Celebrities including Dragons’ Den star Deborah Meaden and Britain’s Got Talent judge Alesha Dixon have urged TUI to stop selling and promoting tours and activities where captive dolphins are used for entertainment.
They’ve joined Game of Thrones star Bella Ramsey, actor and presenter Joanna Lumley and other famous faces who have signed an open letter asking TUI Group to follow travel companies such as easyJet holidays, Jet2holidays and Expedia Group, which no longer sell tickets to captive cetacean venues. The letter warns the operator will be ‘firmly on the wrong side of history’ if it doesn’t.
World Animal Protection, which wrote the letter, said dolphins are ‘confined to tiny, barren, concrete tanks thousands of times smaller than their natural space, exposed to infection and chemicals and often drugged to cope with captivity – they sadly can only swim a few metres at a time in any direction’.
It added: “The anxiety and stress can cause them to self-mutilate and become aggressive – all in the name of entertainment and profit.
“TUI Group are urged to join the ever-increasing movement of travel companies, governments and tourists who are saying no to cruel captive dolphin entertainment, but the travel giant continues to put profit over animal welfare.”
Alesha Dixon said: “TUI you are the last major tour operator in the UK selling tickets to dolphin entertainment. Join the other tour operators and stop profiting from this cruelty.”
Deborah Meaden said: “I really can’t believe in this day and age we still have to point out the cruelty. Do the right thing TUI and do as your competitors have done and stop selling tickets to these cruel and exploitative attractions.”
Earlier this month, World Animal Protection and 14 other animal welfare organisations protested outside TUI Group headquarters in Berlin, handing over a 350,000-strong petition.
World Animal Protection Chief Executive Tricia Croasdell said: “We need to make this the last generation of dolphins in captivity.”
Read the letter here.
Travel Gossip has asked TUI UK and TUI Group for a comment.
The post Celebs put pressure on TUI to stop selling captive dolphin attractions appeared first on Travel Gossip.
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They’ve joined Game of Thrones star Bella Ramsey, actor and presenter Joanna Lumley and other famous faces who have signed an open letter asking TUI Group to follow travel companies such as easyJet holidays, Jet2holidays and Expedia Group, which no longer sell tickets to captive cetacean venues. The letter warns the operator will be ‘firmly on the wrong side of history’ if it doesn’t.
World Animal Protection, which wrote the letter, said dolphins are ‘confined to tiny, barren, concrete tanks thousands of times smaller than their natural space, exposed to infection and chemicals and often drugged to cope with captivity – they sadly can only swim a few metres at a time in any direction’.
It added: “The anxiety and stress can cause them to self-mutilate and become aggressive – all in the name of entertainment and profit.
“TUI Group are urged to join the ever-increasing movement of travel companies, governments and tourists who are saying no to cruel captive dolphin entertainment, but the travel giant continues to put profit over animal welfare.”
Alesha Dixon said: “TUI you are the last major tour operator in the UK selling tickets to dolphin entertainment. Join the other tour operators and stop profiting from this cruelty.”
Deborah Meaden said: “I really can’t believe in this day and age we still have to point out the cruelty. Do the right thing TUI and do as your competitors have done and stop selling tickets to these cruel and exploitative attractions.”
Earlier this month, World Animal Protection and 14 other animal welfare organisations protested outside TUI Group headquarters in Berlin, handing over a 350,000-strong petition.
World Animal Protection Chief Executive Tricia Croasdell said: “We need to make this the last generation of dolphins in captivity.”
Read the letter here.
Travel Gossip has asked TUI UK and TUI Group for a comment.
The post Celebs put pressure on TUI to stop selling captive dolphin attractions appeared first on Travel Gossip.
Continue reading...
