TPA to Offer Training on How to Rid Sexual Exploitation of Children in Tourism

The issue of sexual exploitation of children in the travel and tourism industry in Kenya for the past ten years has been on the rise. With orphans and children from single mothers being the most vulnerable, the need for their protection is hard to ignore.

It is for this reason that the Tourism Professional Association (TPA) will be holding a one-day training on the basics of professionalism in tourism and the hospitality industry at the Voyager Beach Resort and Spa in Mombasa County on November 16, 2018.

According to the TPA Secretary, Sam Ikwaye, the key areas that will be explored includes the sustainable tourism fundamentals for protecting children from sexual exploitation alongside the best practices and policies for sustainable measures the tourism sector can take in deliberating the issue.

Mr. Ikwaye voiced concerns of many by noting that the issue needs practical solutions and immediate implementations, which is true when one looks at the frequency of the cases in news reports.

Girls are particularly the most exploited and the main factors for their vulnerability include poverty, low levels of education, early exposure to sexual acts among others.

With numerous analyses from several experts and research papers being devoted to the rising concerns, the TPA training is vital for better reach.

The call for the protection of children from sexual exploitation culminated through the enactment and signing of laws by the Government of Kenya alongside the adherence to the six doctrines of the code for the protection by member associations in the tourism industry.

The member associations include the Kenya Association of Tour Operators (KATO), Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers (KAHC), Mombasa and Coast Tourist Association (MCTA), and the formerly Kenya Coast Tourist Association (KCTA.

Measures already in place that seeks to prevent children from being sexually exploited are not enough. There also is minimal empirical data on tangible outcomes of the efforts, which is why the exploitation has been on the rise especially in the coastal region.

Mombasa, as a preferred tourism destination, has gotten negative vibes due to sexual exploitation, something which is further negating the efforts of fighting the vice.

According to an Africa Conference on Child Protection in Travel and Tourism held in Durban South Africa earlier this year, there have been significant efforts in trying to reduce the cases but challenges continue to rock the realization of the code requirement by the involved parties.

The forum challenged member countries to better their efforts in putting in place ideal measures for fighting sexual exploitation apart from renewing their commitment to the cause.

Empowering professionals within the industry, especially those thoughts of as key resources, is the first step towards realizing the end of this sexual immorality.