Intrepid Travel ditches elephant rides from tour itineraries as tourists turn their backs on animal attractions

TOURISTS are turning their backs on animal performances and rides, with major tour companies beginning to follow suit.

Intrepid’s new focus is on rehabilitation centres and sanctuaries where tourists can inte

THE image of an elephant playing a harmonica might sound ridiculous, but it’s an anecdote countless travellers to Thailand like to tell.

Savvy salesmen have clearly cottoned on to the fact tourists will pay good money to watch cute creatures perform, often to comic effect, and over the years a thriving industry has developed with all-singing, all-dancing animals, almost as ubiquitous as tacky souvenir stalls.

But the sad reality is that for many of these creatures life is hardly a laugh-a-minute.

The news that Australian-based adventure travel company Intrepid Travel is dropping elephant rides and visits to entertainment venues from their itineraries will no doubt please wildlife fans worldwide.

As the first major tour operator to make such a move, Intrepid has been working closely with the World Society for the Protection of Animals since 2000 to encourage animal-friendly travel.

Their decision to adjust itineraries was based on a three-year research project into the welfare of captive elephants at entertainment venues in Asia, to be published later this year. It’s said to be the most comprehensive overview so far on the wildlife entertainment industry in Thailand.

Asian elephants are highly endangered animals, and it’s thought that with their current rate of decline, they could be extinct within the next three generations.

The demand from tourism means that many animals are being taken from the wild, causing their number to fall even further.

As highly intelligent and social creatures, normally covering large distances in the wild, elephants don’t adapt well to captivity, and the process of forcing them to accept human control can often be a painful one.

But while the picture is bleak, it is by no means black and white.

Many communities rely on elephant rides and circus shows as a form of income, and Intrepid has been working towards educating local communities on improving animal welfare.

Over the past two years, the company has moved towards supporting rehabilitation centres and sanctuaries, venues where tourists can truly enjoy interaction with wild animals. The Uda Walawe National Park Elephant Orphanage in Sri Lanka and the Elephant Nature Park in Thailand are two examples.

“We hope that the increased patronage to commendable venues like this will help encourage others to lift their standards,” says Geoff Manchester, Intrepid Travel co-founder.

So far the response from travellers has been positive.

“Helping people to understand the choices they can make whilst travelling can create positive experiences for them and for the animals that they encounter along the way,” says WSPA’s Dr Jan Schmidt-Burbach.

The animal welfare society has also published a series of guidelines to encourage people to become responsible, animal-friendly tourists.

Interacting with wildlife is a highlight of most holidays, and seeing an animal happy in the wild is undoubtedly more rewarding than any outlandish circus act.

For more information visit intrepidtravel.com