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Date: November 22, 2024 Fri
Time: 11:48 am
Time: 11:48 am
Results for tourism (cambodia)
1 results foundAuthor: Matthews, Amie Title: Child Safe Tourism: The Tourist Perspective Summary: This report summarises findings from a recent online survey conducted with over 300 international travellers to Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Vietnam (collectively referred to in this report as ‘the Region’). The survey was conducted to better grasp the sorts of interactions tourists have with children in these countries and to gauge their perceptions of these interactions and of child safe tourism in general. The survey findings show:1 Tourists frequently engage with local children when visiting the Region and are generally happy to do so. While such interactions may be positive experiences for tourists, they can also leave lasting negative impressions in travellers’ minds. For instance, meetings with local children were positively described by those travellers who indicated that they had gained a unique insight into the country or local culture through the children they encountered, who enjoyed talking and playing with local children, or who felt that local children were especially welcoming. On the other hand, when encounters with local children highlighted poverty, their vulnerability, or were perceived as existing within a broader context of abuse or exploitation they were generally described negatively by survey participants. Such experiences not only impacted tourists at an emotional level but in many cases they also appeared to impact their perception of the local culture and destination. Over half (57.1%) of the participants indicated that they had witnessed situations involving the exploitation or abuse of children while travelling in the Region. Respondents described situations where they had come across children selling goods or begging or where they were being used by adults (in some cases their parents) to play on tourist sympathies. They also expressed concern over children not being in school, being forced to perform for tourists, and children being subject to sexual exploitation. 85% of survey participants reported being approached by young people selling souvenirs and 81.2% reported being approached by children or youth (under the age of 18) who were begging. Many survey participants also reported seeing children collecting rubbish (49%), working in a restaurant or hotel (48.5%) and street performing (38%). A significant number also claimed that they had seen children or youth working as tour guides (25.5%) and of most concern, in the sex industry (20.5%). Overwhelmingly all of the participants that discussed witnessing these types of exploitation stated that it made them feel disgusted, sad, concerned or worried, helpless, guilty, angry and/or frustrated. 28.8% of respondents indicated that they thought a combination of all of these exploitative behaviours was either deemed normal by locals, or that locals (including local authorities) turned a blind eye to them. This perception is worrying on multiple fronts. For one thing, it sets an extremely low standard of behaviour for tourists to ascribe to and would likely impact the willingness of travellers to get involved or intervene in suspected cases of child exploitation/abuse. On the other hand, the idea that a community condones or accepts child abuse and exploitation is an extremely negative image for a tourist destination to carry, one which can ultimately be quite damaging to the tourism industry. Abuse and/or exploitation of children in tourism is not tolerated by tourists and it can have significant impacts on the destination images that tourists (and potential tourists) develop. Many survey participants reported having shared their concerns about children in the Region being subjected to exploitation or abuse with friends, family and colleagues at home. A number of respondents also indicated that they had either cut their visit to specific localities short or would not return to some destinations as a result of their exposure to incidents which they believed involved the abuse of children and young people. Subsequently, it is in the best interests of the tourism industry for local and national governments, as well as tourism providers, to continue to address these issues and to ensure children are protected from all forms of abuse in tourism in the Region. 53.2% of participants stated they did not purchase goods/services from children and 78.7% stated that they did not give money to a begging child or youth. This shows that tourists who took part in the survey demonstrated reasonable levels of awareness with regards to the issues attached to children selling goods to tourists or begging. Most frequently the reasons given for avoiding these sorts of exchanges with young people were to discourage unsustainable socio-economic cultures from developing and/or to avoid placing children or young people in ‘at-risk’ situations. Many of the survey participants seemed well educated about the fact that if children are on the streets begging and/or selling they are not likely to go to school and may be left vulnerable to exploitation or abuse. Many also talked about begging as not being an empowering or even likely means for ending the poverty cycle. By way of comparison, a significant number also made reference to what they perceived as better alternatives such as giving money to a local charity or giving the children food instead. Almost half (49.5%) of the respondents felt they had some sort of responsibility for local children and youth when travelling. A number of participants seemed to have clear strategies for dealing with children who were begging or selling goods and services in the Region and many made real efforts to ensure their interactions with children were ethical. A number of participants reported taking very pro-active steps to assist children in need and many survey respondents indicated that they had felt a real desire to help while in the Region. However, even those participants who made clear efforts to help locals (and local children in particular) seemed unsure as to whether their actions had constituted best-practice. Frequently doubts and uncertainties about the best way to engage with children in the Region were expressed. Only 19.5% of survey respondents felt they had enough information to protect local children and youth encountered in public places. Overwhelmingly though, many participants indicated that they wanted to know more about the situation and how they could help. 84.8% of survey participants stated that they would like to know more about how to protect children and prevent exploitation in the Region. Almost the same number of participants said they’d like to know more about local customs, appropriate dress and behaviour (83.3%) and about ways in which tourists could support the local economy (83%). In a similar vein, when asked whether a business’ policy to protect children would influence their purchase habits 94.8% of participants said that it would. Details: Melbourne: World Vision Australia, 2012. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 29, 2012 at: http://beta.wvi.org/sites/default/files/Child_Safe_Tourism_eBook_Nov%202012.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Cambodia URL: http://beta.wvi.org/sites/default/files/Child_Safe_Tourism_eBook_Nov%202012.pdf Shelf Number: 127036 Keywords: Child ProstitutionChild ProtectionChild Sexual ExploitationStreet BeggingStreet ChildrenTourism (Cambodia) |