CHILD LABOUR: THE BENEATH TRUTH OF TOURISM

Tourism Industy has attained prestigious position owing to its rapid and spectacular growth over the last few decades and today it has been recognized as a significant factor in the economy of many nations especially in the developing countries like India. However ironically the rapid growth and development of tourism in the 21st century has produced both problems and opportunities and its impact has been seen as both positive as well as negative. With its current commercial focus, tourism has failed to protect the rights of marginalised sections of society like women, children and indigeneous communities. Tourism development without responsibility, accountability and protective measures has led to exploitation of children in the form of child abuse, trafficking, pornography and increase in child labour. All these fact in turn increase the vulnerability of children that leads them to drugs, crimes, HIV/AIDS and alienation from communities and families. This paper is an attempt to discuss the trends related to child labour in tourism industry with special reference to India also it explains the causes for child labour and the risk which a child has to face whilst working in this industy. Lastly, it discuss the role and initiatives undertaken by the international organisations, travel and tourism organisations, Government of India and by the common man to mitigate this problem.