Swiss back code to stop child sex tourism

Switzerland has allocated $1.15 million (SFr1 million) to support a code of conduct for the tourism industry aimed at reducing child sex tourism.

It is part of a multinational campaign launched by Germany, Austria and Switzerland and which France, Italy and Luxembourg may also join.

Representatives of Germany, Austria and Switzerland gathered in Bern on Thursday to assess the impact of the campaign, Don’t look away – stop child sex tourism, one year after its launch.

Leading the Swiss efforts, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco) said the campaign had effectively raised awareness. Between 2011 and 2013, Seco is providing financial support for the Tourism Child Protection Code, a code of conduct developed by the tourism sector to help prevent child sex tourism in developing countries.

Several Swiss travel agencies and tour operators have signed up to the code.

During the past year, various training and promotional events have been used to reach over 12,000 people throughout Switzerland, Seco said.

The campaign is funded by public authorities and child-protection agencies in close cooperation with the travel industry, which in Switzerland includes ECPAT Switzerland, a special unit set up within Kinderschutz Schweiz (Swiss Child Protection) to combat child sex tourism.