Code of Conduct

The Code Of Conduct Project is an initiative of the World Tourism Organization (WTO), ECPAT International and Scandinavian Tour Operators. Developed by countries of origin as well as tourist destinations, it seeks the participation and commitment of the tourism industry to discourage and penalize the commercial sexual exploitation of children and adolescents associated with travel and tourism. In countries such as United States, Italy, Germany, Australia, Norway, Holland, Finland, Sweden, Austria, Brazil, The Dominican Republic and Thailand the tourist industry has adopted a firm position of zero tolerance in order to protect children and adolescents from commercial sexual exploitation. In this manner, they have united to promote the incorporation of the Code Of Conduct in tourist companies to confront this problem.

The tourism sector is committed to the betterment of the quality of life in the population in general and to the protection of the fundamental rights of childhood and adolescence in particular. To this end, in August 2003 the project of the Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children and Adolescents from Commercial Sexual Exploitation in the Travel and Tourism in Costa Rica was started. The Code of Conduct is a Project of the Tourism Industry that is implemented by the Paniamor Foundation in conjunction with the Costa Rican Association of Operators (ACOT), the Costa Rican Association of Professional in Tourism (ACOPROT) and World Vision Costa Rica. It is sponsored by Fundecooperacion and the Save the Children Sweden.