1: Communicating child protection issues in tourism: interview with the ChildSafe Movement
ChildSafe is a movement actively protecting children and youth, involving everyone, everywhere. Millions of children across the world are facing mistreatment, violence or exploitation and often adopt risky behaviors to survive. Since 2005, ChildSafe has advocated for child protection policies and practices, in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The movement provides the highest standards of protection to children and youth by delivering concrete measures and advice to individuals, businesses, governmental and non-governmental organizations, and has developed creative and innovative programs, undertaking vigorous awareness-raising activities and encouraging behavioural change.
Read the full interview here.
2: International Development Organisations on why to say “no” to orphanage volunteering
A number of leading development organisations are supporting a growing movement to discourage volunteering in orphanages abroad.
A position paper, entitled “Orphanage volunteering — Why to say no” has been developed by Better Volunteering Better Care and endorsed by 23 organisations. Better Volunteering Better Care is an initiative created in 2013 by Better Care Network and Save the Children UK, specifically to discourage orphanage volunteering and to promote responsible alternatives.
Read the full article here.
3: New hotel industry network launched to tackle problem of modern slavery in hospitality industry
A group of leading hoteliers has launched a new network to address the challenges of modern slavery where it occurs in hotels in the UK.
The Stop Slavery Hotel Industry Network, which is led by the Shiva Foundation and was unveiled at the annual Trust Women Conference in London, is designed to help the hospitalty industry address risks in their facilities, employment practices and supply chains. The initial areas of action and focus are currently being decided by the group.
Read the full article here.
4: Native American Tourism act signed into law
President Barack Obama has signed into law bipartisan legislation that will provide native communities access to planning and resources to help them develop cultural tourism programs. The NATIVE Act will require federal agencies with tourism assets and responsibilities to include tribes and native organizations in national tourism efforts and strategic planning. It will also provide Native Hawaiian, Alaska Native, and American Indian communities with access to resources and technical assistance needed to build sustainable recreational and cultural travel and tourism infrastructure and capacity; spur economic development and create good jobs.
That includes identifying programs that support tourism infrastructure in Native American communities, developing visitor portals and assets that showcase Native American diversity, sharing local Native American heritage through bilingual signage and improving access to transportation programs to promote tourism and trade in Native American communities.
Read the full article here.
5: Indian indigenous tribes exploited in name of tourism
In February, earlier this year, the government of Odisha decided to once again allow foreigners to visit areas with a tribal population after a gap of three years. In 2012, Odisha barred access to tribal areas for foreign tourists after tourism websites used pictures of scantily dressed Bonda and Dongaria tribals in a bid to attract tourists. The kidnapping of two Italian tourists by Maoists the same year also led to the decision to curtail access. The state government barred ‘physical proximity’ of tourists to tribals and entry into their homes. It asked collectors not to allow entertainment of tourists by tribals while banning them from clicking their pictures or shooting videos.
Read the full article here.
6: German tourism firms in new jobs initiative to support refugees
Nearly 40 companies, including several travel and tourism firms, have launched a joint initiative to offer jobs, training courses and support for refugees in Germany.
Participants in the ‘Wir Zusammen’ (‘We Together’) platform include TUI, Lufthansa, Airbus, Munich Airport and Sixt from the tourism sector along with major employers such as Opel, Deutsche Post DHL, Telekom, Robert Bosch, Siemens and VW. Other firms are being invited to join in.
Read the full article here.
