For Responsible Tourism: Enjoy Without Harming

Wasana was an Asian elephant, quite small compared to her peers. Her name means “good luck” but she was never very lucky. For years, Wasana was exploited to carry tourists on her back.

When it seemed that his life was going to take a 180 degree turn, he ended up in one of those so-called “animal sanctuaries” in which the animals spend half the day chained and the other half being forced to interact with tourists.

That’s where I met Wasana, while I was volunteering. His languid gaze and his special character stirred my heart every day. I was just one more victim of the tourism business, but thanks to her I started researching responsible tourism.

Being a responsible tourist is in your hand

According to FAADA, a foundation dedicated to promoting respect for animals, responsible tourism is understood to be “that which does not negatively affect animals, whether they are in captivity or in the wild.”

Andrea Torres, the foundation’s wildlife advisor, clarifies that it is key ” not to participate in activities that keep animals in captivity for the entertainment of tourists.” In the same way, remember that it is essential “to respect animals in the wild and, if you want to see them, you must do it in the most responsible way.”

Unfortunately, despite the increasing awareness of tourists, there are still situations in which animals are not respected. The culprit of these practices is not only the ignorance of tourists. So is the increase in the use of social networks.

Thus we find very sad cases such as that of the baby dolphin that died a couple of years ago in Mojácar due to the shock caused by the harassment of bathers who wanted to take pictures with it. Or with cases that involve a human death, such as that of a man in India trying to take a selfie with an elephant, who ended up crushing it.

Enjoy without harming the animals

As a tourist and animal lover, you can do a lot to enjoy their presence without harming them. If you want to observe animals in the wild, choose sightings that are made from a safe distance, making as little noise as possible and avoiding any interaction with them.

• Don’t choose companies that feed animals to attract them, chase them, or hang out with them too long.
• If you decide to visit a rescue center or “sanctuary”, make sure that the animals are not in that center for and for tourism.
• Be wary of sanctuaries that offer to interact with the animal, bathing or feeding it, or those in which animals do unnatural practices (such as painting).
• Refuse to ride an elephant, camel, horse. .. and do not attend bullfights or places like zoos or aquariums.

Being a responsible tourist is in your hand. If you have any doubts, visit the responsible tourism website. This way you will avoid that that moment of your vacation captured in a photo is the reflection of a lifetime of abuse and suffering.