An animal rights protestor managed to sneak into an ABTA event in central London on Tuesday and interrupt proceedings as a TUI director was about to speak.
The woman, from animal rights organisation PETA, marched on stage as TUI’s Director Head of Public Policy UK and Ireland Nathan Stower, one of the panellists, prepared to answer a question.
Holding a sign that read: ‘TUI: Orcas matter, drop marine parks’, she declared TUI was one of the last remaining UK operators to sell such attractions. She added: “Do the right thing and drop marine parks.”
When she’d finished speaking, the moderator of the Travel Matters event, LBC presenter Tom Swarbrick said: “Thank you very much indeed, message received,” before asking if she’d like to take a seat.
The woman remained standing on stage in front of the 100 or so delegates for a couple of minutes while the panellists resumed their debate. She was later calmly escorted away.
Jet2holidays announced in March this year that it would stop selling tickets to marine parks. Its decision was announced some months after The Smiths frontman Morrissey publicly called on Jet2 Chief Executive Steve Heapy to drop the attractions from its programme.
