(Ecofin Agency) - Starting from December 2017, tourism activities such as elephant rides could be stopped. This is as a result of a campaign led by international agents for the closure of tour activities involving wild animals. The agents even offered to provide money and clients to tourism agencies that will agree to put an end to these activities.

Some firms agreed to stop the activities. One of them is Zambian tour operator Wild Horizons who said it will no more offer elephant rides starting from December 31, this year.

According to Clement Mukwasi, president of Employers Association of Safari and Tourism Operators, “the campaign against use of wild animals in tourism has always been there by wildlife activists”. “As an industry, we say there shouldn’t be an abrupt closure but the system must be devised with a budget for rehabilitation of those animals and compensation of those employed in the sector in the event that we close,” he added.

Tour activities involving wild animals are highly profitable for African tour operators.

Servan Ahougnon