Protecting children in the travel and tourism sector

Tourism has the power to connect cultures, generate well-being, and create positive experiences for millions of people worldwide. However, the webinar organised by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) under the title “A Call to Action: Protecting Children in Travel and Tourism” reminded us of an uncomfortable yet undeniable reality: the tourism sector can also be exploited to facilitate child sexual exploitation and abuse if proactive prevention and detection measures are not in place.

Beyond the devastating impact on victims, failing to act against CSEA carries serious risks for businesses:

• Severe reputational damage.
• Safety risks for employees and other guests.
• Legal action and penalties, as seen in recent US cases where hotels were sued for failing to respond to clear signs of trafficking.

The webinar also stressed the importance of protecting staff—particularly younger employees—and providing emotional support for those exposed to traumatic situations.

One of the clearest messages from the webinar was that the tourism sector is already part of the child protection ecosystem—whether it realises it or not. Hotels, airports, booking platforms, transport providers, and accommodation services are spaces where staff interact directly with customers and can spot warning signs that might otherwise go unnoticed. Offenders may use tourism infrastructure to:

• Travel with the specific intent to commit abuse.
• Exploit transit situations (long flights, stations, hotels).
• Produce or consume child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
• Facilitate trafficking or modern slavery.

Staff across the sector—whether in reception, housekeeping, security, maintenance, or transport—are in a unique position to detect red flags and act promptly.

A key point was linking child protection to sustainability and responsible tourism. Data shows that:

• Family tourism is on the rise.
• Travellers increasingly value the social impact of their choices.
• Over 50% of travellers now understand that sustainability goes beyond the environment and includes community care.

In this context, having clear child protection policies is not only an ethical responsibility but also a trust-building factor, a differentiator, and a reflection of ESG values.

The webinar highlighted that child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA) is neither a localised problem nor one confined to developing countries. It is a global crisis affecting children across all socio-economic contexts. Some of the figures shared during the session were particularly striking:

• An estimated 1.7 million children worldwide are victims of commercial sexual exploitation.
• In 135 countries, one in three trafficking cases involves minors.
• In 2024 alone, over 300 million children were affected by some form of online sexual exploitation.

Technology has amplified this phenomenon, enabling offenders to contact minors through social media, messaging platforms, online gaming, or live streaming. In many cases, the abuse does not end there, as the material is shared and redistributed for years, prolonging the victimisation.

For companies wanting to act but unsure where to begin, the message was clear: you don’t have to do everything at once. Some practical first steps include:

1. Raise internal awareness and show leadership commitment.
2. Train all staff, especially those on the front line.
3. Collaborate with local authorities and specialist organisations.
4. Develop a child protection policy and clear response protocols.
5. Create safe reporting channels where employees feel supported.

Silence allows harm to continue—awareness and action can save lives.

The webinar concluded with a message aligned with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights: companies have a responsibility to respect human rights, regardless of local legal requirements. The tourism sector has the capacity—and the agility—to go beyond compliance and become a key player in child protection. Talking about this issue does not harm reputation; ignoring it does. Protecting children is not just a moral obligation. It is an essential condition for truly responsible, sustainable, and human-centred tourism.