Thank you to everyone who joined our webinar yesterday. It was certainly thought-provoking and very insightful. We were joined by a fantastic group of industry experts, and we are very grateful to them for sharing their time and expertise.
We have summarised the key discussion points below, and shared the relevant links and documents discussed.
The webinar addressed the critical issue of child protection and safeguarding within the tourism industry discussing the complex dynamics between tourists and children, and highlighting the significant challenges and responsibilities that travel professionals face in ensuring the safety and well-being of children affected by their operations.
Understanding Child Protection in Tourism: The webinar focuses on raising awareness about child protection in tourism, addressing misconceptions, and offering practical ways for travel businesses to integrate safeguarding policies.
Orphanage Tourism Concerns: Martin Punaks shared his experience combating orphanage trafficking in Nepal, highlighting that 80% of children in orphanages had living parents and were used as tourism commodities to attract donations.
Debunking Myths:
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- Myth 1: Tourism helps children by raising money—reality: Children’s rights should not be conditional on tourist involvement.
- Myth 2: Children enjoy tourist visits—reality: Power imbalances often coerce children and families into agreeing.
- Myth 3: Most tourists mean well—reality: While most are well-intentioned, a minority exploit these opportunities for harmful purposes.
ChildSafe Movement’s Approach: Torie Mcelwain from the ChildSafe Movement discussed their multi-faceted approach: raising awareness, offering training, and operating emergency hotlines to prevent child exploitation.
Seven Tips for Travellers:
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- Children are not tourist attractions.
- Avoid volunteering with children without qualifications.
- Do not give money to begging children.
- Report child labour and exploitation.
- Report suspected child sexual abuse.
- Call professionals if a child is in danger.
- Protect the environment for children’s futures.
Implementing Safeguarding in Tourism Businesses:
- EXO Travel: Implemented a strict policy against child exploitation, trained staff and guides, and developed a clear child protection policy.
- Jacada Travel: Trained 100% of their staff with ChildSafe, adopted new marketing guidelines, and established internal reporting systems.
Challenges in Implementation: Businesses faced internal resistance due to cultural beliefs that interacting with children helps them. Continuous staff training and clear communication with suppliers were critical to overcoming these challenges.
Alternative Ways to Support Communities: Suggestions include interacting with adult representatives rather than children, supporting community-based enterprises, and focusing on improving family livelihoods rather than direct child engagement.
Power Dynamics and Ethical Tourism: Emphasis on recognising and addressing power imbalances—ensuring that tourism activities do not exploit or objectify children but instead empower local communities.
Advice for Businesses:
- Seek guidance from child protection specialists.
- Implement gradual changes to avoid unintended harm.
- Leverage your influence to set industry standards and promote child safety.
You can watch the webinar again here.
Useful links and documents
Jacada’s Child Safeguarding Principles