Elephant tourism creates welfare risks that vary dramatically depending on the activities and standards of individual operators.
Wild elephant tourism welfare depends entirely on the specific activities offered and how elephants are trained and managed. Traditional elephant riding requires crushing the natural behavior of wild-caught or captive-bred elephants through a process called phajaan or crushing — involving restraint, sleep deprivation, and pain compliance that causes severe acute suffering and long-term psychological trauma. Sanctuaries that allow observation of elephants behaving naturally, bathing, and feeding — without riding, tricks, or performance — provide tourism value without these welfare costs. Consumer education and preference for observation-based tourism creates market pressure that drives operator transition away from exploitative practices.