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Elephant Welfare in Global Tourism
Hardback
June 2025
9781836990079
More details
- Publisher
CABI - ISBN 9781836990079
- Language English
- Pages 184 pp.
- Size 6" x 9"
$90.00
At the center of the elephant tourism industry lie two profound challenges: the delicate balance between income and compassion, and the severe threats to the survival of all remaining elephant species.
Trained elephants exchange hands for staggering sums, reaching up to $100,000 each, yet the colossal appetites of the herds, with each elephant devouring over 100 kilograms of sustenance daily, pose formidable economic challenges for camp owners. An elephant camp's revenue is dependent on tourism, with a complex web of specialist businesses, local and international, large and small, contracted to recruit and enable visitors. This results in competition focused mainly on price and profitability considerations. The inadequacies of these business networks and of the administrative controls within which they operate were demonstrated during the complete shutdown of elephant tourism venues in early 2020 due to COVID-19.
This authoritative text analyzes elephants' vulnerabilities, providing an inspiring call to action for a more compassionate coexistence between elephants and the stakeholders responsible for their individual and herd welfare and survival.
Elephant Welfare in Global Tourism is intended for managers, professionals, and administrators of elephant camps, refuges and rescue centers, and for NGOs providing advice and support. Academic researchers on wildlife may find inspiration for suitable topics, and examples of current methodologies.
Eric Laws
Eric Laws has an MPhil from the University of Surrey and a PhD from Griffith University. He has retired from full time academic life, and is Visiting Professor at Leshan Normal University, Sichuan, P.R. China. His research interests include tourism service quality, destination management, crisis management and elephant tourism. Eric's publications include nearly 100 journal articles, book chapters, and conference papers. The Elephant Tourism Business is Eric's twentieth authored or edited book.
David W. Knight
David W. Knight is Assistant Professor in the Human Dimensions of Natural Resources at Colorado State University (CSU) and Affiliate Associate Professor at Central China Normal University (CCNU) in Hubei, China. As a Center for Collaborative Conservation Fellow and co-Director of the U.S.-China Lab for Destination Development, David's consulting and research have centered on international issues, trends, and theory characterizing resident views of tourism-linked empowerment, poverty alleviation, and destination resilience in Asia and Latin America.
Timothy Lee
Timothy Lee
Kom Campiranon
Kom Campiranon is with Dhurakij Pundit University, Thailand.
Bongkosh Rittichainuwat
Bongkosh Rittichainuwat
Ann Suwaree Ashton
Ann Suwaree Ashton
John Koldowski
John Koldowski as a Professor and Foreign Expert within the School of Tourism at Leshan Normal University (LSNU), John continues in his role as a researcher and educator across a number of research areas, including the responsible and sustainable development of mountain-area tourism, rural tourism development and the development of metrics for the better measurement of the impact of tourism in fragile areas and on the intangible assets of tourism. Prior to joining LSNU, John was with the College of Innovation at Thailand's Thammasat University, and a founding member of the Tourism Action Group (TAG) at the same institution. He was also part of the Secretariat for the PATA Thailand Chapter for a number of years, while living and working in Thailand. Before entering academia, he was Deputy CEO of PATA where over a fifteen-year span he came to be regarded as one of the travel and tourism sector's leading analysts. He still maintains his relationship with PATA through his appointment as a special advisor to the CEO.
Melody Zhirui Zhou
Melody Zhirui Zhou
Tourism and COVID-19; Tourism recovery; Pandemic impact on tourism; Human wellness and animals; Elephant and mahout welfare; Elephant environments; Elephant industry; Elephant conflict with farmers and community; Elephant captivity; Elephant training; Elephant herds; Elephant needs; Elephant conflicts with other species; Elephant effects on ecology; Elephants and human culture; Traditional ceremonial roles for elephants; Policy and regulation of wildlife welfare; Wildlife and conservation