Rebbeca Kingston, co-owner of Essex-based Flitch Travel, was holidaying with her family at Katathani Phuket Beach Resort during October half-term when she witnessed a baby elephant “dressed as a bride” used as part of a wedding celebration provided by the hotel.
Kingston said the animal was led onto an adjacent beach and forced to clamber down small wooden steps, which broke under its feet, and pose for photographs.
“I just couldn’t believe what I was seeing – it was awful. Before flying out I had explained to my six-year-old twins all about how animals should be treated by tourists. It was shocking to see,” she told TTG.
Kingston protested to staff, with some guests telling her to “take your animal rights nonsense elsewhere”.
Upon returning to the UK and having booked through Kuoni, she alerted her local business development manager and nearby store in Chelmsford to what she had seen.
“They were horrified and had no idea it was going on there, but they took it extremely seriously and things escalated quickly,” Kingston said.
After investigating, Kuoni discovered the elephant package was a new service – offered by the hotel directly to guests and not sold through the operator.
A Kuoni spokesperson told TTG it “immediately” told the resort it would be taken off sale if it did not stop, and the package was pulled “within days”.
The operator thanked Kingston for alerting it to the practice.
“We always welcome any feedback about animal welfare and are grateful when agents or customers bring things like this to our attention,” the spokesperson added.
A spokesperson for Katathani Phuket Beach Resort parent, Katathani Collection of Resorts, said: “In the past, we [have] offered packages where couples would have wanted baby elephants as part of their photoshoot after the wedding ceremony.
“However, due to animal welfare issues, Katathani Collection of Resorts has stopped offering them for a few months now and will continue with this policy in the future.”
Kingston said she believed agents had “a duty” to look out for animal mistreatment during fam trips and on their own holiday.
“As agents we are lucky to travel more than the average person and we need to use that privilege in the right way – we need to be sending the right message to customers, hotels and younger travellers about animal welfare and what is not OK when it comes to tourism.”
