DELRAY BEACH, Fla., Oct. 6, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Travel Corporation USA's family of brands, including African Travel, Inc., Brendan Vacations, Contiki, Grand European Travel, Insight Vacations, Lion World Travel, The Red Carnation Hotel Collection, Trafalgar, and Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, are proud to announce that they are adopting a new TreadRight Animal Welfare Policy in collaboration with The TreadRight Foundation.
As part of The Travel Corporation (TTC)'s continued journey to ensure the environment and communities they visit remain vibrant for generations to come, the TreadRight Animal Welfare Policy will help ensure that all of the company's experiences meet globally recognized animal welfare criteria. Based on the "Five Freedoms," a compact of rights for animals under human control, the Animal Welfare Policy asserts that animals under human control should have freedom from hunger and thirst; freedom from discomfort; freedom from pain, injury, and disease; freedom to express normal behavior; and freedom from fear and distress.
This newly adopted policy will assist TTC's operations team as they vet and assess all animal related activities offered. Rare activities that may not be in line with the TreadRight Animal Welfare Policy will be phased out and replaced with activities that meet and exceed these standards.
"We are constantly evaluating our impact on the destinations we visit, and we certainly include animal welfare in that scope," said Richard Launder, president, The Travel Corporation USA. "This policy is another example of our commitment to protecting and conserving wildlife, the environment, and local ecosystems and communities."
In the spirit of our commitment, on October 4, World Animal Day, TTC joined World Animal Protection in signing the Elephant-friendly Tourist Pledge. By signing the pledge, TTC committed not to sell, offer or promote venues or activities involving elephant rides and shows. TTC and its brands commit to offer only those with a high standard of elephant welfare and conservation, with responsible viewing of elephants in wild or semi-wild habitats.
"As The Travel Corporation and our family of brands continue on our sustainability journey, guided by The TreadRight Foundation, we recognize the importance of continually adopting new best practices and policies in the interest of helping to drive the positive transformation of the travel industry," said Brett Tollman, CEO, The Travel Corporation and co-founder of The TreadRight Foundation. "We are proud to collaborate with World Animal Protection in the interests of ensuring the industry embraces animal-friendly tourism and strengthens wildlife protection."
The announcement of the TreadRight Animal Welfare Policy and the signing of the Elephant-friendly Tourist Pledge reaffirm TTC's commitment to wildlife, which was already firmly established through its continuing support of the TreadRight Wildlife Initiative, which works in partnership with WildAid and the Wilderness Foundation - Africa to ensure the well-being of animals.
For more details, please visit TreadRight.org. Join TreadRight's social media community at facebook.com/treadright or twitter.com/TreadRightOrg using the hashtag #LetsTreadRight.
About The Travel Corporation
The Travel Corporation is a highly successful international travel group. Our philosophy is simple. To create enriching experiences for our travelers by combining an unbeatable mix of exceptional service and quality at great value. No matter what your taste, whether you are a family or a couple, a group or traveling solo - The Travel Corporation offers something for everyone. Our multi-award-winning portfolio ranges from luxury hotels and boutique river cruises, to independent holiday package companies and a variety of guided travel experiences.
About The TreadRight Foundation
Created as a joint initiative between The Travel Corporation's family of brands, The TreadRight Foundation is a not-for-profit that works to help ensure the environment and communities we visit remain vibrant and preserved for generations to come. To date, TreadRight has supported more than 35 sustainable tourism projects worldwide. The foundation's guiding principle is to encourage sustainable tourism development through conservation, leadership and support for communities.
TreadRight's past project partners include WWF, Conservation International and The National Trust in the UK. Current initiatives include sponsoring the National Geographic Society's inaugural "World Legacy Awards," helping to combat wildlife crime with WildAid, and empowering individuals with the Alliance for Artisan Enterprise.
To learn more about our past and current work at TreadRight, please visit us at TreadRight.org.
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