Brooklyn, NY -- (SBWire) -- 11/19/2014 --ECPAT-USA and Altruvistas are proud to launch a new travel partnership. This January, ECPAT-USA (Ending Child Slavery at the Source) will be leading a groundbreaking journey to Thailand, called Behind the CODE: An ECPAT Advocacy Journey to Thailand, where a group of tourists have the opportunity to learn about the issue of trafficking and sexual exploitation.
Altuvistas has been a leader and on the forefront of socially responsible tourism, and this will be the first journey in which travelers can gain an educative perspective on this issue of sex trafficking and exploitation. The journey will include visiting ECPAT International’s headquarters, based in Bangkok. Participants will meet with local ECPAT staff, advocates from other organizations, legislators, etc. to develop a better understanding of the scope of the issue, along with the legal framework and socio-economic factors that contribute to sex trafficking and exploitation in Thailand. The journey would also highlight the progress being made on the ground and the work of the NGO sector, such as vocational training, public awareness campaigns, and other preventative services. Each tour will include several cultural excursions.
“Through socially responsible and educational travel, our constituents have the opportunity to partake in a customized journey abroad that focuses on ECPAT’s priority areas, including the issue of the commercial sexual exploitation of children”, said Sarah Porter, Development Associate for ECPAT-USA.
Altruvistas supports and promotes sustainable Tourism to help sustain livelihoods, support local communities and conserve the world’s natural and cultural heritage. Altruvistas undersatnds that responsible tourism is a powerful tool in poverty reduction. Their staff are experienced travel professionals with a shared commitment to sustainability and a passion to ensure the benefits of responsible tourism globally. In order to maximize the benefits and full potential of tourism we must acknowledge that conventional tourism has negative impact. A few issues of concern to us are: capital flight in our globalized economy; the commodification of cultures and people (including sex tourism and human trafficking); and the environmental impacts of flying that contributes to greenhouse gases. Altruvistas was the first tour operator to sign the ECPAT Tourism Child Protection Code of Conduct, an internationally recognized set of guidelines travel and tourism companies can sign to demonstrate their commitment to fighting the commercial sexual exploitation of children.
http://altruvistas.com/
About ECPAT
ECPAT International is a network comprised of over 80 organizations, represented in 74 countries. ECPAT-USA is recognized as one of the primary organizations focused on ending this form of child exploitation and abuse. ECPAT-USA is the American affiliate of the international ECPAT network, working to eliminate the commercial sexual exploitation of children. The mission of ECPAT-USA is to ensure that children everywhere enjoy the fundamental right to live free from all forms of commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking. ECPAT-USA undertakes policy and legislative advocacy, private sector engagement, research, training, and raising awareness about the issue of children being commercially sexually exploited here in the US.
http://www.ecpatusa.org/
For more information about this advocacy journey, go here: http://altruvistas.com/upcoming-journeys/#ThailandJan24-Feb3-2015
Trip will be from January 24th - February 3rd, 2015 and travelers can register on-line: http://altruvistas.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/FRM_AltruVistas_Registration_EcpatUSA.pdf
ECPAT-USA Leads Trip to Thailand, Focused on Educating Travelers About Sex Trafficking
Behind the CODE: An ECPAT Advocacy Journey to Thailand