Following an investigation by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), dozens of tour operators and Airbnb in Egypt have pledged to discontinue selling tours for camel and animal rides at top Egyptian destinations such as the Great Pyramids of Giza.
PETA published a report which highlighted the cruel conditions under which working animals in Egypt, such as camels and horse, live. PETA found examples of abuse, malnourishment and unethical discarding of animals that are injured or too old to continue their work.
“More and more travel operators are rejecting the horror of it all and encouraging tourists to enjoy the Great Pyramids’ stunning views without supporting cruelty to horses and camels,” PETA Executive Vice President, Tracy Reiman, said in a statement.
Operators including Airbnb, Abercrombie & Kent Travel Group, British Airways Holidays, easyJet holidays, Exodus Adventure Travels, Grand Circle Corporation, Scott Dunn, and TCS World Travel agreed to discontinue their animal-riding tour offerings.
“PETA applauds Airbnb and other travel companies for shunning these shameful rides and urges Egyptian authorities to show it cares one iota and act to defend the animals,” Reiman added.
PETA is also lobbying the Egyptian government to introduce regulations for working animals within the tourism sectors.
Thompsons Holiday, a South African travel operator who offers packages for travel to Egypt, clarified that it has never offer camel riding as an excursion in its Egyptian itineraries.
“This aligns with our commitment to responsible tourism practices,” said Celeste Muir, Marketing Manager at Thompsons Holidays. “This commitment extends across all our tours worldwide, ensuring ethical and sustainable travel experiences for our clients.”
