Animals, Tourism and Sustainability

Animals, Tourism, and Sustainability would be a critical course in preparing students for the vast and complicated mechanisms, morals, and ethics of sustainably operating an environmental attraction or experience concerning animal and environmental welfare. The aim of this class is to cultivate awareness on ethical and sustainability issues related to the use of animals within the context of tourism. The class is designed to encompass international perspectives and will provide a mix of theoretical and applied knowledge, as well as case studies. Animal welfare within the tourism industry was illuminated in 2012 with Fennell’s book Tourism and Animal Ethics. Additionally, a growing body exists within peer-reviewed journals, however the majority of these published works address the topics of zoos, marine animals in tourism (the majority on whale-watching), with lesser attention paid to elephants and primates. For example, the specific issue of animals as food for tourists has to date been neglected. This class will integrate topics previously independent: animals and tourism, animals and sustainability, and sustainable tourism.