Study: Young travelers friendly to animals

Consumers in China are becoming more aware of animal-friendly tourist activities, and tour companies are changing their offerings to meet their expectations, according to new research cited by World Animal Protection on Wednesday.

The research, carried out by CTR Market Research, targeted people born between 1985 and 2000 and evaluated their attitudes toward animal-friendly tourism. It found that more than 85 percent of the respondents surveyed objected to tourism activities that harmed or abused animals.

"The market signals are apparent. Animal-friendly tourism has become a preferred form of tourist activity for young consumers, both in terms of current participation and willingness to participate in the future," said Zhao Zhonghua, director of World Animal Protection China, an international nonprofit animal welfare organization.