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ABTA has signed up to the Roundtable for Human Rights in Tourism.
It joins civil society organisations, tour operators and other travel associations that belong to this multi-stakeholder alliance dedicated to respecting human rights.
"Tackling human rights issues is a complex matter which no one organisation can solve alone," said Nikki White, ABTA director of destinations and sustainability.
"ABTA and its members recognise the travel industry does have an important part to play. We’re working together to continue to identify where there might be vulnerabilities in the supply chain and actions that the industry can take to address these issues in the long term."~
Antje Monshausen, chairwoman of the Roundtable Human Rights in Tourism, added: "This is a positive and important step towards an international dialogue on human rights in tourism.
“We’d encourage ABTA members to sign up to the Roundtable themselves to further progress their human rights approach and help drive further developments within the industry."
ABTA said it has worked with members on human rights issues for many years through programmes such as Better Places, which addresses the environmental, social and economic impacts of tourism, along with its Travelife certification scheme for hotels and accommodation.
Working with Stronger Together, an organisation which aims to reduce modern slavery, it is now developing guidance on this issue that will be available to its members later this year.
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ABTA will also be refreshing its Every Child Everywhere training on child safeguarding, which is due to launch in ABTA’s Knowledge Zone in the spring.~
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