27th March 2019

Mr James Kay Director of Corporate Communications TripAdvisor [email protected]

Dear Mr James Kay,

Re: Widespread animal abuse and cruelty on TripAdvisor platform

We are writing on behalf of the Asia for Animals Coalition, representing international and conservation organisations. We are dismayed, disappointed and deeply troubled by TripAdvisor’s track record on animal cruelty, despite the company’s initially promised – and much publicised – animal welfare policy.

In the last 12 months our members have found tours involving the eating of endangered species, the performance of protected wild species and the riding of elephants being sold on your platform.

Having an animal welfare policy which is consistently contravened by the listings on your site is meaningless. Without action to tackle the widespread abuse of animals on TripAdvisor, your animal welfare policy is simply greenwashing: a meaningless attempt at appearing "ethical" for the sake of marketing.

While we welcome your response to individual organisations’ requests to remove certain attractions from your site – such as tours to Monkey Island in Nha Trang, and Snake Village in Hanoi, Vietnam – it simply cannot be the job of non-profit charities to police your platform.

Ending your company’s complicity in suspected crime and clear animal abuse can only be achieved through a change in your current working practices. We are calling on TripAdvisor to stop profiting from animal cruelty, and stop providing a platform for activities which harm animals.

Allowing listings on your site for tourism activities such as animal performances, animal selfies, swimming with dolphins, petting big cat cubs and elephant rides, sends a very confusing message to the millions of people around the world who use TripAdvisor.

Being associated with a prestigious multinational company such as TripAdvisor gives legitimacy to these activities, encourages travellers to attend them, and gives a financial incentive to companies to continue their abuse of animals.

We are asking TripAdvisor to take the following steps:

- Audit all tours for which TripAdvisor and its subsidiary Viator sell tickets, in order to ensure they comply with the company’s animal welfare policy, and national laws in the country where they take place.

- Remove all listings for tourist experiences which cause as defined by TripAdvisor’s animal welfare policy.

- Screen new listings which feature keywords commonly associated with wildlife crime and animal welfare abuse to stop new attractions which harm animals from being listed.

Please respond to David Neale, Animal Welfare Director, Animals Asia Foundation, Room 1501, Tung Hip Commercial Building, 244-252 Des Voeux Road Central, Sheung Wan, . [email protected] ​ cc. Feria Kazemi - [email protected] ​ Brian Hoyt - [email protected] ​

Sent on behalf of the following organisations: 1. Animal Concerns Research & Education Society 2. Animal Guardians 3. Animal People Forum 4. Animals Asia Foundation 5. Big Cat Rescue 6. 7. 8. Change for Animals Foundation 9. Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations 10. FOUR PAWS International 11. Humane Society International 12. International Animal Rescue 13. International Fund for Animal Welfare 14. RSPCA UK 15. Sarawak Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals 16. Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (HK) 17. The Philippines Animal Welfare Society

Supported by;

