Tourism Industry Endorses Code of Conduct

Just in advance of next week's World Tourism Day, a group of fourteen well-known Spanish tourism companies has agreed to observe the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism. The Global Code is a list of principles designed to guide industry operations and maximize socio-economic gains, while keeping negative fallout to a minimum. The code is endorsed by the United Nations (UN) World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

“If responsible tourism is to become a tangible reality in our world, it is essential that the private sector, like their counterparts in public institutions, embrace the principles of ethical, sustainable, and universally accessible tourism,” said the UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai in a statement.

The companies' commitment was made last week at the International Congress on Ethics and Tourism. The congress, held in Madrid, Spain, brought together 450 high-profile tourism officials, corporate leaders, international organizations and other experts. The delegates – including the Spanish Federation of Tour Agents’ Associations and several countries' Hotel Federations – discussed how to achieve sustainable tourism, including talks on how to determine the industry's role in reducing poverty, fighting gender inequality and curbing exploitation in both the public and private spheres.

“Today, these companies have underscored their dedication to corporate social responsibility,” in addition to protecting and empowering vulnerable groups, among other goals, said Mr. Rifai.

Among these vulnerable groups are children. The companies at the congress also signed the Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism. Before the announcement, at least 40 companies and unions, and three hotels, in 13 countries supported the code. In signing onto this agreement, the companies made a commitment to taking solid steps to protect children.

The code was developed in 1998 by ECPAT International, a civil society network aimed at eliminating child prostitution, trafficking, sex tourism and pornography. In specific, the code's creation was spearheaded by ECPAT Sweden in collaboration with Scandinavian tour operators and the UNWTO.

ECPAT was established as a three-year campaign to end the commercial sexual exploitation of children at a 1990 research and tourism symposium in Thailand. It was there that the degree to which child prostitution was growing in Asia first came to light. Now, with more than 80 members in 75 countries, ECPAT receives funds and support from the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the UNWTO. It also enjoys special consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council.

Globally, 1.2 million children are trafficked every year, as the trafficking and use of children for prostitution and pornographic purposes remains a global problem. UNICEF states that 30-35 per cent of all sex workers in the Mekong region of southeast Asia are between the ages of 12 and 17. In Mexico, there are 16,000 children engaged in prostitution, with tourist destinations being over-represented. Meanwhile, in eastern Europe, 20-50 per cent of Lithuanian prostitutes are believed to be underage – some of them thought to be as young as 11 years old. Children without parental care living in institutions are further reported to have been used in the production of pornography. As of data from 2004, some 3-5 million people travel to Latin America, Africa, southeast Asia and eastern Europe every year for the purposes of child sex tourism.

The theme of this year's World Tourism Day on September 27th is "Tourism – Linking Cultures."

Source - soschildrensvillages.ca