Essay: Human Trafficking and its Prevalence in Hospitality

This essay addresses the pervasive issue of human trafficking within the hospitality industry, highlighting its vulnerability to exploitation, particularly in hotels. The introduction establishes that human trafficking, including child sexual abuse and forced prostitution, is a significant concern, emphasizing the need for targeted campaigns to combat it. The main body discusses how hotels provide a convenient environment for traffickers due to the secrecy and anonymity they offer. The essay emphasizes the importance of employee training to recognize and report trafficking, the implementation of anti-trafficking policies, and the role of organizations such as the Blue Campaign and GBCAT in raising awareness and providing resources. The conclusion reiterates the importance of proactive measures by hospitality businesses, urging them to educate staff, build networks with anti-trafficking organizations, and follow the example of successful initiatives to eliminate human trafficking and create a safer environment for all.

Human trafficking in
hospitality
management
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Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERNECS...................................................................................................................................4
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INTRODUCTION
The hospitality industry is particularly vulnerable to human traffickers when it comes to
child sexual abuse and forced prostitution, which are both prevalent in the industry (or in their
supply chains). Human trafficking is becoming an increasingly serious issue in the hospitality
business (Paraskevas, 2018). The intersection of human trafficking and the lodging sector is
twofold. Victims staying in hotels while being transported, sexual exploitation or activity taking
place in hotels while victims are being transported. Trafficking in human beings violates the
basic rights of victims so that can be equated with a crime against humanity.
The thesis statement of this essay is Human Trafficking is prevalent in the hospitality
industry and need to be eliminated through targeted campaigns.
MAIN BODY
Most domestic sex trafficking actions, a significant form of human trafficking, take place
in hotels, making them a convenient location for the traffickers to exploit their victims. The
secrecy and solitude provided by the hospitality business is frequently used by human traffickers.
It is difficult to catch those who are trafficking when they pay for their rooms with cash or leave
hotels late at night (Franchino-Olsen, 2021). The authorities in the hospitality business are
concerned about human traffickers abusing their services and customers. Therefore, hospitality
industry needs to be monitored closely for human trafficking to prevent criminal activities.
Traffickers believe that hotel employees are unaware of the possibility of human
trafficking taking place in the establishments (Wen, 2020). Hotel staff only follows their policies
and procedures but they never get involved by asking personal questions to guests or third party
suppliers which gives advantage to the traffickers. As a result, human traffickers are able to take
advantage of the hotel staff's lack of information about personal activities (Zhang & et. al.,
2022). In this way, the secrecy created in hospitality establishments provides a perfect
environment where human traffickers lure their victims.
Staff should be trained to spot human trafficking victims and perpetrators. Managers
must guarantee anti-human trafficking rules govern supplier connections. Conscious hoteliers
guard against abuse and trafficking. Employees and individuals involves in the hospitality
industry need to take strict action to fight human trafficking in the sector (Gasienica, 2020). An
HR policy for traffickers can help stopping human trafficking in the hospitality industry. Victims
benefit from staff training on human trafficking signs. Hotel rooms should have blue hospitality
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advertising posters. Human trafficking is a social and economic concern. Every person should be
trained and well informed.
The Institute of Hotel Security works with hospitality security experts to combat business
crime and insecurity. The Global Business Coalition against Human Trafficking (GBCAT)
works to reduce and prevent human trafficking (Foot, 2019). The Blue Campaign educates the
public, law enforcement, and other partners on the signs of human trafficking and how to
respond (Tymoszenko, 2019). Employee training on trafficking identification and reporting
should be offered by the Blue Campaign to hotels.
CONCLUSION
Finally, the high authorities in the hospitality industry should not ignore human
trafficking. However, several campaigns have been implemented to tackle human trafficking
such as the Blue campaign. All hospitality businesses must follow in the footsteps of their
successful peers in combating human trafficking. Generally, organizations should educate and
inform their workers to recognize and report human trafficking. They should also build networks
with local and worldwide organizations that seek to eradicate human trafficking and other crimes
from corporate activities. At the end , it has been proven that human trafficking is still a huge
concern in the hospitality industry and it has to be stopped to save lives of people and creating a
good atmosphere worldwide.
REFERNECS
Books and Journals
Foot, K. S.-S. (2019). Structures and practices of cross-sector engagement in counter-human
trafficking coalitions in the global south. . Cosmopolitan Civil Societies: An
Interdisciplinary Journal, 11(1), 27-45.
Franchino-Olsen, H. (2021). Vulnerabilities relevant for commercial sexual exploitation of
children/domestic minor sex trafficking: . A systematic review of risk factors.Trauma,
Violence, & Abuse, 22(1), 99-111.
Gasienica, M. L. (2020). Human trafficking in the hospitality industry: . Employee awareness,
beliefs and training (Doctoral dissertation, Iowa State University).
Paraskevas, A. (2018). Human trafficking in hotels: an “invisible” threat for a vulnerable industry.
International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management.
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Tymoszenko, C. (2019). Human Trafficking as a National Security Issue. Illini Journal Of
International Security, 5(1), 65-73.
Wen, J. K. (2020). A systematic review of the sex trafficking-related literature: Lessons for
tourism and hospitality research. Journal of hospitality and tourism management,, 45,
370-376
Zhang & et. al., (2022). A qualitative assessment of hotel employee engagement in anti-human-
trafficking initiatives. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 102, 103148.
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