While Trip Advisor announced that they will no longer sell tickets for attractions with whales and dolphins in captivity, Airbnb decided to set up a new way of animal tourism through a series of animal experiences around the world.
The travel accommodation site has launched a new series of Animal Experiences. They believe that travelers will better understand animals through “caring and expert hosts.”
There are many animal experiences ranging from expert-guided wildlife tours and photography lessons to more simple experiences, like playing with farm animals, walking miniature ponies, a day at the beach with rescue dogs, etc.
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Airbnb has collected and combined more than 1,000 experiences as part of their new category, which includes paddleboarding with corgis in Miami, caring for abandoned dogs in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone and drinking afternoon tea with Herdwick sheep in Britain. The prices range from $20 to more than $1,500.
More than 300 species of animals are part of the experiences. According to Airbnb, the ethical program is designed to “allow people to better understand animals through caring”. The Airbnb web page allows people to search by experience or region. They have also included a special section with experiences from The Dodo, the leading brand for animal storytelling.
Thanks to technology, it’s easier to feel disconnected from nature and animals nowadays. “With Airbnb Animal Experiences, locals and travelers are just a few clicks away from being alongside them in the real world,“ said Brian Chesky, chief executive, and co-founder of the company.
The company also announced they will help animals in the long term. They have also included Animal Experiences that are actually ‘Social Impact Experiences,’ which means profits from those bookings will go straight to non-profits and supporting causes that include animal rescue and conservation.
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Airbnb said they will not work with tour operators that don’t care about animals’ welfare. They will not offer elephant rides, big cat interactions or showcase animals performing for entertainment. They are encouraging responsible and ethical animal tourism.
If you are interested in goat hiking, cuddling cows or spending a day among donkeys, visit https://www.airbnb.com/. Life is better with animals!
