Rachel Layton's heart sank when she saw a young elephant chained up at what she thought was an animal sanctuary in Thailand.
The Geelong resident was 19 years old and on her first overseas trip when she visited the elephant park in 2007.
Although her research didn't raise any alarms about the park, that changed when she arrived and saw the young elephant.
"As soon as we got there my heart sank a bit," she told AAP.
"It was clear it was just an opportunity for people to take photos with it."
During her ride she says she saw the trainers probe the animals with metal hooks.
"It was an eye-opener for me," she said.
"I certainly felt quite guilty afterward."
Ms Layton hopes by sharing her experience, it will shine a light on the cruel industry.
She urged people to do their research and consider any experiences that include hands-on interactions as a red flag.
A report by not-for-profit organisation World Animal Protection found that as of January there were more than 3800 elephants used for tourism in more than 350 venues across Asia.
More than 60 per cent of these elephants were found to be suffering in "severely dire" conditions.
Elephant rides were offered at 205 of these venues while 98 venues offered elephant washing or bathing experiences and no rides.
The report, released on Wednesday, suggests Thailand is home to nearly three-quarters of the 3837 captive elephants and nearly 11 million tourists who visited the country between 2019 and 2020 rode or planned to ride an elephant while on holiday.
World Animal Protection Australia director Simone Clarke said while there is growing awareness that elephant shows and rides cause suffering, tourists are unaware that bathing and selfie opportunities do the same.
"Elephant-loving tourists who want that 'Once in a lifetime' opportunity are fuelling demand for a mammoth-sized problem that causes unthinkable cruelty behind the scenes," Ms Clarke said in a statement on Wednesday.
"By having a direct interaction with an elephant we validate the idea that it is okay to commodify wild animals to use as not only entertainment but as pets, food and medicine."
The report suggests attitudes are changing with a 2019 survey finding 37 per cent of tourists in Thailand rating seeing wild animals in their natural habitat as their preferred animal experience.
This is compared to a survey in 2016 where 36 per cent of tourists listed riding an elephant as their favourite activity.
The wildlife group argues the unsustainable nature of the industry has been highlighted as a result of the international travel bans amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The report argues without income from tourists, venues are facing risks of elephant starvation and lack of appropriate care.
"Never has the time been more right to take action for elephants," the report says.
"Elephants are wild animals - not entertainment commodities."
Australian Associated Press
