Elephant tourism in Southeast Asia ranges from highly exploitative to welfare-positive, with clear criteria distinguishing operations that support versus harm elephant welfare.
The elephant tourism spectrum runs from highly welfare-negative — riding, performance shows, aggressive begging of tourists — to genuinely welfare-positive observation-based sanctuaries. The key welfare indicators are whether elephants are free from riding and performance demands, whether they have space to move freely, and whether social grouping is appropriate. Consumer choices in tourism directly determine which model is financially viable.