1. Act Asia for Animals, 30. SA, SOUTH 2. Action for Dolphins, WORLDWIDE AFRICA 3. All Life In A Viable Environment, JAPAN 31. Behavioural & Environmental Solutions, 4. Alliance for , IRELAND USA 5. Alliance for Earth, Life, Liberty & Advocacy, 32. Bharatiya Prani Mitra Sangh, Hyderabad, HONG KONG INDIA 6. Ananta Jyoti Dhayn Kendra , NEPAL 33. Blood Lions, AFRICA 7. Andhra Pradesh Goshalala Federation, 34. , HYDERABAD INDIA 35. Blue Cross Youth Seva Sangham - Andhra 8. Anima-Society for the Protection of Pradesh, INDIA Animals, CHINA 36. Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre, 9. Animal Advocacy and Protection, EUROPE MALAYSIA 10. Animal Defenders International, LONDON 37. British Hen Welfare Trust, UK 11. Animal Friendly Alliance, HONG KONG 38. Captured in Africa Foundation, AFRICA 12. Animal Friends Croatia, CROATIA 39. Causes for Animals (Singapore) Ltd, 13. Animal Friends Niigata, JAPAN SINGAPORE 14. Animal Nepal, NEPAL 40. Centre for Animal Rehabilitation and 15. Animal Projects & Environmental Education, SOUTH AFRICA Education Sdn Bhd, SE ASIA 41. Centre for Orangutan Protection, 16. Animal Protection and Environmental INDONESIA Sanctuary, SOUTH AFRICA 42. Changsha Small Animal Protection 17. Animal Protection Network, SWEDEN Association 长沙市小动物保护协会 , CHINA 18. Animal Refuge Kansai Japan, JAPAN 43. China Biodiversity Conservation and 19. Animal Rights Action Network, IRELAND Green Development Foundation, CHINA 20. Animal Rights Center Japan, JAPAN 44. China Farm Animal Protection Coalition中 21. Animal Rights Hawaii, HAWAII 国农场动物保护联盟, CHINA 22. Animal Sanctuary Trust Indonesia, 45. China Zoo Watch, CHINA INDONESIA 46. Compassion in World Farming, 23. Animal Welfare And Anti Harassment WORLDWIDE Society Nashik Maharashtra, INDIA 47. Compassion Unlimited Plus Action , INDIA 24. , WORLDWIDE 48. CPR Environmental Education Centre, 25. Australians for Animals, INDIA 26. Baboon Matters Trust, SOUTH AFRICA 49. Darjeeling , INDIA 27. Bali Animal Welfare Association, 50. Djurens Ratt (Animals Right Sweden), INDONESIA SWEDEN 28. Bali Street Dog Fund Australia, 51. Djurrättsalliansen (The Animal Rights INDONESIA Alliance), SWEDEN 29. Ban Animal Trading, SOUTH AFRICA 52. Djurskyddet Sverige (Animal Welfare Sweden), SWEDEN 53. Dobro Surtse, BULGARIA 82. In Defence of Animals USA, KOREA, INDIA 54. Dogstop, ASIA 83. In Defence of Animals, India, INDIA 55. Dzivnieku Draugs, LATVIA 84. International Animal & Birds Welfare 56. Elephant Asia Rescue & Survival Society , INDIA Foundation, HONG KONG 85. International Otter Survival Fund, 57. Elephant Reintegration Trust, SOUTH WORLDWIDE AFRICA 86. International Primate Protection League, 58. ElephantVoices, KENYA INTERNATIONAL 59. EMS Foundation, AFRICA 87. IQRA Foundation, INDIA 60. Environment Films, UK 88. Jakarta Network, INDONESIA 61. European Animal Protection Foundation / 89. Japan Anti- Association, JAPAN Europaeische Tierschutzstiftung, 90. JBF (India) Trust, INDIA SWITZERLAND 91. Jejak Pulang, INDONESIA 62. FAADA, SPAIN 92. Jinchuan Society for the Protection of 63. Finnish Federation for Animal Welfare Stray Animals 甘肃省金昌市金川区流浪动物 Organisations (SEY), FINLAND 保护协会, CHINA 64. FLIGHT, INDONESIA 93. Karuna Society for Animals & Nature, 65. Franciscan Order - Hong Kong, HONG INDIA KONG 94. Kathmandu Animal Treatment Centre, 66. Friends of the Orangutans Malaysia, NEPAL MALAYSIA 95. Korean Animal Welfare Association, 67. Future 4 Wildlife, SOUTH AFRICA KOREA 68. Future for Elephants, WORLDWIDE 96. Landmark Foundation, SOUTH AFRICA 69. GAIA (Voice of the Voiceless), BELGIUM 97. Lanta Animal Welfare, ASIA 70. Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries, 98. Life Conservationist Association, TAIWAN USA 99. Lifelong Animal Protection, HONG KONG 71. Global March for Elephants and Rhinos, 100. Light of Life Veterinary Clinic, AFRICA, ASIA, USA, EU SINGAPORE 72. Global Sanctuary for Elephants, 101. Liuzhou Small Animal Protection INTERNATIONAL Association 柳州市小动物保护协会, CHINA 73. Green Girls Africa, SOUTH AFRICA 102. Love Wildlife Foundation, SE ASIA 74. GREY2K USA Worldwide, WORLDWIDE 103. Marine Connection, UK 75. Greyhound Compassion, EUROPE 104. Melbourn Dolphin, AUSTRALIA 76. Help Animals India, INDIA 105. Mind Life Foundation, INDIA 77. Himalayan Animal Rescue Trust , NEPAL 106. moonbears.org, KOREA 78. Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society, 107. National Council of Societies for the HONG KONG Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, SOUTH 79. Humanebeing Education & Training AFRICA Consultancy, UK 108. Navale Consulting Group, INDIA 80. Iceland Animal Welfare Foundation, 109. Neotropical Primate Conservation, UK ICELAND 110. Nepal Street Animal Rescue, NEPAL 81. Idukki Society for the Prevention of 111. Nowzad Dogs, AFGHANISTAN Cruelty to Animals, INDIA 112. OceanCare, WORLDWIDE 113. One Kind, UK 142. Society for Animal Welfare and 114. Orangutan Aid, NEW ZEALAND Management, NEPAL 115. Orangutan Foundation, UK 143. Society for Prevention of Cruelty to 116. Pan African Sanctuary Alliance, AFRICA Animals - Penang, MALAYSIA 117. PAWS Bangkok, THAILAND 144. Society for Prevention of Cruelty to 118. , Odisha, INDIA Animals - Selangor, MALAYSIA 119. People for Animals, Trivandrum, INDIA 145. Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to 120. People social service and education Animals, Singapore, SINGAPORE development society, INDIA 146. Society for the Protection of Animals 121. Performing Animal Welfare Society, USA Ljubimci, SERBIA 122. Pet Friends Alliance, TAIWAN 147. Society for Travelers Respecting Animal 123. PETA Asia 亚洲善待动物组织, HONG Welfare, WORLDWIDE KONG 148. Soi Dog Foundation, THAILAND 124. PitTrack K9 Conservation, AFRICA 149. Southern African Fight For Rhinos, 125. Plants and Animals Welfare Society AFRICA (PAWS Asia), ASIA 150. Stiftung fuer Baeren / Foundation for 126. Pro Wildlife, WORLDWIDE Bears, SWITZERLAND 127. Qingdao Society for the Protection of 151. Stray Relief and Animal Welfare, INDIA Animals 青岛爱护动物协会, CHINA 152. Sun Bear Centre - Kalimantan, 128. RAKSHA, INDIA INDONESIA 129. Rattle the Cage Productions, THAILAND 153. Swiss Animal Protection, CHINA 130. reEarth, BAHAMAS 154. Taiwan SPCA台灣防止虐待動物協會, 131. Religions and Philosophy for Peace TAIWAN Academy, NEPAL 155. Thai Fund for Elephant Foundation, 132. Rimba Satwa Foundation , INDONESIA THAILAND 133. Sahabat Alam Malaysia (Friends of the 156. Thane Society for the Prevention of Earth Malaysia), MALAYSIA Cruelty to Animals, INDIA 134. Sahayog Organisation, Andhra Pradesh 157. The Cattitude Trust - Chennai, INDIA Goshalala Federation, Hyderabad, INDIA 158. The Corbett Foundation, INDIA 135. SAI (Save Animals Initiative) Sanctuary 159. The Home of Love (The Salvation Centre Trust, INDIA of Animals), CHINA 136. Sanctuary for Health & Reconnection to 160. The Humane Education Trust, SOUTH Animals & Nature, WORLDWIDE AFRICA 137. Save The Asian Elephants , ASIA 161. The Institute - Australia, 138. Scorpion Foundation Indonesia, AUSTRALIA INDONESIA 162. The Jane Goodall Institute - UK, UK 139. Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, KENYA 163. The Kerulos Center for Elephant 140. Showing Animals Respect and Kindness, Liberation, USA WORLDWIDE 164. The Kerulos Center Science in Service to 141. SJZ One Meter More Love stray cats Animals, USA rescue group石家庄一米爱流浪猫救助团队, 165. The Welfare of Stray Dogs - Mumbai, CHINA INDIA 166. The Winsome Constance Kindness Trust, 178. Wildlife Alliance, CAMBODIA AUSTRALIA 179. Wildlife in Need, PHILIPPINES 167. Tree of Compassion, 180. Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation 168. Unexpected Wildlife Refuge, USA Centre, INDIA 169. United Against Elephant Polo, INDIA 181. Wolf Watch UK, UK 170. Vegan-It, SOUTH AFRICA 182. Working for Animals , AUSTRALIA 171. Vervet Monkey Foundation, SOUTH 183. World Animal Net, WORLDWIDE AFRICA 184. World Association of Zoos and 172. Voice for dogs abroad, ASIA Aquariums, WORLDWIDE 173. Voice for Zoo Animals, JAPAN 185. Xi’an Grenadine Companion Animal 174. We Animals, CANADA Rescue Center 西安红石榴伴侣动物救助中 175. Whale & Dolphin Conservation, UK 心, CHINA 176. Wild Animal Rescue Foundation of 186. Yayasan Seva Bhuana , INDONESIA Thailand, THAILAND 187. YeuDongVat, VIETNAM 177. Wild Futures, WORLDWIDE 188. Zoocheck Inc., WORLDWIDE