Guidelines drawn up to help agents tackle modern slavery
ABTA has launched guidelines and online training to help members spot and tackle modern slavery within supply chains.
The launch has been timed to coincide with Anti-Slavery Day in the UK today.
Nikki White, ABTA’s director of destinations and sustainability, said: "Modern slavery is a complex crime and important matter for the travel industry to address. Sadly, there are millions of victims of modern slavery, in all corners of the world, who are living or working in terrible conditions – and it can be very difficult to detect.
"All industries need to be alert and aware of the risks of modern slavery, and be looking at the measures they can put in place to help reduce this global problem. The travel industry is well-placed to work to reduce modern slavery and we hope these new resources will support members to further develop their approach on this critical issue."
ABTA said given the global nature of the travel industry and the significance of the sector, travel businesses are well-placed to play a part in addressing modern slavery.
The new online training is designed to help members understand modern slavery, develop strategies to tackle it and train staff to recognise and report it.
Modern slavery includes activities of forced labour, human trafficking, and sexual exploitation.
Forced labour may involve keeping someone’s identity documents from them, making them work in abusive working conditions or restricting their movements.
Training is available to ABTA members for free through the ABTA Knowledge Zone.
It was developed in partnership with Stronger Together which supports businesses in addressing modern slavery risks.
Earlier this year, ABTA signed up to the Roundtable for Human Rights in Tourism, an alliance of civil society organisations, tour operators and travel associations dedicated to respecting human rights.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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