Resort staff pilot course against sex tourism

Resort staff of major operators are being trained to help in the battle against child sex tourism in the Dominican Republic.

Nearly 50 Dominican Republic-based First Choice Holidays and Thomson Holidays staff are undergoing a pilot course designed to give in-depth knowledge of the problems of child sex tourism.

The training has been organised by charity ECPAT UK, set up to combat the problem, highlighted in the trade by Travel Weekly.

ECPAT director Christine Beddoe said the Dominican Republic was one of a list of 10 countries, including Cuba and The Gambia, where poverty and past history makes children particularly vulnerable, but she would not reveal figures. The Dominican Republic was chosen because it was easy to introduce training in the destination, she added.

The training, details of which operators received in May, has been created with the two operators and The Gambia Experience.

Beddoe said the course is designed to take 30 minutes to fit in with reps’ schedules but provides them with all the basic facts, such as how staff can collect and share information in known trouble spots, how to recognise danger signs and telephone numbers for local and UK-based police.

She added: “Everybody needs to be aware of it – not just certain staff – and how they can protect the children.”

Thomson said 20 frontline reps had received training while information was passed to local staff and agents as part of the ongoing fight against child sex tourism.

First Choice head of corporate and social responsibility Jane Ashton said 27 staff are being trained in Puerto Plata and Punta Cana. She added: “First Choice is pleased to support ECPAT’s mission by piloting this training module with our team in the Dominican Republic.”