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FEDERALhearing transcript

Hearing on Human Trafficking in the Travel and Tourism Industry

Original title: Fighting Human Trafficking in Travel and Tourism: New Challenges and Solutions

January 1, 2017

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The Frame

What this does

The briefing serves as a public record of government and private sector collaboration to address human trafficking risks in hotels, airlines, and ride-sharing services, which informs future legislative and industry safety standards.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Travel and Tourism Industry

Companies in this sector are evaluating and implementing safety protocols to identify and prevent human trafficking.

Department of Homeland Security

The agency coordinates federal efforts to combat trafficking through initiatives like the Blue Campaign.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2017.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

This document is a transcript record of a joint briefing held on May 7, 2018, by the Helsinki Commission and the Congressional Trafficking Caucus. The session focused on identifying new challenges and potential solutions for preventing human trafficking within the travel, tourism, and hospitality sectors.

Key Facts

  • The briefing took place on May 7, 2018, in Room 485 of the Russell Senate Office Building.
  • The session was a joint effort between the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe and the Congressional Trafficking Caucus.
  • The discussion focused on the intersection of human trafficking and the travel/tourism industry.
  • Participants included representatives from the Department of Homeland Security, Uber, Airbnb, the American Hotel & Lodging Association, and ECPAT-USA.
  • The Helsinki Commission is a U.S. government agency established in 1976 to monitor OSCE commitments, particularly human rights.

Why It Matters

The briefing serves as a public record of government and private sector collaboration to address human trafficking risks in hotels, airlines, and ride-sharing services, which informs future legislative and industry safety standards.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of the Helsinki Commission?
It is a U.S. government agency that monitors compliance with commitments, with a specific focus on human rights and humanitarian concerns.
Who participated in this briefing?
The briefing included government officials from the Helsinki Commission and the Department of Homeland Security, alongside representatives from Uber, Airbnb, the American Hotel & Lodging Association, and non-profit organizations like ECPAT-USA and Airline Ambassadors.

News Coverage

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Sponsors

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Private-Public Collaboration

The inclusion of major tech-based travel platforms like Uber and Airbnb alongside traditional hospitality associations indicates a shift toward involving digital service providers in anti-trafficking efforts.

Connected Entities

organizationAirbnbRepresented by Nick Shapiro, Global Head of Trust & Risk Management.Map →
personChristopher SmithCo-Chairman of the Helsinki Commission.Map →
organizationUberRepresented by Tracey Breeden, Director of Safety Communications.Map →
organizationAmerican Hotel & Lodging AssociationRepresented by Craig Kalkut, Vice President of Government Affairs.Map →
personMichael McKeownExecutive Director of the DHS Blue Campaign.Map →
organizationCommission on Security and Cooperation in EuropeAlso known as the Helsinki Commission; organized the briefing.Map →
organizationCongressional Trafficking CaucusCo-hosted the briefing.Map →
organizationAirline AmbassadorsRepresented by founder Nancy Rivard.Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance60
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy20
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz15
    Current news / social attention level

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