Increase in Cambodian tourism leads to growing importance of child safe tourism

26 March 2014

Cambodia welcomed 4.2 million tourists, an increase of 17% from the previous year. This rapid growth of tourist arrivals is expected to continue year on year, raising concerns about how to ensure that local children are only positively impacted by tourism.

Today marks the launch of a new nationwide Child Safe Tourism campaign by World Vision Cambodia in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism. The campaign aims to prevent child sexual exploitation in the tourism sector by enlisting responsible tourists to keep children safe from any abuse occurring in the first place. This campaign is part of an Australian Government initiative – Project Childhood Prevention Pillar – that aims to prevent child sexual exploitation in tourism in the Mekong sub-region. The campaign is also being run in the neighboring countries of Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.

In partnership with the Ministry of Tourism, World Vision has produced 120,000 stickers, 10,000 tent cards and 36 signboards with Child Safe Tourism messages, which are being distributed in key tourism locations through government, public and private stakeholders working in the tourism sector.

Most tourists come to enjoy the beautiful attractions and culture that Cambodia has to offer, but child sexual abuse committed by a handful of tourists is a major concern for Cambodian society as well as the globe. Children are the future human resource and they should be protected from all forms of abuse.

Last year World Vision conducted market research with travelers to the Mekong region about their encounters with children and found that many tourists wanted to help at-risk children, however, they were confused about what actions they could take and wanted more information

Source:
http://www.eturbonews.com/44034/increase-cambodian-tourism-leads-growing-importance-child-safe-t