Tui left isolated on marine parks stance by rivals Jet2 and easyJet

TTG pressed Tui managing director UK and Ireland, Andrew Flintham, on the issue at last week’s Agenda 2024 spring breakfast where he was asked whether he felt the industry was doing enough to promote attractions with higher standards of animal welfare, and whether it was up to travel companies to lead the way rather than wait for consumers to make a stand.

"We’ve always taken the view that we will run those activities at the highest ethical standards, and I realise that is a bit complex because of the standards – there’s Abta guidelines. But we will allow people to choose," said Flintham.

’Checks and balances’

"We’ve taken that position – and it’s an easy position to have a go at because you’re not taking the moral position, but the moral position is only the position that is that person’s view."

Flintham said people regularly wrote to him to ask why Tui operates to countries in spite of the actions of their governments and their stances on human rights or the LGBT+ community, but stressed his approach was to "set standards, and let people decide".

"Clearly, if enough people decide they’re not going to book because they abhor the fact we’re giving people that choice, then that clearly will accelerate change without a shadow of a doubt," he added. "But we’ve always taken the view it’s high standards, but people can choose."

Responding to questioning from TTG the day easyJet made its announcement (14 March), Tui’s sustainability spokesperson Christian Rapp said: “We would rather work with the attractions and change the industry from within.

"We check the animal welfare and we work with Abta. We have a list of checks and balances – attractions that don’t meet our criteria we won’t sell any more.”

Rapp said Tui had already stopped some aspects of exploitation, such as animal rides, and ensured animals were allowed time away from human interaction. “As long as the animal can leave the situation, it is sustainable,” he added.

However, he admitted these guidelines could not apply to orca attractions and said Tui was still considering “what our strategy will be in the future”.