TOURISTS heading to Indonesia will soon see elephant riding packages vanish as authorities crack down on close-contact wildlife tourism. While operators previously used conservation permits to legally offer these rides, strict enforcement measures are now phasing out the practice nationwide.
The regulatory shift is forcing businesses to pivot toward non-contact, observational experiences. Instead of allowing rides or direct interaction, operators must transition into sanctuaries where visitors watch from a distance while elephants roam, forage and socialize naturally.
For local businesses, compliance is mandatory. Tourism operators that fail to adapt to these ethical, free-roaming standards face the immediate revocation of their permits, effectively forcing them to shut down. / BKA S
