Respect for host countries and their inhabitants is one of the founding principles of Club Med and is an essential condition for the local acceptance of its villages.

Fighting against sexual exploitation of children in tourism

This concern for respect relates to all of the riches of the country hosting a village, starting with the most precious of them: its children. The actions defined in the partnership agreement signed with ECPAT in 2005. ECPAT is an international organization with a presence in over 70 countries worldwide. Its aim is to fight against child prostitution, child pornography, and the trafficking of children for sexual purposes. Many tourism professionals are committed with ECPAT to fight against the sexual exploitation of children in tourism. The partnership was renewed in 2017, with the further distribution of the joint Club Med – ECPAT leaflet that ties in with the NGO’s communication campaign. These leaflets are sent to the homes of French, Belgian and Swiss customers heading to sensitive countries.

Outreach is also conducted via the commercial website in several countries, including France and the US. In 2017, more than 43,400 leaflets were sent to French, Belgian and Swiss customers, ringing the total number sent since 2005 to more than 800,000.

Furthermore, a procedure intended for use by Reception staff of risked destinations to identify underage guests has been updated in 2014