When we set out to travel, we imagine excitement, discovery, and new connections. But behind the scenes of tourism, there’s a reality we can’t ignore: millions of children worldwide are still trapped in child labour. The good news is that every traveler, whether on holiday or a business trip, has the power to make a difference. With just a few mindful choices, your trip can become part of the global movement to protect children and support communities.

Understanding the challenge

In 2024, an estimated 138 million children worldwide were engaged in child labour, with 54 million in dangerous conditions. A share of these children work in tourism-related jobs, such as selling souvenirs, carrying luggage, or serving in restaurants. The hospitality sector is particularly vulnerable because many businesses are family-run or informal, with weak oversight. In sectors like hotel, catering and tourism, up to 50% of workers are under age 25, raising the possibility that some minors are employed in roles with high vulnerability.

The main drivers include poverty, lack of access to education, seasonal migration, and in some regions, cultural acceptance of child labour. Tourism demand for cheap services and souvenirs often reinforces these risks. In 2023, nearly one in four children in the EU (about 24.8%) were at risk of poverty or social exclusion. The situation is particularly severe in Romania (39.0%), Spain (34.5%), and Bulgaria (33.9%), while Slovenia, Finland, and the Netherlands show much lower rates, at 10.7%, 13.8%, and 14.3%, respectively.

Travel connects us across borders, but it also comes with responsibility. Boycotts and engagement by NGOs and initiatives such as ECPAT have helped to reduce the number of child labor almost by 50 % since 2000.

What leisure travelers can do

Every choice you make while traveling has an impact, and awareness is a powerful tool against child labour. Tourism can either reinforce cycles of poverty – where families depend on children’s earnings at the expense of education – or help break them. By booking accommodations and tours certified for social responsibility, you support businesses with strong child protection policies. Reliable Sustainability labels, such as those accredited by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, are a good indicator. 

Being observant is equally important. If you see children working in unsafe or inappropriate conditions – in hotels, restaurants, on the streets, or in tourist activities – do not look away. Ask staff about the situation, report concerns to local authorities, or contact international child protection organizations.

Equally, it’s crucial to avoid actions that unintentionally fuel exploitation. Do not give money directly to children or support staged performances where they are made to dance, sing, or perform for tourists. Instead, choose to spend locally but wisely – supporting community-based tours and small shops keeps tourism income within families while reducing economic pressures that push children into labour.

At one glance: How to take action

• Book responsibly: Choose accommodations and tours certified for social responsibility 
• Check for child protection policies: Support businesses that have a zero-tolerance stance on child labour and monitor their supply chains.
• Be observant & take action if needed: Ask staff about children working, report concerns to local authorities, or contact international child protection organizations.
• Do not give money to children directly: This often fuels cycles of exploitation rather than helping families.
• Avoid child exploitation activities: Do not support staged performances, child street shows, or other tourist attractions using children for entertainment.
• Support local communities wisely: Choose community-based tours and small local shops to strengthen households and reduce economic pressures leading to child labour.

What business travelers can do

Even short work trips can play a role in protecting children from exploitation. Business travel represents a huge share of global tourism spending, and the choices made by companies and employees can set powerful standards. Interested in numbers? In 2023, the global business travel market was valued at over $1.4 trillion, meaning that even small shifts in corporate travel policies can influence how the industry operates on a large scale. Choosing hotels and event organizers that follow strict child labour policies is not just a matter of ethics, it is a statement to suppliers and destinations that exploitation will not be tolerated.
Encouraging colleagues to stay at certified accommodations, asking direct questions about supply chains, and ensuring that your company’s travel guidelines include child protection criteria sends a strong message both inside and outside the organization. Local and mid-size operators are also stepping up: for example, Asian Trails requires its staff to complete child protection training through certified organizations and includes contractual clauses in its supply chain to prevent child exploitation.

Similarly, in Sri Lanka, the Mother and Child-Friendly Seal initiative encourages smaller accommodations and tour operators to implement child safeguarding policies and oversight of their staff and partners.
Sharing what you know with clients and partners can also inspire them to make more responsible choices. Every time a company insists on zero tolerance for child labour in its travel choices, it helps create a business culture that puts children’s rights first.

What the industry can do

The travel and tourism industry holds enormous influence when it comes to protecting children. Globally, the sector employs more than 330 million people and contributes about 10% of the world’s GDP, which means that its standards and practices affect millions of families and communities.

Hotels, tour operators, and agencies that commit to a zero-tolerance policy on child labour set the tone for the entire market. Clear codes of conduct, transparent supply chains, and staff training on how to recognize and respond to signs of exploitation are essential tools in this effort. Partnerships like The Code (ECPAT & UNWTO) show how working together can help the travel industry take responsibility for protecting children. New tools are also being tested, such as blockchain to track supply chains and AI systems to monitor recruitment, which can make it harder for child exploitation to stay hidden.

Beyond prevention, the industry also has the power to invest directly in solutions. Supporting local education programs, offering internships and fair job opportunities for young adults, and creating safe recreational spaces for children all reduce the risks of exploitation at its roots. When tourism businesses choose to work with certified partners and hold themselves accountable, they ensure that the benefits of travel truly reach communities without costing children their futures. 

How ChargeHolidays helps you travel responsibly

ChargeHolidays was created to make sustainable travel both transparent and easy.  One of its most innovative tools is the Dreamcatcher, a simple guide that helps you see at a glance how accommodations perform in different areas of sustainability. Instead of leaving you to navigate the confusion of more than 150 different eco-labels and certificates, the Dreamcatcher brings everything together in a clear, comparable format. It evaluates accommodations based on aspects like mobility, and energy – but also social sustainability. This criteria includes the well-being of the employees and a zero-tolerance for child labour.
As a traveler you can contribute to this transparent information. By giving feedback, you raise awareness to topics which are dear to your heart such as the avoidance of child labor. With your critical observations you contribute to our crowdsourced-based platform helping others to make sustainable decisions. This way, your journey doesn’t just leave footprints in the sand, but also creates safer paths for children everywhere.

Child labour in tourism is a complex challenge, but it is not insurmountable. Every choice – from the hotel you book, to the tour you join, to the policies your company adopts – sends a signal. By refusing to accept exploitation as part of travel, and by supporting businesses that prioritize children’s rights, we can ensure tourism becomes a force for dignity and opportunity. The fight against child labour is not won by governments alone, but by conscious travelers like you, every time you explore the world.