Help Stop promoting Unethical tourism (Boycott TBEX!)

Help Stop promoting Unethical tourism (Boycott TBEX!) -

Every year a travel blogger conference TBEX called will be held in North America. I have gone there many times. This year, the conference in Cancun, Mexico is held, and in the context of pre-conference activities that they offer experience dolphin encounter where you can play and swim in captivity with dolphins. When I saw that, I was shocked. Captive dolphin experiences are a mass market, irresponsible form of tourism, and it is shocking that a travel organization, often talks about responsible tourism would promote such activity.

I do not often "is" in this blog. I'm trying responsible tourism as much as possible to promote this - of people about the elephant situation in Thailand to picking sustainable tour operators to talk about greenwashing to teach. Tourism can be a force for good, and I think that, as travelers, we should leave places as we found them and support organizations that promote sustainable tourism.

And caught dolphin experiences are not so.

I participated in poor tourism in the past. Before I knew better, I visited a Tiger Temple, and rode on an elephant when I started traveling. But then I educated myself and vowed never to participate activity me in an animal without first research. the film The Cove and seeing the dolphin slaughter in Japan After I learned more about the issues surrounding dolphins in captivity and was horrified by what I found. For me captive dolphin attractions are wrong for many reasons:

• to obtain dolphins, organizations take them from the wild in inhuman dolphin hunts where they are driven near the coast and trapped dolphinariums around the world , with many killed in the process.
• Most countries do not animal welfare standards, rules or enforce policies that ensure the adequate treatment and care for dolphins.
• The average lifespan of a wild dolphin is up 45 years, , while dolphins take captive an average of 5 years old Matt Note :. the word "less" was originally supposed to be for the word "years". After rechecking while Whales.org does state they live shorter lives, I can not the exact amount of time.
• Dolphins not perform because they jump through hoops just love for man; they do it because they know they get food when they do it. Many marine parks keep their dolphins undernourished, so that they will perform for their food. Dolphins preform because eating them.
• are Most captured dolphins trapped in tiny tanks chemically treated artificial seawater contains, which is harmful and causes to the skin, that all kinds of diseases. Dolphins can not make good use of and, as they swim up to 100 miles per day, forming only swim in a circle their sonar.
• as high cogitative and social creatures, dolphins do not thrive in captivity as they are forced out of their normal social hierarchy and the environment.
• I do not think it is right to take wild animals, especially those developed as high as dolphins, and put them for our entertainment in captivity. If you want to see an animal, you go on a wildlife tour.

captive dolphin shows take and enforce vigorously for our entertainment in a park wild dolphins. must be These highly intelligent beings in the wild, and even when the trainers are well-intentioned, the act of them being in captivity is cruel and unnecessary. India banned recently these attractions and Mexico, hosted the TBEX conference, a bill debated now to prohibit these attractions

You can find further information on the following pages, see .:

Humane Society International Declaration of attractions
Timeline of Dolphin captivity
FAQ on captive Dolphin attractions
Humane Society briefly marine captivity
National Geographic article on dolphin captivity

I this problem in the blogger educated groups on Facebook , A week later TBEX gave an answer saying that they were not a political organization and wanted to opinion to force everyone. I talked to the organizers of the conference and, while personally it, they fear that they would "give rise to a vocal minority in." I did not agree with them, because I think on the side of responsible tourism coming down is never a political statement. It's a good tourism and ethics.

We need TBEX to show that this opinion is shared by a vocal MAJORITY and that ethical and responsible tourism is the only value ever, mainly sponsored by an organization, which describes itself as "the future of travel media . "

And to do that, I say, we have BOYCOTT TBEX! (to remove the tours!)

Since TBEX no refunds on tickets offer, we can not bring financial weight to bear against them, but there are things that we can do , to change it to get:

1. this change characters. org petition I created, so that they know many people feel this way and that they need to lose the tours.
2. If you have not purchased your ticket, do not buy one and let them know that you won 't consider participation if they do not remove these tours.
3. if you participate, not proceed. You can start a conference without people.
4. to draw pressure speaker when the meetings are not prohibited. Here is a list of announced speakers.
5. donations to Dolphin causes, to help spread the word and get these causes shutdown. Here are some worth supporting: Save the Whales, Blue Voice, Dolphin Project

I will not be canceled TBEX - I want them to take these activities from their schedule .. But until these activities to remove, we must TBEX boycott. The inclusion of these activities in the Agenda is a de facto admission of these tours, and can not stand. A travel organization should promote responsible tourism. We need to let them know, we do not want to be part of a travel conference that irresponsible actively promotes tourism.

Please join me in boycotting TBEX until they remove these activities.

UPDATE 18:07: I sent the petition to TBEX. We have more than 1,0 signatures. Let's see what their response is

UPDATE 30.07: Last week I met with the organizers of TBEX. We stumbled to both be in Las Vegas, so we'll discuss "Dolphin Gate." With a heavy heart, I must report that TBEX not remove the Dolphin activities from their schedule. It was always a long shot, but not enough fellow bloggers (especially students) joined the petition. While we had over 1,700 signatures for the petition; many were the consumers and not enough were industry. At the end of the day, when the industry no industry organization under pressure, they will not change.

I had to join more would hoped, and while a lot of people we had to change their minds, we didn 't reach a critical mass. TBEX said she sessions in the schedule to responsible tourism are set. While that's a great first step, I do not think far enough and goes as such, I will boycott the event. I will not go and I encourage other bloggers not to go.

I believe that TBEX was taken surprised by this setback and is more reasonable to tours in the future the selection, but that does not change the situation now. We pushed them in the right direction, and we raised a lot of awareness about this issue. It is a step in the right direction.

short fall out from all the speakers and sponsors, TBEX will not change their position. I understand where TBEX position and our meeting was cordial. I have no ill will toward the organizers. We agree not only strong on this issue.

At the end of the day, I can at least say that we raised this issue (and the larger question of responsible tourism) in the main discussion travel bloggers. This is a step in the right direction.

I will not be present TBEX Cancún, and if you are a blogger who believes environmental responsibility is important, I urge you not to either.

Update 12:08: Hello dolphin lovers,

Some important developments:

First, The Guardian newspaper our cause added: http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/aug/07/travel-bloggers-call-for-conference-to-cancel-dolphin-tours

Yay! (Although the response from TBEX is sad)

to discuss Second today TBEX speaker announced responsible tourism .: http://tbexcon.com/us/2014/08/12/responsible-travel-expert-dr-martha-honey-to-keynote-at-tbex-cancun/

This is great, because we need to get tourism activists this environment to take a stand. this discussion at the conference is great, especially since it is the first keynote, but Dr. Honey and blogger Bret Love of Green Global Travel (if they are as responsible as they say they are) need something during the conference say and why before dolphin tours are bad and how irresponsible they are. Here is what I propose for action:

Email Dr. Honey and their organization CREST at [email protected] / * * / and ask them to do the following and then Bret at [email protected]