Animal welfare NGOs rally outside TUI’s Berlin HQ to demand end to dolphin cruelty
Press release
A group of the world’s biggest global animal welfare charities came together outside TUI Group’s Berlin HQ to highlight the suffering dolphins face in captivity.
World Animal Protection, PETA, Whale & Dolphin Conservation, Born Free Foundation, Dolphin Project, World Cetacean Alliance, Jane Goodall Institute, WTG, Pro Wildlife, Marine Connection, One Voice, GAIA, FAADA, Orca Research Trust and Deutscher Tierschutzbund are calling on travel giant TUI Group to end the sale and promotion of captive dolphin entertainment venues.
Dolphins are highly intelligent, powerful marine predators that, in their natural environment, swim and hunt across vast swathes of the oceans. Bottlenose dolphins can swim 100km in a day, and some species cover much more. But confined to tiny, barren, concrete tanks or shallow sea pens 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. The anxiety and stress can cause them to self-mutilate and become aggressive – all in the name of entertainment and profit.
Protesters held placards and a giant banner displaying 350, 000 petition signatures gathered by the charities alongside LED scooters displaying images of captive dolphins and calling on TUI Group to stop selling and promoting captive whale and dolphin entertainment venues.
Collectively the charities have been campaigning for years for TUI Group 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.
- In March 2024 easyJet holidays announced that they would not sell tickets to any captive wildlife attractions including captive cetacean venues
- A few days later, Jet2holidays announced that they would stop selling captive dolphin venues
- Virgin Holidays, Expedia Group, Booking.com and Airbnb have all long since committed to never selling tickets for these cruel and exploitative attractions
- Canada and France, Brussels and New South Wales have all banned the keeping of whales and dolphins in captivity
- Dutch travel association ANVR and South Africa’s SATSA state that captive cetacean entertainment is unacceptable in their guidelines for their member organisations
- Strict regulations in the UK mean there have been no cetaceans in captivity for over 30 years
Katheryn Wise, Wildlife Campaigns Manager at World Animal Protection, said: “Today we’re all here to show TUI Group that there is mass support for them to end the 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. TUI says it wants to offer its customers choice but then present a glossy image of a leaping dolphin and talks 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 peddling animal cruelty for profit.
“Today we represent 15 animal welfare NGOs and over 350,000 members of the public when we say it’s time for TUI Group to stop propping up this outdated practice. The show can’t go on.”
Dr. Tanja Breining, Campaigner for Aquatic Animals, PETA: “Scientific evidence is showing that captivity is completely incompatible with the complex needs of orcas and other dolphins. At SeaWorld and Loro Parque, two of the venues TUI promotes, more than 45 orcas and dozens of other dolphins have died from severe trauma, intestinal gangrene, chronic cardiovascular failure, and other diseases, all far short of their natural life expectancy. TUI must end its support of cruel dolphin prisons.”
Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute & UN Messenger of Peace, adds: “Every individual counts.”
Veterinarian Dr Mark Jones, Head of Policy at the Born Free Foundation, said: “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.”
Ric O’Barry, Founder/Director at Dolphin Project said: “We are asking TUI to put ethics over profits and stop selling tickets to captive dolphin shows.”
Tamara Narganes-Homfeldt, Marine Biologist at Whale & Dolphin Conservation, said: “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.”
Sophie Lewis, CEO, World Cetacean Alliance: "The World Cetacean Alliance is proud to stand alongside our fellow NGOs and animal welfare supporters in urging TUI Group to stop selling and promoting captive venues. The scientific evidence is clear: marine parks and other captive facilities can never meet the complex needs of whales and dolphins. More and more people are becoming aware of the cruelty of captive cetacean shows and instead are seeking out authentic, responsible experiences to see these animals in the wild, where they belong. It’s time for TUI Group to join the right side of history and be part of the growing movement of travel companies who are turning their backs on inhumane captive venues.”
Dr Ingrid N. Visser, Founder, Orca Research Trust, stated: “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 recognise that the welfare needs for these animals cannot be met and they should stop associating with these facilities.”
Margaux Dodds, Director, Marine Connection: “Consumer opinion on tour operators profiting from activities that involve captive dolphins and whales is changing due to mounting evidence that these marine mammals cannot thrive in captivity. Several major tour operators have listened to their customers and no longer promote or sell to such venues yet TUI, despite continued appeals to follow their lead, continue which shows the company's disregard for the animals and the depth of public views on this matter. We ask TUI to look at their moral standing and cuts ties with facilities which continue to exploit captive dolphins and whales.”
Dr. Mona Schweizer, Campaign Manager at Pro Wildlife, adds: “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 role model regarding sustainable tourism. Therefore, we are calling on TUI vigorously to finally cease its involvement in such business – it’s overdue!”
Wiebke Plasse, Head of Communications and Fundraising at Welttierschutzgesellschaft (WTG): “Companies like TUI, which sell wildlife tourism activities such as dolphin shows promote animal cruelty. Our protest sends out an important message to the travel industry, but also reminds everyone that they can decrease demand by avoiding these cruel venues. Social media plays a huge role in promoting the popularity of these activities leading to more animals living a miserable life for tourist entertainment. Instead, we are appealing to tourists to follow the motto ‘No likes for animal cruelty' and asking them to report content showing cruel wildlife tourism.”
Nina Brakebusch, Scientific Officer at Deutscher Tierschutzbund, said: From an animal welfare perspective, all keeping of dolphins in captivity has to be rejected. However, dolphin shows in particular are extremely stressful for these 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!”
Ann De Greef, Co-founder and Director of GAIA, said: “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, said: “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, said: "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."
Join the movement to call on TUI Group to end the sale and promotion of venues that use dolphins for entertainment, so that we can ensure this is the last generation of dolphins to suffer in captivity.
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Notes to editors
- For media enquiries please contact EmilyCunningham@WorldAnimalProtection.org.uk.
- Images and footage of the event here
- Images of captive dolphins here
Full list of charity websites
