Travel agencies call for end to trophy hunting in South Africa

Some of the world's largest travel companies, including Booking.com, Expedia Group and TripAdvisor, have signed a joint statement addressed to the South African government, calling on it to publicly commit to ending trophy hunting – all urging a “wildlife-friendly” future for South Africa's tourism industry.

South Africa is Africa's largest exporter and the world's second largest exporter (after Canada) of mammal species listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

This comes just weeks after a new study by World Animal Protection found that both South African citizens and international tourists want to see trophy hunting replaced by wildlife-friendly experiences.

With the consultation on the draft White Paper on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of South Africa's Biodiversity concluding in September, the joint statement from some of the world's leading tourism companies sends a clear message that trophy hunting must be consigned to the past.

Travel companies from around the world have joined the joint statement, many of them headquartered in the countries from which the majority of international tourists travel to South Africa, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Brazil.

The signatories of the joint declaration agree that trophy hunting is cruel and unacceptable, and believe that responsible, wildlife-friendly tourism — a largely underutilized humane and sustainable alternative — can provide communities with income and incentives to protect animals without killing them for so-called sport or entertainment.

The South African government is out of step with public opinion by allowing people to hunt wild animals in order to collect their remains and use them to decorate their homes. Trophy hunting does not make a meaningful contribution to conservation.

An earlier study examining in detail South Africa's role in the international trade in hunting trophies of mammal species listed under CITES during the period 2014–2018 (the most recent five-year period for which data are available) found that approximately 83% of trophies of CITES-listed mammals exported from South Africa come from captive-bred animals or non-native species, as well as native species for which there is neither a national conservation management plan nor adequate data on their wild populations or the impact of trophy hunting on those populations. This data directly refutes the claim that trophy hunting promotes conservation.

This is further evidence that developing wildlife-friendly tourism and abolishing the cruel exploitation of wild animals — such as trophy hunting and captive lion breeding — has the potential to enhance South Africa's international reputation as a world-leading destination for wildlife-friendly experiences.

Nick Stewart, Global Head of Campaigns for Wildlife at World Animal Protection

«We are now hearing a deafening call for change from tourists and travel companies alike. They clearly support the protection of South Africa's iconic wildlife through alternatives that do not harm and kill animals, such as responsible wildlife tourism. By heeding this call, South Africa will become a more attractive destination for responsible travelers and tour operators.»

World Animal Protection published on World Lion Day (10 August 2022) a study about public attitudes toward trophy hunting. The survey included 10’900 people from around the world, including international tourists from the countries that most frequently visit South Africa, as well as South African citizens. The survey revealed a broadly strong rejection of blood sports and a desire to fund the protection of the country's iconic wildlife through non-lethal alternatives such as responsible wildlife tourism.

The key findings of the study show:

• 84% of international tourists believe the South African government should prioritize wildlife-friendly tourism over trophy hunting.
• 74% of international tourists believe that making trophy hunting a key pillar of policy damages South Africa's reputation, and 72% would avoid visiting the country altogether.
• 7 in 10 South Africans believe their country would be a more attractive destination if it were to ban trophy hunting.
• Three quarters (74%) of South African citizens believe that trophy hunting is unacceptable when wildlife-friendly tourism alternatives have not been fully utilized.

Developing wildlife-friendly tourism and phasing out the exploitation of wildlife — such as trophy hunting and captive lion breeding — has the potential to strengthen South Africa's international reputation as a world-leading destination for wildlife-friendly experiences. This would make the country an even more competitive destination for responsible travelers and tour operators.