The Gambia Tourism Board (GTBoard) continues the campaign against any form of sexual exploitation through different media, both print and electronic, as well as social gatherings to sensitise people.
Sexual exploitation in the global travel industry is a big phenomenon but the United Nations body for tourism is taking action through awareness campaigns from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO); and the International Task Force to protect those vulnerable to exploitation and abuse.
It is a strong belief in the Gambia Tourism Board that tourism industry has a moral obligation and a special responsibility to combat any form of sexual exploitation and abuse in the industry.
Taking a look at the Gambia Tourism Board circulated Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children which includes excerpts from Tourism Offences Act 2003, the “GTBoard sees recognizing and reacting to social needs as an important part of its normal business activities, and emphasizes the significance of active social commitment in the tourism sector.
In this way, the Tourism Stakeholders endorse the measures of the tourism and travel industry in cooperation with CPA-ECPAT-Gambia and understand the Code of Conduct as a more concrete and improved development of “Global Code of Ethics for Tourism” from the WTO, regarding active protection for children.
The tourism stakeholders see it as their duty, within the purposes of the Code, to take part in the fight against Sexual Exploitation of Children.”
Not only in Destination Gambia is sexual exploitation of children a crime but in all countries. The Tourism Offences Act 2003 has severe penalties for offenders.
Delivering on the cause, impact, risk and way forward on sex tourism, Momodou Bah, Director of Quality Control, License and Enforcement – GTBoard affirmed that among the downside of tourism is sex tourism. It can cause interracial mixture and as well difference in tradition in terms of culture and tradition that can lead to other vices.
Apart from the sand, sun and sea, beach tourists thronged the destination because of the people and culture. According to a survey carried out, Bah pointed that the survey revealed that a good percentage of the tourists admitted coming to destination more because of the beach, people and culture, that’s their favorite reason for coming.
Causes of sex tourism in the industry are not totally narrowed down upon one issue as it can also be caused by poverty level, society and sometimes passion. This is because some people come to the industry because of the ‘toubab’ syndrome, friendship, finance and economy among other key issues.
Some of these key issues easily give way to sex tourism and it is a risk to some lives either male or female as they might seeit as a shortcut to get out of the social challenges. Children that are engaged in this act are sometimes lured into it through one way or the other. And this could be through abduction, coercion, and other similar ways or conditions. And whatever the condition it is purposely an exchange for something.
Explaining the hazard of sex tourism, Halimatou Jallow, National Aids Control Program, Ministry of Health explained the importance of individuals being equipped with adequate knowledge about their health and the people they mingle with. It is obvious that not all the travelers or tourists to the destination are hundred per cent healthy and everyone needs to be aware of that.
The campaign against sex tourism already enjoys support from various organizations, government, MoTC and GTBoard, GHA, UN agencies, and other partners from the public and private organizations like the Child Protection Alliance.
There is need for collective efforts to eradicate sex tourism. The government especially Ministry of Tourism and Culture with Gambia Tourism Board attach great importance to the protection of the citizenry and tourists who come to visit this peaceful and lovely country, so it is important for stakeholders in the tourism fraternity and other partners to participate in the fight against sex tourism in the industry taking into consideration the dangers and complications involved.
To effectively tackle sex tourism, it is never an issue of single sector or stakeholder but every sector must join hands in order to fight against it.
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