
In a statement, the company said that “as a result, any commercial facility that either breeds or imports cetaceans for public display will be banned from sale” on TripAdvisor and its subsidiary, Viator’s, website.
The company says products on sale and found to breach the new rules will be removed from the website over the next few months. The full policy will be in place by the end of 2019.
However, the policy will not be applicable to seaside sanctuaries that care for cetaceans already in captivity.
The decision comes after an “extensive” consultation process with experts, including marine biologists, zoologists, and conservationists.
“The extensive evidence presented to us by the experts was compelling. Whales and dolphins do not thrive in limited captive environments, and we hope to see a future where they live as they should — free and in the wild,” said Dermot Halpin, president of TripAdvisor Experiences and Rentals, in a statement.
“We believe the current generation of whales and dolphins in captivity should be the last, and we look forward to seeing this position adopted more widely throughout the travel industry.”
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