1. BEST-EN Think Tank VII Flagstaff, Arizona, June 21-24, 2007
Social Responsibility and Innovation on Trafficking
and Child Sex Tourism:
Morphing of Practice into Sustainable Tourism Policies?
Camelia Tepelus, Lund University, Sweden
Research Associate/PhD Candidate
c/o ECPAT USA, 157 Montague Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201

2. Overview Child sex tourism and trafficking overview
Discussion on best practices
Observations on factors coming into play for the development of policies
Main argument: existing good practices need to morph towards policy articulation

3. CSR and Sustainable Tourism
Tourism ’least developed’ in terms of CSR initiatives (WB&IFC, 2003)
Social aspects – gap in the sustainable tourism agenda
Trafficking and sex tourism – increasing phenomena – 2 mil children fall victims every year of sexual exploitation every year, 1.2 mil children victims of trafficking (UNICEF)

4. Linkages - tourism and trafficking (for sexual exploitation)
US TIP report 2006: CST 29 countries either origin, or destination countries
Trafficking UNODC definition
‘transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons’
Topic confusion with smuggling – reg. adult sexual exploitaiton and prostitution
Legal status is clear regarding children under 18 years old
‘cannot give valid consent, and any recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of children for the purpose of exploitation is a form of trafficking regardless of the means used’ (UNODC)

5. Tourism innovation models against CST and trafficking
Vocational training in/by the hospitality industry for children at risk (IBLF)
Training programs for the tourism staff (ChildWise Australia)
Codes of conduct – information, education, clauses in contracts with suppliers, work with stakeholders in destinations & annual reporting: 23 countries, over 600 companies
Govt. campaigns (Brazil)
Policy guidelines, statements, etc. (UNWTO, ILO, UNODC, OSCE, IOM).

6. World Tourism Forum for Peace and Sustainable Development
Brazil, 2004, 2005, 2006
Outcomes:
Regional South American Task Force on the Protection of Children;
South American ministers’ declaration ‘Sustainable Tourism & Childhood’
Regional awareness raising campaign: 12 countries in South America.
South American campaign

7. Information on websites, media events

8. – receiving country perspectives
Kenya,
Dominican Republic
– receiving country perspectives

9. UNICEF Japan and ECPAT Japan worked on awareness raising with JTB, JATA, and to provide information through catalogues

10. Discussion
Evolution of practical models was initiated by NGOs and activists
Innovation in current models needs to be documented by theory and rigorous evaluation
Insufficient awareness/denial/ in the industry, and by governments persists (progress Latin America and Eastern Europe)
Lack of coordination among driving NGO/UN actors
Gap in analysis by academia of current practical models, and their effectiveness

11. …towards sustainable tourism policies addressing CST and trafficking
Further academic research on CSR framework on tourism, needs to incorporate CST and trafficking amongst the ethical issues addressed.
Linkages need to be drawn from the research published in law, social sciences and criminology with the research on social impacts and globalization in tourism.
Creating incentives and acknowledging socially responsible tourism leaders
Improved coordination between the relevant UN bodies, tourism policy makers and the civil society

12. Conclusion and recommendations
Academia to engage with CST and trafficking as components of CSR in tourism
Morphing of innovation into policy making is essential
Camelia Tepelus, Lund University, Sweden
Research Associate/PhD Candidate
c/o ECPAT USA, 157 Montague Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201