Thomas Cook has removed the sale of any attraction with captive cetaceans.
The change came as part of a new animal welfare policy alongside a relaunched ticket and excursions offer for its customers. Thomas Cook will offer and promote “wild-watching” experiences for whales and dolphins which allow holidaymakers to experience these animals in their own habitat.
Chief executive Alan French said: “We know that for our customers going to a zoo or an aqua park is an important part of their holiday and we only want to offer those experiences when we’re confident they abide by the highest welfare standards and are not built on animal suffering.
We have been seeing a strong return to bookings following the pandemic, but also a decline in the demand for activities that harm the environment or animals. Our customers care about these issues, and we are proud to be matching those sentiments. It has been an easy decision to make.”
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”“I feel incredibly emotional about the Thomas Cook news. We worked so hard and campaigned relentlessly. We researched and investigated; held protests and outreach events, tweetstorms that reached the press; we had many news articles, a segment on Aljazeera and probably much more that I can’t even remember!”
JoDolphin Freedom UK
“Thomas Cook using our hashtag!” – Jo
”Dolphin Freedom UK has been protesting Thomas Cook for years, urging them to stop supporting dolphin exploitation programs. Thomas Cook has just announced it will no longer sell tickets to attractions with captive dolphins. Back in 2016, Thomas Cook advertised dolphin shows and swim programs in at least 13 countries. The travel operator’s decision to finally put ethics over profits is a major win for dolphins. TUI next.
Helene O'BarryDolphin Project
