The Empty Promises of Travel Companies

The following blog was written by our guest blogger Izzy Megilley.

In 2021, Expedia (very publicly) announced their decision to stop selling tickets to “attractions and activities that involve performances by or interactions with dolphins and other cetaceans”. While rightly praised by animal welfare charities and campaign groups, this decision did not come without its loopholes.

As of 2025, while Expedia does not directly sell tickets to cetacean ‘encounters’ or shows directly, it continues to advertise and sell park passes for attractions offering such experiences. Examples include Aquatica Orlando (the sister park of SeaWorld and Discovery Cove), and Adventure Cove Waterpark, on Sentosa Island, Singapore – both of which exploit cetaceans in pricey display and interaction experiences. On their Orlando ‘Destination Discovery’ page, Expedia advertises Aquatica: “Whether you take the Dolphin plunge or simply float the day away, Seaworld’s South Pacific-themed water park makes a huge splash.”

Despite no longer selling tickets to SeaWorld, Expedia continues to promote the park in their online Orlando Travel Guide, describing it as “seamlessly blend[ing] education, entertainment and conservation.” The 190 dolphin and 19 orca deaths, as well as one trainer fatality since 1973 might suggest otherwise.

Virgin Holidays, who similarly pledged to end “the sales and promotion of tourism attractions that involve captive cetaceans, such as whales and dolphins”, continue to promote and sell tickets for Disney Cruises, whose ‘Port Adventures’ involve dolphin swim-with experiences for a cost of up to $388 USD. In 2014, Virgin businesses pledged to “only work with suppliers that don’t take sea cetaceans from the wild,” but since Disney Cruises do not themselves capture the dolphins, only advertising and selling tickets for interactions with them, Virgin does not seem to mind.

TUI which calls itself the world’s largest tourism business, supports the capture, confinement, and commercial exploitation of dolphins by advertising and selling tickets to dolphin shows at various dolphinariums around the world, including Loro Parque in Tenerife, Spain. Please sign our petition demanding that TUI end their sales to such attractions.

The termination of direct sales to attractions involving captive cetaceans is one welcomed by animal rights activists and organizations. However, in order to truly commit to the global movement to treat cetaceans with the respect they deserve, travel companies must fully cut ties with corporations who exploit animals. Ending ticket sales is a huge move in the right direction, however it is certainly not far enough as travel companies continue to profit from outdated entertainment practices. Instead, they must fully commit to their messages, and encourage attractions and corporations to end cetacean exploitation.

LEARN MORE: Travel Sites Profiting from Captive Facilities

Sources used in this blog:
https://news.sky.com/story/expedia-stops-selling-holidays-that-include-experiences-with-captive-dolphins-and-whales-12462718
https://www.virgin.com/branson-family/richard-branson-blog/new-chapter-whales-and-dolphins-tourism
https://www.virginatlantic.com/holidays/holiday-types/cruise/cruise-lines/disney-cruise-line
https://www.peta.org.uk/blog/expedia-seaworld/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-49011196
https://www.expedia.co.uk/Orlando.dx178294?pwaDialog=destination-discovery-map
https://www.expedia.co.uk/SeaWorld-Orlando-Orlando.d502142.Attraction
https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/en-gb/port-adventures/nassau-bahamas-blue-lagoon-island-dolphin-swim-with-lunch/
https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/en-gb/port-adventures/cozumel-mexico-dolphin-swim-at-dolphinaris-all-inclusive/
https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/en-gb/port-adventures/nassau-bahamas-atlantis-dolphin-cay-playtime-with-dolphins-and-aquaventure/
https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/en-gb/port-adventures/st-thomas-usvi-dolphin-experience/
Ceta-Base Captive Dolphin & Whale Database

Featured image: Stella, with a trainer standing on her back, is one of the last three survivors of the more than 50 wild-caught orcas that were flown out of Iceland during the ’70s and ’80s. Credit: Life Investigation Agency (LIA)