Animal welfare NGOs unite in Berlin to urge TUI Group to end dolphin cruelty

World Animal Protection, PETA, Whale & Dolphin Conservation, Born Free Foundation, and numerous other organisations demanded that TUI Group cease promoting and selling tickets to dolphin entertainment venues.

Dolphins, known for their intelligence and endurance, cover large distances in their natural environment. Bottlenose dolphins can cover up to 100 km daily, while other species swim even greater distances. In captivity, they are confined to small, barren tanks or shallow sea pens, drastically restricting their movement and exposing them to infections and chemicals. This confinement leads to severe stress and anxiety, often causing dolphins to self-mutilate and become aggressive. In some cases, they are drugged for entertainment purposes.

The protesters displayed placards and a giant banner featuring 350,000 petition signatures gathered by the charities, alongside LED scooters showing images of captive dolphins. They called on TUI Group to stop the promotion of such entertainment.

Despite ongoing campaigns by these charities, TUI Group continues to prioritise profit over animal welfare. Recent commitments by other travel companies, including easyJet holidays announcing an excellent animal welfare policy and Jet2holidays committing to stop selling dolphin venues, highlight a growing trend against such practices.

Katheryn Wise, wildlife campaigns manager at World Animal Protection, emphasised the broad support for this cause: “Today we’re all here to show TUI Group that there is mass support for them to end their sale and promotion of captive dolphin venues. For years TUI Group has been saying it is reviewing its animal welfare policy for cetaceans and listening to stakeholders, but it is ignoring all of the current research that shows that whales and dolphins suffer in captivity. They say they want to offer their customers choice but then present a glossy image of a leaping dolphin and talk about family fun and ‘the thrill’ of seeing ‘the world’s friendliest sea creatures’ up close. That’s not offering an informed choice, it is marketing and peddling animal cruelty for profit."

Dr. Mona Schweizer, campaign manager at Pro Wildlife, added: “Keeping sensitive beings and long-distance swimmers like dolphins in small barren tanks is cruel and is absolutely incompatible with animal welfare. Promoting holiday experiences and selling tickets for shows and activities that are based on the suffering of these animals is inexcusable. As the largest travel and tourism company globally, TUI has a particular responsibility and should act as a role model regarding sustainable tourism. Therefore, we are calling on TUI vigorously to finally cease its involvement in such business – it’s overdue!”

Veterinarian Dr. Mark Jones, Head of Policy at the Born Free Foundation, expressed his concerns: “There is growing recognition among governments and tour operators that keeping dolphins and other marine mammals in captivity, and forcing them to perform unnatural tricks and interactions with tourists, seriously compromises their welfare, and serves no useful conservation or education purpose. By continuing to promote visits to captive dolphin venues to their customers, TUI is complicit in the suffering of highly intelligent and social animals for the sake of entertainment and profit. We call on TUI to do the right thing and to join the increasing number of travel companies that are removing these venues from their travel offering.”

Tamara Narganes-Homfeldt, marine biologist at Whale & Dolphin Conservation, highlighted the impact on the animals' well-being: “Whales and dolphins are intelligent, conscious, self-aware, emotional, social, wide-roaming beings. Keeping them confined to the same small concrete tank day after day and removing their choice about how to spend their days strongly impacts their physical and mental health. TUI Group is the largest travel company in the world and as such they can play an important role in bringing an end to whale and dolphin captivity - if they stop promoting ticket sales to dolphinaria and their cruel shows that entertain visitors at the cost of freedom for the whales and dolphins involved.”

Nina Brakebusch, scientific officer at Deutscher Tierschutzbund, stated: “From an animal welfare perspective, all keeping of dolphins in captivity has to be rejected. However, dolphin shows in particular are extremely stressful for the highly sensitive animals. They represent an instrumentalization of the animals for the mere amusement of visitors. While other tourism companies have already taken action and removed dolphin shows from their programs, TUI continues to shirk its responsibility - this has to stop immediately!”

Project, added a succinct call to Ric O’Barry, Founder/Director at Dolphin action: “We are asking TUI to put ethics over profits and stop selling tickets to captive dolphin shows.”

Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute & UN Messenger of Peace, summed up the sentiment: “Every individual counts.”

Dr. Ingrid N. Visser, Founder, Orca Research Trust, remarked: “As a scientist who has documented the suffering that occurs when cetaceans are held in captivity, I can’t understand how anyone can allow that to continue. TUI Group is a company that is not only promoting the suffering of whales, dolphins and porpoises, they are profiting off it. Keeping cetaceans in captivity has no genuine conservation purpose and it is clear that the social license for it has expired. Yet TUI Group, who claim to be a world leader in tourism, have fallen way behind on this topic. It is time that they recognize that the welfare needs for these animals cannot be met and they should stop associating with these facilities.”

Ann De Greef, Co-founder and Director of GAIA, criticised TUI's practices: “TUI Group caters to dreams of escape by selling captivity and confinement. Like other major tour operators, it is high time that TUI Group demonstrates ethics and empathy by ceasing to promote entertainment that causes animal suffering.”

Muriel Arnal, president of One Voice, called for change: “It is high time for TUI to take a stand for dolphins and whales. They can still be in the vanguard for animals and nature by offering their customers trips that combine wonder at the beauty of our planet with the enchantment of meeting animals in a respectful and authentic way. History and future generations will remember the companies that left their mark on their era through their commitment to the fragile earth we share with all living beings.”

Giovanna Costantini, Head of Communication at FAADA, concluded: "It is inconceivable that in the 21st century, TUI Group continues to support cruel practices that exploit dolphins for entertainment. These highly intelligent and sensitive animals suffer greatly in captivity, deprived of their freedom and natural well-being. It is time for TUI to take a firm and ethical stance, following the example of many other travel companies that have said no to this barbarity. There is no justification for putting profit over animal welfare."

The collective voice of these NGOs and the 350,000 members of the public represented in the petition calls on TUI Group to end its involvement in dolphin captivity, ensuring that this is the last generation of dolphins to suffer in such conditions.