Virgin Holidays is axing packages and tickets to SeaWorld and other attractions with captive whales and dolphins.
The travel firm owned by Sir Richard Branson says it wants to encourage customers to ‘see these creatures in the wild’ instead of glass tanks.
It comes after research from the company revealed 92 per cent of UK holidaymakers would prefer to see animals in their natural habitats.
Virgin has been removing attractions featuring captive cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) from its brochure and website over the past year.
This week it is set to strike off the remaining five, including SeaWorld and Discovery Cove in Orlando Florida.
Managing director of Virgin Holidays Joe Thompson said: ‘We want to actively support this direction by encouraging more responsible wild watching, which puts animal welfare at the heart of things, meaning our customers get to experience these amazing animals with peace of mind and future generations can enjoy these wonderful experiences too.’
He said the company wants to focus on offering ‘more natural, at-distance encounters with these animals’ and will continue to ‘support the development of sanctuaries for whales and dolphins currently in captivity’.
The decision follows a commitment made in 2014 to only work with facilities which do not capture animals from the wild.
Last year it vowed to not sign up with any new attractions featuring captive dolphins or whales used for entertainment and to work with partners to help them improve their treatment of the creatures.
It also made a commitment to create coastal sanctuaries, promote responsible wild whale and dolphin watching and to support international efforts to stop the capture of wild cetaceans.
Virgin has promised all of its tour operators will be World Cetacean Alliance (WCA) certified by the end of 2021.
