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With Okorie Uguru
The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), with The Bicester Collection, ECPAT International and the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence Against Children, has called on governments around the world to strengthen legal frameworks, enforcement mechanisms and cross-border cooperation to better protect children.
The call was made during WTTC’s Global Summit in Malta, where industry leaders and policymakers discussed how governments and businesses can work more closely to prevent exploitation and strengthen safeguards for children worldwide.
While child protection is increasingly embedded in responsible business practices across the Travel, Leisure and Entertainment sectors, the organisations emphasised that lasting progress requires stronger legislation, effective enforcement and coordinated public-private action.
Businesses across travel and tourism have already made significant investments in employee training, awareness programmes, reporting mechanisms, risk assessments and partnerships designed to identify and prevent exploitation. Recent research involving more than 50 organisations across 25 countries, representing businesses with a combined annual reach of almost one billion people, shows that seven in 10 organisations now identify child protection as a priority.
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The findings also highlight the growing importance of collaboration, with many businesses already working alongside industry peers, specialist organisations, law enforcement agencies and community partners to strengthen safeguarding efforts and share best practices.
The organisations stressed that protecting children is not only a social responsibility, but also a matter of good governance, risk management and long-term business resilience. They underscored that no single stakeholder can tackle the challenge alone, making stronger cooperation between governments, businesses, law enforcement and civil society essential to accelerate progress.
Gloria Guevara, President and CEO, WTTC, said: “Our sector has already taken significant steps to protect children, strengthening reporting mechanisms, investing in employee training and building partnerships across destinations worldwide to help identify and prevent exploitation.
“But businesses cannot solve this challenge alone. Governments have a critical role to play in strengthening legal frameworks, improving enforcement and ensuring those who exploit children face meaningful consequences.
“Protecting children requires close collaboration between the private sector, governments, law enforcement and civil society. By working together, we can build stronger safeguards and create the protections every child deserves.”
Also speaking, Dr Najat Maalla M’jid, United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence Against Children, said: “The travel, leisure and entertainment sectors have an unprecedented opportunity to go further and faster, embedding the protection of children into every part of their value chains. The Unlock Futures Action Paper provides a concrete, industry-informed tool to help make this vision a reality.”
