Comic Relief has pledged funding for an online training course for the travel industry.
The course aims to teach travel professionals how to protect children when travelling with UK travel companies and while they are in their destination.
ABTA is working with ECPAT (End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and the Trafficking of Children) and the Travel Industry’s Children Protection Group to develop the course and expects it to launch in 2009.
The Travel Industry’s Children Protection Group was set up last year by ABTA and consists of tour operators, travel agents, the police and NSPCC members.
ECPAT is already providing training courses for social workers and police in preventing the trafficking of children and delivered a pilot course to First Choice in 2005.
ECPAT director Chris Beddoe said: “The pilot really helped us understand the issues and will inform the development of this new course.”
ABTA head of development Keith Richards added: “This is fantastic opportunity to develop a unique and practical course which will protect children around the world. We are very grateful to comic relief.”