With more travel agents placing sustainability and animal welfare at the heart of their businesses, a new question is emerging – should these same standards apply to the fam trips we attend?
As a founding member of the Responsible Travel Advisor Collective (RTAC), along with Annika Nickson, the answer for Annika and me is straightforward; if we're asking clients to think more carefully about the impact of their travel choices, we hold ourselves – and our sector – to the same standard.
Yet, both of us have on fam itineraries encountered attractions that failed to align with our core values. It raises an important question – are we asking enough questions before we travel?
Looking beyond the itinerary
Several years ago, I was invited on a fam trip hosted by a regional tourist board in the US. The destination represented a fantastic opportunity for my clients, but one attraction immediately raised concerns.
After researching a scheduled zoo visit, I discovered the attraction offered experiences involving trained sloths painting pictures for visitors. That was a hard no for me. Whatever conservation work an attraction may undertake elsewhere, training animals to perform for tourists isn't something I can support or promote.
I informed the organisers I would sit that element out. And while the response was accommodating, it left me wondering – if several advisors had collectively said this wasn't something they wanted to promote, would it still have a place on future itineraries?
The importance of consistency
A second experience prompted me to look beyond the activities and towards the companies hosting them. I was invited on a sustainability-focused trip, only to realise the flights were being provided by a tour operator that sells tickets for captive marine parks, a brand I don't sell.
To maintain consistency for my clients, I booked alternative flights at my own expense. But looking back, it felt like another missed opportunity. At the time, I didn't want to create awkwardness. But I should have spoken up. These conversations can feel uncomfortable, but if nobody says anything, nothing changes.
The power of raising concerns
Annika has encountered similar dilemmas over the years. Rather than viewing these situations as confrontational, she advocates for proactive, professional communication.
On several occasions, she has contacted organisers before an itinerary has been finalised to flag that there are certain types of attraction that would prevent her from attending, avoiding awkwardness on the ground for everyone involved.
"Every time I've raised a concern, the response has been respectful and understanding," she says. "Organisers can't be experts on every attraction they include.
"Most of the time, they genuinely don't know there's an issue, and most would far rather we speak up than silently attend something we're uncomfortable with, particularly when it's backed up with evidence rather than emotion."
Actionable advice for the industry
Together, Annika and me have thought up some action points that can be applied by those on both sides of the exchange.
For agents:
- Do your homework – never mistake an itinerary inclusion for an ethical endorsement. Research every animal encounter.
- Speak up professionally – if something breaches your standards, approach the organisers privately and present your evidence. They can't improve what they don't know about.
- Ask for advice – get in touch with us at RTAC for advice on contacting independent organisations, like World Animal Protection, who are vital for cutting through "greenwashing" in animal welfare, where genuine conservation work is sometimes used to mask unethical captive interactions.
And for tourist boards and organisers:
- Know your audience – agents are increasingly bound by strict welfare policies meaning routine attractions may no longer be universally accepted.
- Apply due diligence – do not let sponsorship dictate your programmes. Ask yourself: "Would this attraction comply with the animal welfare policies of the agents we're inviting?"
'Don't be afraid to speak up'
Ultimately, it comes down to making better use of limited time. There are so many brilliant ways to showcase a destination without relying on captive wildlife.
Destinations and operators can swap the dolphin shows for a family-run organic vineyard or a community tourism project. Those are the authentic stories our clients actually want us to bring home.
Annika perhaps sums it up best: "Just don’t be afraid to say something – you'll feel better knowing you've protected your business values, and you may just prompt positive change."
Marie Rowe and Annika Nickson are both travel agents; they are founding members of the Responsible Travel Advisor Collective, and were also members of the TTG Sustainable Travel Ambassadors Class of 2023.
'Collaboration and communication is essential'
Fresh from addressing TTG's recent Fairer Travel Event, Charlie Darlington, Scott Dunn's Responsible Tourism Lead, explains the feedback mechanism the operator has introduced for its fam trips allowing guests to raise any concerns they might have about a specific animal encouter, attraction or activity.
"At Scott Dunn, we've implemented a 'red flags' reporting system for our employees to call out concerns around a property or experience that doesn't meet our strict animal welfare policy (and other responsible tourism concerns). At any point – before, during or after a fam trip – they can report a concern or incident and know it will be prioritised by our responsible tourism lead, fam trip manager and head of product. This allows our people to release the burden of discomfort or tricky supplier conversations and have it professionally and sensitively dealt with by a dedicated team, taking the social and environmental nuances into consideration.
"Red flags are infrequent, because we have a strict policy, a dedicated fam trip manager who can help ensure activities are meeting our standard and a growing awareness with our suppliers on what our expectations for animal welfare are. Last year, we sent our policy to all our DMCs along with a pledge for them to sign, expressing their support. And the support was overwhelming. This kind of cross-industry collaboration and communication is essential in raising conditions for animals in tourism. We hope the combination of collaboration and calling out poor practice will shift the needle for animals in tourism."
