TripAdvisor ends ticket sales to attractions with captive whales and dolphins

One of the world’s most prominent travel and restaurant website, TripAdvisor, is set to revamp its policy on animal attractions. The company plans to put an end to ticket sales to any attraction or destination that holds whales, dolphins or porpoises for public display.

The policy comes three years after TripAdvisor stopped selling tickets to attractions that let tourists ride or touch wild or endangered animals.

According to an article by Star2, President of TripAdvisor’s experiences and rentals, Dermot Halpin said: “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.”

“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,” added Halpin.

TripAdvisor declined to name specific destinations affected by the policy but confirmed that large attractions such as SeaWorld parks might be affected.

Speaking to CNN, the company clarified that although they will not sell tickets to such attractions, they are not removing them from the TripAdvisor site, where users share photos and reviews to inform fellow travellers.