Tourists' attitudes toward the use of animals in tourist attractions

To identify tourists' opinions and attitudes on the use of animals in tourist attractions, a qualitative exploratory study was conducted with three focus groups of tourists who visited Orlando, Florida. The findings indicated that the participants' ethical perceptions of animal-based tourist attractions were made up of three hierarchically ordered layers: (1) general justifications for operating such venues, (2) a belief in the driving forces leading to an ethical operation, and (3) the specific conditions required for the ethical operation of animal-based tourist attractions. The results and their meanings are discussed as a framework for future research in this field.