Responsible Travel across the seas

• Elephant interactions and rides
• Petting lion cubs, walking with lions, and canned hunts
• Situations where animals are subjected to cruelty for the purpose of entertainment
• Aquariums or marine parks where large mammals like dolphins and whales are captive
• Souvenirs that invole animal cruelty or place animals at risk
• Wildlife selfies

• Viewing wild animals in their natural habitats
• Itineraries that include pack-animals, carrying loads in accordance with The Five Domains
• Itineraries include pack-animals, pulling loads in accordance with The Five Domains
• Itineraries that include companion animals and pets, in accordance with The Five Domains
• Itineraries that include visits to sanctuaries that abide by World Animal Protection's Genuine Sanctuary Checklist

As a division of World Expeditionals Travel Group, we advocate for the use of the ‘Five Domains’ model of animal welfare, addressing both the physical and mental state of animals:

• Nutrition: ensure animals have access to clean water and enough food in a balanced diet. Available food is nutritious, appropriate for the species and individual animal, and varied.
• Environment: ensure animals are comfortable and safe and provided with opportunities and choices to engage in natural and rewarding behaviour.
• Health: ensure animals are fit and healthy and injuries and illnesses are prevented or immediately and appropriately treated.
• Behaviour: ensure animals can express natural and rewarding behaviour and are able to engage in free movement and play and have positive contact with animals and people to form social bonds.
• Mental state: provide safe, species-appropriate opportunities to have pleasurable experiences. Nutrition, the environment, health and the opportunity for expression of natural behaviour all influence an animal’s mental state.   

1. The best animal encounter is a wild one. View animals in their natural habitat exhibiting natural behaviours and do not initiate contact with them.

2. Do not ride on the back of an elephant. To ‘train’ an elephant to accept riders, they are taken from their mothers at an early age and physically and psychologically abused.

3. Avoid aquariums or marine parks where large mammals like dolphins or whales are kept in captivity. These environments are very unnatural and cause stress to these intelligent and far-ranging animals.

4. Do not purchase souvenirs made from wild animals such as fur, ivory, shells, seahorses, teeth, rhino horns and turtle shells.

5. Never participate in lion cub petting and lion walking experiences; many of them breed the lions for the ‘Canned Lion Hunting’ industry, to be shot in captivity.

6. Do not attend festivals or attractions that subject animals to cruelty for entertainment, such as animal circuses, dancing bears, dog or cockerel fights, running of the bulls, and any festival that causes suffering to animals.

7. Don't take a wildlife selfie if the animal is being held, hugged, or restrained, if you are baiting the animal with food or if the animal could harm you.

8. Before riding on the back of a horse, mule or donkey, match your size to that of the animal and ensure that your weight is evenly balanced when riding.

9. Only visit and support animal sanctuaries and shelters involving wild animals in captivity if the objectives of the organisation are in the animals’ best interests (e.g. rehoming, rehabilitation or release into the wild).

10. Speak up! If you see an animal in distress, please tell your guide or travel leader. Make a note of the date, time and location, as well as the type and number of animals involved. Take photos and/or videos as proof. Alternatively, if you see an animal that is well looked after, offer praise to the owner and tell him/her why you have chosen to give them your business.

We aim to ensure that our trip descriptions, imagery and marketing accurately reflect what travellers can reasonably expect.

When we talk about environmental or social initiatives, we explain the action behind the claim rather than relying on broad terms such as green, eco-friendly or sustainable.

When we talk about future goals or commitments, we make clear that they are goals and only communicate them where there is a credible plan behind them.

Where we make environmental comparisons, we explain what is being compared and ensure there is evidence to support it.

Responsible Travel is the name we give to our approach to managing the environmental and social impacts associated with travel.

It brings together our work across climate and carbon measurement, waste and single-use plastics, animal welfare, nature and biodiversity, human rights, local communities, cultural respect and First Nations engagement. Rather than using Responsible Travel as a label to suggest a trip has no negative impacts, we aim to show you the specific actions being taken.

Our Carbon Labels show the estimated CO2-e per person per day associated with the components of a trip included in our methodology.

We explain what is included in our calculations and recognise that carbon footprints are estimates. Our methodology has been developed with independent carbon consultancy ecollective, and we use this data to identify opportunities to reduce emissions across our trips and operations.

Supporting local people and communities is an important part of our approach, but we believe these stories should be told carefully.

We distinguish between money contributed, activities delivered and outcomes achieved. Where results are reported by our partners, we say so, and we don't claim credit for outcomes created by communities themselves.

The people and places we visit are not marketing props.

We seek appropriate consent for identifiable images and personal stories and aim to represent local guides, communities, cultures and partners with dignity and respect.

We represent destinations and communities with dignity, accuracy and appropriate cultural context.

Authentic photography from our trips and destinations remains our standard.

We aim to communicate in ways that are inclusive, respectful and honest.

We use inclusive language and aim for diverse representation across our communications.

We avoid stereotypes based on gender, age, ethnicity, culture, disability or other personal characteristics.

We respect privacy and applicable data protection and direct-marketing requirements.

We do not use false urgency, manufactured scarcity or other misleading or manipulative marketing practices.

Our environmental and social claims are supported by appropriate evidence, which may include operational and supplier data, carbon calculations, traveller surveys, project and partner reporting, policies, certifications or independent standards.

The strength of the claim should reflect the strength of the evidence behind it. Where we can't adequately support a claim, we change it or don't make it.

Where we make environmental comparisons, we explain what is being compared and ensure there is evidence to support it.

When we talk about future environmental goals or commitments, we make clear that they are goals and only communicate them where there is a credible plan behind them.